Why did Elie's father give him a knife and spoon?
a
His father wanted Elie to have something of value he could sell or trade when the time came.
b
Because prisoners were forced to eat with their hands, his father wanted Elie to experience dignity.
c
His father thought he was near death and wanted to give Elie all that he had.
d
Elie's father wanted him to use these items to try to escape.
a
His father wanted Elie to have something of value he could sell or trade when the time came.
The correct answer is b. Because prisoners were forced to eat with their hands, his father wanted Elie to experience dignity.
Elie's father gave him a knife and spoon because in the concentration camps, prisoners were often treated inhumanely and were forced to eat with their bare hands. By giving Elie a knife and spoon, his father wanted him to have the basic utensils that would allow him to eat with some semblance of dignity. These items would provide Elie with a small sense of normalcy and help him maintain his humanity in an otherwise dehumanizing environment. To come to this conclusion, one can refer to the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel, in which he describes his experiences in the concentration camps and the significance of the knife and spoon given to him by his father.
b
Because prisoners were forced to eat with their hands, his father wanted Elie to experience dignity.