Neutrality

As the author and the main character of "Night," Elie Wiesel, observes too great a quantity of pain and suffering produced just from his neutrality in the holocaust. He witnesses the beatings of his father and many others and always realizes he remained motionless and silent. Once, as Elie's father was viciously slapped across the face, Elie felt a surge of guilt for not taking action: "What had happened to me? My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent. Only yesterday I would have dug my nails into this criminal's flesh" (39).

Such experiences throughout the holocaust taught Elie a great lesson that was forever ingrained into his mind, which lead him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. In his acceptance speech, Elie explains with great passion that "Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere" (118). Elie realizes that silence in the face of the enemy is equally shameful and destructive as committing the atrocities yourselves. "And that is why I sw[ear] never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides" (118), says Elie, at the high point of his speech.

Thus, Elie Wiesel, the deserved Nobel Peace Prize winner, presents a new moral question that encompasses every country and every individual on Earth: does your inactivity help the greater good?