The Accident is like Wiesel's novel Dawn (1960; see separate entry) in several respects. For instance, both include female characters, Kathleen in The Accident and Catherine in Dawn, who are fascinated by, and who wish to have romantic and sexual relationships with, men who have survived the Holocaust and who have seen much death in their lives. In The Accident, Wiesel continues his characterization of women obsessed with men who have suffered great emotional loss during the Holocaust. He clearly patterns the character Kathleen upon Catherine in Dawn. As with his other works, Wiesel binds together the themes of suffering and sexuality.

Another similar work by Wiesel is his play entitled The Trial of God (1979). In this play, Holocaust victims put God on trial; the play is based on an actual event that Wiesel witnessed while he was interned in Auschwitz. As Wiesel watched and cried, several...