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"Love is worth as much as prayer. Sometimes more." From Day (p. 13)
Recovering in the hospital after nearly being killed by a cab, a Holocaust survivor struggles with his will to live while burdened with his memories of the past.
Day
is much more subtle than the previous two books in this trilogy, Night
and Dawn
. In fact, it would be very easy to breeze through these 120 or so pages and end up wondering what the big deal is. The heinous things the narrator saw in his life are never discussed, only hinted at. The reader must use his or her own knowledge to fully absorb the questions posed. How does a person go on living after experiencing something like the Holocaust? How does one view normal, daily life as anything but completely frivolous?This story did not leave me drained and sad the way the others did, but that doesn't mean it made no mark. What would I do if I had seen my whole family wiped out? My whole city? How can I relate to someone who has seen those kinds of horrors? We don't know the past experiences that have made most people we meet who they are and they don't know ours, but with the things that go on in the world today there are many people we encounter who bear emotional scars like these -- scars we never see with our eyes, but we can feel them in our hearts if we try.
See a Reading Group Guide for Day here.
Related Post:
My thoughts on Dawn.
11 comments:
My son has read all of these books and has told me several times that I need to as well. I think I'm afraid that they'll leave me feeling drained.
Bermudaonion ~ There is a good chance that they will. They're so worth it though!
Lezlie
Night was a very powerful little book. I would like to read the next two...thanks for reminding me.
Lezlie,
Love the pictures of your family.
These books sound very interesting. Jewish blood runs through my veins. I might have some trouble with the horrors and the heinous acts these people were subjected too. I sure it makes you appreciate the freedoms we take for granted.
JoAnn ~ That it was. I think of the three, Night is my favorite.
Donna ~ The nice thing about his writing is that he's not graphic. There is all the emotional impact, but he doesn't rub your face in it.
Lezlie
Night is the only book in this trilogy that I've read, and it is heart-wrenching to say the least. I've been fortunate to this point in my life, but I've lost a couple close family members to long, drawn out illnesses. After this, it is hard to see the big deal in the little day to day things that used to upset you. I agree with you, Lezlie. It is a good idea to try to keep this in the back of your mind when dealing with people you come into contact with on a daily basis. You just never know what they're dealing with.
Thank you for reminding me that I need to make the time to complete this trilogy. I really loved your reviews of them, Lezlie.
I think I read Night in high school and I remember it making me feel drained too which is why I've avoided his other stories. They just make me so sad!
Lisa ~ That is something that tends to put priorities in order quickly. We take so many things for granted and forget how easy it is to lose them. And we worry too much about losing things that really shouldn't matter at all.
Nymeth ~ Thank you and you're welcome! They're short books and shouldn't take long to read. In fact, they're good Read-A-Thon books. Unless you'd rather keep things upbeat for that. :-)
Ladytink ~ I spaced them out for that very reason. The Holocaust is such a difficult subject.
Lezlie
You're review is linked here: http://warthroughthegenerations.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/review-day-by-elie-wiesel/
Thanks, Serena!
Lezlie
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