Why does Elie use the metaphor of a “famished stomach” to describe himself?
a
Given barely enough food to live, he is, quite literally, famished and starving.
b
He no longer has an identity; he has been reduced to an empty body part.
c
The Nazi’s have taken everything else away from him; all he cares about is food and survival
d
All of the above.
d
All of the above.
The correct answer is d) All of the above.
Elie Wiesel uses the metaphor of a "famished stomach" to describe himself for multiple reasons. Firstly, as a survivor of the Holocaust, Elie was subjected to extreme hunger and starvation, resulting in his literal famished state. He and the other prisoners were given minimal food rations, barely enough to sustain life, which led to constant hunger.
Secondly, the metaphor also implies a loss of identity. In the concentration camps, the prisoners were dehumanized and reduced to mere bodies. Elie's use of the metaphor suggests that his identity and humanity have been stripped away, leaving only a starving stomach, an empty body part.
Lastly, the metaphor underscores the overwhelming focus on survival. In the harsh conditions of the concentration camp, where death was a constant threat, Elie's primary concern became finding enough food to stay alive. The metaphor captures the desperation and single-mindedness of his survival instinct.
Thus, all of the given options are correct in explaining why Elie uses the metaphor of a "famished stomach" to describe himself.
The correct answer is d) All of the above.
Elie Wiesel, the author and narrator of the book "Night," uses the metaphor of a "famished stomach" to describe himself for a variety of reasons, which are all captured in the options provided.
Firstly, Option a) states that Elie is given barely enough food to live, making him literally famished and starving. This indicates the physical suffering and hunger he experiences while in the concentration camp. Hunger becomes a constant and overwhelming concern for him throughout his time there.
Option b) suggests that Elie no longer has an identity; he has been reduced to an empty body part. This metaphor indicates the dehumanization he experiences in the camp. The Nazis strip away his sense of self and treat him as nothing more than a body that craves sustenance. The famished stomach metaphor serves as a powerful symbol for this loss of identity and dehumanization.
Lastly, Option c) notes that the Nazis have taken everything else away from Elie, and all he cares about is food and survival. This emphasizes the extreme conditions of survival in the concentration camp. With all other aspects of his life stripped away, Elie becomes solely focused on finding food to sustain himself and survive the atrocities surrounding him.
Overall, all of these options provide valid interpretations of why Elie uses the metaphor of a "famished stomach" to describe himself.