What Might Be The Reasons For The Townspeople’S Widespread Denial Of The Evidence Facing Them?

Ignorance is a drug; it feels good instantly and relieves one of all worries during the most stressful times, but it is detrimental in the long run. When one finally sees the beam of truth strike through the clouds of ignorance, the damage has already been done and it is too late. This idea is recalled frequently in Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night, where the Jews are lured into the trap of the Germans by their false security and self deception. Even after countless warnings from the people who saw the naked truth with their own eyes, the Jews of Sighet choose to isolate themselves and pretend that everything is normal. The senseless and unwary behavior of the Jews is shown through their ignorance of the truth that lay right in front of them, which portrays the theme that the self deception and passiveness in ignorance leads to one’s downfall.
In times of desperation and distress, one tends to be deceived through self deception. A clear example of this can be seen when Moishe the Beadle tries to warn all the Jews about the reality of what the Germans are trying to do, they do not listen at all. Moishe the Beadle “spoke only of what he had seen. But people not only refused to believe his tales, they refused to listen. Some even insinuated that he only wanted their pity, that he was imagining things. Others flatly said that he had gone mad”. The Jews are giving themselves false hope that everything will turn out fine for them, when in reality, it will only become worse. This false hope leads to the Jews being blinded by their self deception in attempts to feel safer and in control. Without this deception, the Jews could have avoided the Holocaust, which further proves the point that self deception is more harmful than helpful. The Jews are so naive and ignorant about their surroundings that when “The Germans were already in our town, the Fascist were already in power, the verdict was out - and yet the Jews of Sighet were still smiling”. The Jews not only refuse to believe that the Germans have evil intentions behind their satanic minds, but they isolate themselves from others to avoid inciting any kind of commotion. This is what eventually leads to the numerous tragic deaths of the Jews. The phrase “still smiling” implies the false ideas and beliefs built up by the Jew’s own deceptions. The people of Sighet are telling each other that there is nothing to worry about when their fate lies straight ahead of them.