Question

After a forced march, the prisoners are crammed into a barracks. That night Juliek plays a fragment of a Beethoven concerto on the violin he has managed to keep the entire time he was at Auschwitz. What do you think prompts Juliek to play that evening? What does music mean to Eliezer? To the other prisoners who hear the sounds? To Juliek?

Answer 1

Answer:

In "Night," by Elie Wiesel, Juliek tries to turn something terrible into something good and beautiful. Thus, she plays sounds out of silence to give the dying prisoners some hope. In fact, they are not allowed to play Beethoven, so Juliek's performance is an act of resistance. Elie finds the music unforgettable, and it is so relaxing and beautiful that he falls asleep, while the other prisoners react very well too. As regards Juliek, she enjoys that moment immensely since she wishes to help the prisoners fall asleep. However, the next day Elie says that Juliek is dead, so he can have been in a trance, even though he is sure to have felt and heard the music.