Night 38-76

1. The process the prisoners go through is long and tiring. First, they were split up between men and women. Then they were split up by age. This was actually singling out the ones who were useless to the Germans. Those who were useless were killed immediately. Next, they were assigned to barracks where they would suffer from hunger and frostbite. There were also random selections of the weak workers who could die anyday, whenever the Germans wanted. Also, Jews were sent to various different camps away from anyone they know. Eliezer and his father tried to stay together but they couldn't stick together for long. They were split up and sent to different camps, only getting to see each other occasionally.

2. The one thing that remains at Birkenau is the mass burnings of Jews. Although conditons became worse and worse as time went on, Birkenau never gave the Jews chances. They killed them eveyday in hundreds. Eliezer saw the smoke and ashes of other Jews in Birkenau. He saw the black smoke coming out of the chimneys and smelt the rotten smell of burning flesh.

3. One uncertainty the Jews constantly had in mind was the day it was their time to be burned. Every shower or gathering, they feel that uncertainty of if it's actually what the Germans say it is. The shower heads could let out poison or they could lock the doors and burn them in the blink of an eye. Another uncertainty the prisoners constantly had in mind was if their families were still out there somewhere. Right at he beginning whole families were sent in different directions and lines. Eliezer hadn't see his mother or sister since they got seperated in Birkenau. Who knows where they ended up? This is what goes through Eliezer's mind everyday.

4. One of the guards Eliezer and his father had were very nice. He brought them extra bread and his son often gave them extra resources also. Eliezer and the other Jews were very thankful for this because it kept them from being that much more hungry. Other guards were not as helpful as others though. When they were transferred to another camp, their guard only cared about himself. Eliezer even caught him lying down with a young Polish girl. He was slacking on his job and had no humanity towards the Jews.