One of the problems with your thesis is the word
"overcome" and its connection to the memoir Night and genocide. It
would be almost impossible to demonstrate from Night that the Jews
overcame genocide; in fact, Wiesel thoroughly discusses is struggle with losing his
faith and recognizing his emotional death at the end of his Holocaust
experience.
That being said, you could discuss how the Jews
cope with the horrors of deportation and the concentration camps. Below are several
examples of their coping:
1. Akiba Drumer, who becomes
Elie's spiritual mentor in the camp, makes a point of trying to encourage others
spiritually. He prays the traditional Jewish prayers and manages to maintain a hopeful
gaze almost until his death. Even after his eyes have lost hope, he asks Elie and the
others to remember to pray the death prayer for him, demonstrating that he still clings
to his faith.
2. Many of the Jewish prisoners, including
Elie's father, do their best to honor their traditional holidays. This demonstrates not
only a longing to identify with better times in the past but also a hope that if they
adhere to their religious customs, perhaps God will see fit to rescue them. Elie finds
this practice extremely difficult. He resents his father for continuing the traditions
and cannot bring himself to eat in celebration when he is supposed
to.
3. The prisoners also cling to what remains of their
family and friends. While the camps certainly encourage self-preservation over family
commitment, Elie and his father seek to stay together. Even when Elie is frustrated
with Chlomo's physical ineptitude, he still looks out for him. Similarly, when Elie
first arrives in the camp, his distant relative Stein questions him about news from his
family, hoping that they might have possibly survived.
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