Night Comprehension Questions
Chapter 1
1. Where did Elie Wiesel spend his childhood?
2. Name his 3 sisters.
3. Describe Moshe the Beadle.
4. What happens to Moshe in the beginning of chapter 1
5. Upon his return, what story does Moshe relate?
6. Why don’t the people of Sighet believe Moshe’s story?
7. Why does he say he came back?
8. How do the people of Sighet feel about the Germans at first?
9. What rights did the Jews lose after Passover?
10. Why were the Jews forced to live in the Ghettos?
11. What news does Elie’s father learn the Saturday before Pentecost?
Chapter 2
1. Describe the situation on the train.
2. What does Madame Schachter say she sees?
3. What did the people on the train do to quiet her down?
4. Where does the train finally stop?
5. How were Madame Schachter’s screams a premonition?
Chapter 3
1. What is going to happen to the prisoners at Auschwitz?
2. What would have happened to Elie if he did not lie about his age?
3. When Elie arrived at the barracks, what was he made to do?
4. What was the inscription on the iron door of Auschwitz?
5. Do you believe the inscription was true?
6. What does the Pole in charge of Elie’s group advise him to do?
7. How does Drumer explain the reason the Jews are at the camp?
Chapter 4
1. Where were Elie and his father sent to work?
2. Why did Elie have to go to the dentist?
3. How did the French girl hide her identity?
4. From page 52, Why do you think people change so much?
5. What happened to Elie and his father when Franek asked for Elie’s gold crown?
6. What was Elie’s punishment for seeing Idek with a girl?
7. What is the punishment for stealing soup?
Chapter 5
1. What is Rosh Hashana?
2. What is Yom Kippur?
3. What do people do to show their reverence to God on Yom Kippur?
4. Describe conditions at Buna before Elie arrived.
5. What did the head of Elie’s block suggest they do before selection?
6. Why did Elie go to the hospital?
7. What happened to the prisoners who were left behind after the evacuation?
8. Why did the head of the block want it cleaned before they left?
Chapter 6
1. How did Elie say they were running like?
2. What was wrong with Zalman?
3. Why did Elie continue to run even though he was tired and in pain?
4. Why did Elie’s father not let him sleep?
5. What did Rabbi Eliahou’s son do to him?
6. Why?
7. At what camp did they first arrive?
8. For how long where they there?
Chapter 7
1. Where did the train stop at first?
2. What 2 things did they do with the dead bodies on the train?
3. What did they eat?
4. What happened when a workman threw bread on the train?
5. What was the workman’s attitude?
6. How old is Elie now?
7. What job did Meir Katz have at Buna?
8. How many survived the train trip?
9. Where are they now?
10. Meir Katz groaned, “Why don’t they shoot us right away?” Why do you think they didn’t?
Chapter 8
1. What did it cost Elie to move to his father’s bed?
2. What disease does Elie’s father have?
3. What did the doctor who came to the block do to the sick?
4. What did Elie want to do to this doctor?
5. Why were the prisoners hitting Elie’s father?
6. What advice does the head of the block give Elie?
7. Does Elie listen to him?
8. How do you know?
9. What date did Elie notice his father dead?
Chapter 9
1. When did Elie leave Buchenwald?
2. What was Elie’s one desire while in the children’s ward?
3. Who was the head of the children’s block?
4. After roll call, what did the head of the camp announce?
5. How many blocks of deportees were evacuated each day?
6. What happened on April 10th?
7. Who came to the camp at six in the evening?
8. What does Elie see in the mirror when he looks back at his reflection for the first time since his imprisonment?