In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, the encounter with the dentist is a significant event that highlights the brutal and inhumane conditions of the concentration camp. The prisoners are taken to the dentist to have their teeth extracted for gold fillings, a valuable commodity for the Nazis. The dentist, who is described as a cruel and sadistic individual, performs the extractions without any regard for the pain and suffering of the prisoners.
Elie describes the experience as incredibly painful, with the sound of teeth being yanked out of mouths echoing through the room. The dentist was violent and did not use any anesthetics or proper equipment, causing the prisoners to scream in agony. The pain was unbearable, and Elie says that he felt as if his soul was being torn apart with every extraction. The dentist was indifferent to their pain and continued to perform the extractions with a cold and ruthless efficiency.
This experience was not only physically painful but also emotionally traumatic for Elie. It symbolizes the loss of his humanity and dignity as a prisoner in the concentration camp. The dehumanizing treatment he received from the dentist was a stark contrast to the care and compassion that he had received from his dentist before his imprisonment. This encounter, along with the other horrors he faced in the concentration camp, led to a profound loss of faith in God and humanity.
In conclusion, Elie's encounter with the dentist in Night is a vivid and haunting depiction of the brutal conditions of the concentration camp. The brutal extraction of teeth symbolizes the dehumanization and loss of dignity that the prisoners suffered, and it was a turning point in Elie's journey towards a deeper understanding of the horrors of the Holocaust.