How does Wiesel mark time passing throughout the memoir? What is significant about the time of year coincides with beginning of Section Five?

Wiesel uses the season and Jewish holidays. In Section Five, the summer is coming to an end, so was the Jewish year. The Jews in the camp were preparing to participate in Rosh Hashana..... the last day of the year. Elie notes that the word "last" had an odd ring to it, as it just might be their last day.

1. How does Wiesel mark time passing throughout the memoir? What is significant about the time
of year that coincides with the beginning of section five?
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2. How do the people in the concentration camp react to Rosh Hashanah?
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3. Why does Eliezer believe that man is stronger than God? Why does he call himself the “former
mystic”?
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4. When Yom Kippur approaches, the men in camp debate the issue of fasting. Many of the men do
not believe they should fast because of the dangers. Other men believe that they should still fast to
show God that they still believe. How does Eliezer deal with this conflict?
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5. What image does Eliezer use in describing the old men that continues the idea of
dehumanization of the prisoners?
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6. Why does the Blockälteste become angry at the men after they ask him about their names being
added to the list?
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7. What does the reader learn about Eliezer’s father after Dr. Mengele’s selection?
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8. How do Tibi and Yossi and the Kapo treat Eliezer as he is waiting to find out about his father?
How does Eliezer interpret this kindness?
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Name: ______________
Date: ______________
9. What does Eliezer mean when he states, “How good it would be to die right here!” (76)
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10. Explain the symbolism when Eliezer returns the knife and spoon to his father.
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11. What does Akiba Drumer ask of the group before he is taken to Birkenau? What do they do?
What does their response demonstrate about the men?
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12. Explain the significance of the following line:
“’I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He alone has kept his promises, all his
promises, to the Jewish people’” (81).
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13. Describe Eliezer’s internal conflict after he hears about the evacuation. How does he make his
decision?
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14. Explain the irony in the passage that begins on page 84. What are the men asked to do and why?
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