Chapter 3

When Elie and his family were "unloaded" from the wagons they had to immediately separate. All the valuables that people had managed to keep where soon left on the train. "... With them, at last, our illusions." All the cherished objects that had once met the world to people where left behind. With them, the illusion that they might even make it out of the camp.Women to the right and men to the left."Eight words spoken quietly, indifferently, without emotion. Eight short, simple words. Yet that was the moment when I parted from my mother." Chapter 3, pg. 27 When Elie saw his mom leaving toward the right, he didn't imagine that that would be the last image of his mother. Not ever knowing what really happened to his parents must have been hard for him. I couldn't imagine how it might feel to just think that you will see a person later and end up finding out that they are dead. Not being able to say so many things, not being prepared to let them go just yet. What impacted me the most was when one of the Jewish told Elie and his father to lie about their ages. This shows that even though you might be going through a lot of pain and suffering you still hope to help others survive, solidarity. The man was being selfless for a couple of people whom he hadn't met before. As they were passed through to the healthy line all that they could see was the smoke coming out of the large chimneys."Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed ....Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never."Chapter 3, pg. 32 "The night was gone. The morning star was shining in the sky. I too had become a completely different person. The student of the Talmud, the child that I was, had been consumed in the flames. There remained only a shape that looked like me." Chapter 3, pg. 34 With just that image millions of life's were changed. Just imagining if a loved one was in there burning to death or if a small child was in that living hell awaiting his death. At the end of this chapter I couldn't help but wonder, why would God put so many people through this? What did the Jewish do, that was so bad and evil to deserve this kind of suffering?
"I did not deny God's existence, but I doubted His absolute justice." Chapter 3, pg. 42