Night

Is a human being able to discern between and act upon “right & wrong” when enduring great suffering

From the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel. Just a simple socratic seminar question.

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This is an excellent question, and it calls for your feelings and thoughts..... there is no right or wrong answer. It is very difficult to judge the actions of those who are enduring great suffering. In the novel, Night, we learn of unimaginable atrocities.... the prisoners were starved, beaten, exhausted, and sick. The most important question of all would be whether or not they could still tell the difference between right and wrong. Is it wrong for a starving man to reach for a slice of bread, is it wrong to hang onto a friend if you are unable to stand up? If your father is broken and dying, is it wrong to allow him to give up? All in all, I'd like to say I could easily answer these questions, but I can't. I haven't lived those atrocities, and I wouldn't presume to even remotely comprehend the true extent of the pain.