18 pages • 36 minutes read
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
A well-known Holocaust survivor and winner of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize, Elie Wiesel is the author of “Never Shall I Forget,” and the poem comes from his acclaimed book Night (1956)—a semi-fictionalized autobiographical account of how he survived Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps as a teen. In the book, the words take up three paragraphs, the prose becoming lines that amount to a 13-line lyric poem in free verse (there’s no rhyme or meter). The poem is part of the genre of Holocaust literature, reflecting Wiesel’s harrowing first night at Auschwitz. It’s also a confessional poem, with Wiesel confessing his trauma about living through the Holocaust. The poem sends the message that traumas can last forever and there’s no way to forget them. Though he’s not known for his poetry, Wiesel was a prolific writer, publishing nearly 60 books in his lifetime (almost all of them rooted in Judaism and the Holocaust), and the words that compose “Never Shall I Forget” are quoted often by critics and laypeople alike.
Unlock all 18 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,850+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
By Elie Wiesel