Topic > The dynamics in Elis and her father's relationships throughout the novel

In the novel "The Night", it is clear that there is a change in the relationship between Elie and her father. At first glance, “he called me and I didn't answer” seems to indicate that the relationship is broken. However, the change in the nature of their relationship is much more complex than it seems. This complexity is shown from the days before the Nazis arrived, to the first experiences in the camp, to the last moments shared together. Throughout this novel we see that there is an ever-changing and developing relationship between Elie and his father. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the text, Elie's father is very distant from his family and seems to be "more concerned with the well-being of others than with that of his own relatives." At this stage of the story the relationship between Elie and his father is very distant and disconnected. This is further underlined by his father's lack of interest in Elie's faith – "he wanted to banish the idea of ​​studying Kabbalah from my mind" – prompting Elie to seek paternal guidance and support from Moishe the Beadle. Their relationship begins to change when the Nazis first come to town, when Elie's father begins to show emotions towards Elie, their relationship begins to grow closer: 'My father was crying. It was the first time I had seen him cry. I never thought it possible." Elie is very shocked to see his father cry because he has never seen his father express his emotions before. This moment proves to Elie that his father is human. Their relationship develops further when Elie and his father are separated from his mother and sister: "I could already feel my father's hand pressing against mine: we were alone." ensure his survival, and begins to show concern for Elie's safety and well-being: 'What a shame you didn't go with your mother. I've seen many children your age go with their mothers.' During their first meetings In the camp, Elie's father is slowly becoming more paternal and showing Elie the wisdom and guidance that was once used towards the community. In the most difficult moments they begin to rely on each other and realize that they must stick together to ensure their survival. Elie begins to take risks with his own life to ensure his father's survival, rather than worrying about his own well-being: 'Being in the infirmary wasn't bad at all; we had the right to good bread, to a thicker soup... Every now and then I could send a piece of bread to my father.' This shows that even though Elie is better, he is still looking for his father and is putting himself at risk with the possibility that if he is caught feeding him, he could be killed, yet he does this to ensure that his father survives. Elie begins to take on more of the fatherly role as his father becomes weaker and depends on Elie even more. Their bond grows as the experiences they are going through become harsher. As Elie's father grows weaker, Elie becomes frustrated and feels that his father is weighing him down, that he is a dead weight: "My father's presence was the only thing that stopped me. He was standing next to me breathless, strength, desperate.' Although Elie is angry at his father for holding him back, he does not abandon him and continues to stand by him because he does not want to be separated from him: "I didn't think about death, I didn't want to be separated from my father. As they flee from the Russians through the snow, Elie sees the children abandon their fathers and realizes.