Set in war time 1940's Europe, Elie Wiesel's biographical memoir illustrates how some people are more resilient than others in the face of serious brutality within the "death camps", as Elie describes. In conditions of "bestial brutality", Elie accounts his own personal inner strength to withstand such torture, along with those as such as father Chlomo. In contrast there are those who are never in the right state to survive the horrors of the concentration camps, like Madam Schacter. However, there are those who must make sacrifices to survive, whether it be abusing fellow Jews, or abandoning close family members. This suggests that higher instincts survive in, and bring grace to even the more dire and degrading of circumstances.

Despite being advised that "everyone lives and dies for himself alone", Elie shows many glimpses that he is most definitely one of those with the will to survive. He...