Compare and contrast for Night and Of Mice and Men: Post One
Jon, I don't find it too surprising that both of these books have the common theme of discrimination in them, considering that they take place somewhat in the past and are based off of times and events in which racial and other judgments were common things. Throughout Night and Of Mice and Men, one can see that those who are different are treated horribly by those who believe they are superior to minorities. Elie, Lennie, and Crooks are all considered lowlifes by other characters due to their religion, mental state, or race. Even though Night can be said to take place much further in the future than Mr. Steinbeck's novel, there is just as much, if not more, discrimination that can be detected within it.
Night is based off of an event caused by the intolerance of differences in people, while Of Mice and Men is a book in which much of the story is shaped by the rude behaviors of people who are unwilling to accept that everyone is different. "He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie's hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself." (Steinbeck, 61-62). Both Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck did a great job of taking two very different settings and incorporating within them the idea of discrimination in order to get their morals across to the reader. These are both very realistic stories, in fact, Night is a memoir, and this makes one wonder about the reality of our societies and communities around the world. Recognizing the horrible ways in which different people were and are treated in real life is something that these authors help a reader do; their writing not only entertains, but it also inspires one to change the ways of majority rule. "'I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.'" (Wiesel, 77). Just because a person is of Jewish decent or is not as mentally capable as others, doesn't mean that he or she needs to be treated abnormally, and this is something that still needs to be realized.
Mr. Wiesel recalls how his religious background got him in trouble, and that kind of discrimination can be seen today between the Hindus and Muslims of India. Mr. Steinbeck told about the burdens a mad man would have had to carry in the past through his words, and this can also be seen today in the ways that groups of people all over the world consider mentally unstable individuals burdens, even with such modernization in thinking nowadays.
Of course, the ways in which the discrimination for both stories takes place are not at all the same since religious intolerance and ability intolerance are very diverse topics, but discrimination in any form can be seen as bad by how the writers creatively show its negative effects in society. Religion is something that can be changed no matter how hard that is to do, and while mental disabilities cannot, one should not have to compromise with religious beliefs because of what others think. Mr. Wiesel uses a weaker branch of discrimination in his writing, yet the level of hatred against his beliefs in his story make his argument seem even more devastating than the one found in Mr. Steinbeck's story.
What do you think about this Jon? Whose story do you feel holds the stronger discrimination in it?
Jon, I don't find it too surprising that both of these books have the common theme of discrimination in them, considering that they take place somewhat in the past and are based off of times and events in which racial and other judgments were common things. Throughout Night and Of Mice and Men, one can see that those who are different are treated horribly by those who believe they are superior to minorities. Elie, Lennie, and Crooks are all considered lowlifes by other characters due to their religion, mental state, or race. Even though Night can be said to take place much further in the future than Mr. Steinbeck's novel, there is just as much, if not more, discrimination that can be detected within it.
Night is based off of an event caused by the intolerance of differences in people, while Of Mice and Men is a book in which much of the story is shaped by the rude behaviors of people who are unwilling to accept that everyone is different. "He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie's hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself." (Steinbeck, 61-62). Both Mr. Wiesel and Mr. Steinbeck did a great job of taking two very different settings and incorporating within them the idea of discrimination in order to get their morals across to the reader. These are both very realistic stories, in fact, Night is a memoir, and this makes one wonder about the reality of our societies and communities around the world. Recognizing the horrible ways in which different people were and are treated in real life is something that these authors help a reader do; their writing not only entertains, but it also inspires one to change the ways of majority rule. "'I've got more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He's the only one who's kept his promises, all his promises, to the Jewish people.'" (Wiesel, 77). Just because a person is of Jewish decent or is not as mentally capable as others, doesn't mean that he or she needs to be treated abnormally, and this is something that still needs to be realized.
Mr. Wiesel recalls how his religious background got him in trouble, and that kind of discrimination can be seen today between the Hindus and Muslims of India. Mr. Steinbeck told about the burdens a mad man would have had to carry in the past through his words, and this can also be seen today in the ways that groups of people all over the world consider mentally unstable individuals burdens, even with such modernization in thinking nowadays.
Of course, the ways in which the discrimination for both stories takes place are not at all the same since religious intolerance and ability intolerance are very diverse topics, but discrimination in any form can be seen as bad by how the writers creatively show its negative effects in society. Religion is something that can be changed no matter how hard that is to do, and while mental disabilities cannot, one should not have to compromise with religious beliefs because of what others think. Mr. Wiesel uses a weaker branch of discrimination in his writing, yet the level of hatred against his beliefs in his story make his argument seem even more devastating than the one found in Mr. Steinbeck's story.
What do you think about this Jon? Whose story do you feel holds the stronger discrimination in it?
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