Blog post 3 - Eli

The theme of luck, both good and bad, runs throughout Night. Although Elie experiences bad luck because he is suffering during the Holocaust, I feel like Elie was also one of the lucky ones because he got to work next to his father and ultimately survived World War ll. Most people were separated when they arrived at the concentration camps (unlucky), but Elie and his father were able to stay together (lucky). Elie also experiences bad luck just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is just working when an SS guard comes along and beats up Elie for no reason: “One day when Idek was venting his fury, I happened to cross his path. He threw himself on me like a wild beast. . . crushing me with ever more violent blows, until I was covered in blood. . . Abruptly, he calmed down and sent me back to work as if nothing had happened” (53). If someone else had crossed Idek’s path (unlucky), Elie would have been safe (lucky). Many times throughout the book, Elie worries that his father will not pass the selection and his father worries about the same thing. They learn that the selection used to be much worse. Some veteran prisoners tell them, “‘You’re lucky to have been brought here so late. Today, this is a paradise compared to what two years ago. Back then, Buna was a veritable hell. No water, no blankets, less soup and bread. . .And every week, selection. A merciless selection. . . Yes, you are lucky’” (70). Although Elie and his father are Buna (unlucky) it sounds as though conditions are better than they were (lucky). I can kind of connect with witnessing good luck and bad luck because I gave money to charity for my Bar Mitzvah. The charity is for kids who are talented at playing an instrument (lucky), but do not have a lot of money (unlucky). The charity gives them instruments and lessons for free (lucky). I consider myself lucky that I was born in the United States in the 21st century so that I do not need to worry about being executed for my religion.