Week One Discussion Preparation: The Ways We Lie To Ourselves

INSTRUCTIONS: Read up to page 50 of Night, and answer the following questions by Wednesday,
November 5th:
What are the reasons the Jewish people give for not acting more decisively? Find at least 5 different
places where the Jewish people give excuses for not doing more to save themselves.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Why do you think they make these excuses, rather than act? Please explain your answer

What tends to happen to the people who do speak the truth? Support your answer with at least three
different examples.
1.
2.
3.

What are four ways the Nazis try to control the identity of their prisoners?
1.
2.
3.
4.

BLOG ENTRY QUESTION: What does the novel suggest about the reasons we lie to ourselves and why
we are so good at lying to ourselves? Relate this idea to something you have experienced, or have
ready about, in the real world.

Week Two Discussion Preparation: The Relationship between Power and Lying
Have these questions answered by Wednesday, Nov 12th.
Pages 50-60:

Why does Idek threaten Elie? What is he afraid of people finding out?

Why does Elie not tell anyone?

Why do you think Elie is telling people now, by writing this novel?

Pages 61-70

What are two lies Elie tells himself in these ten pages?

What are two lies Elie can no longer tell himself in these ten pages? Why can he no
longer believe these things?

Pages 71-80

Who is the only person who Elie trusts in these 10 pages? Why?

What reason does the guard give for washing the wooden floor?

Pages 81 95 What do you think about the fact Elie writes about seeing barbed wire as his salvation?

What excuse does the rich lady give for causing the children to fight each other to the
death? What does she convince herself she is doing?

Pages 96-109

What are at least three examples that demonstrate Elie can no longer lie to himself
about being a good person by the novel?

BLOG QUESTION: What does the novel suggest about the relationship between power and lying? How
does this idea relate to something you have experience, or have read about, in the real world?