Elie Wiesel uses the symbols of fire and corpses to depict death and the loss of faith. Night is also symbolic of darkness, and fire and corpses are used to symbolize spiritual death. Wiesel uses dark symbolism in Night to portray death and the spiritual death of humanity. The novel portrays this concept in a powerful way, as Wiesel believes that night is the worst time for suffering expotab. It is also the time when our faith is weakened, and our world is without God.
Fire is also a common symbol of death and destruction, particularly in Night. Nazis used fire to obliterate evidence from their genocide, and Eliezer is able to smell the ashes of burning flesh when his train arrives in Birkenau. This smell lingers with Eliezer throughout the novel, a constant reminder of the death and destruction that he must endure. Fire is a symbol of destruction and death, and it symbolizes the plight of humanity.
Corpses are also symbolic of spiritual and physical death. In Night, Eliezer sees himself in the mirror after enduring many years in a Nazi concentration camp. His reflection reveals an emaciated corpse with dull eyes, and he realizes that he has died spiritually. The emaciated corpse symbolizes his cracked faith in God and humanity, and his inability to express lively emotions.
