Question

When questioned by the S.S. Officer, why did Elie lie about his age and occupation?

a) To join a different work group
b) To avoid separation from his family
c) To gain better treatment
d) To evade suspicion and danger

Answer 1

Elie lied about his age and occupation to an S.S. Officer to increase his survival chances, by seeming older and more physically capable for work during the Holocaust.

Step-by-step explanation:

When questioned by the S.S. Officer, Elie, the protagonist in Elie Wiesel's memoir 'Night', lies about his age and occupation to evade suspicion and danger. His strategic lie was to increase his chances of survival by appearing more useful to the Nazis. As a 15-year-old at the time, he claimed to be 18, which was considered a suitable age for hard labor. Similarly, he presented himself as a farmer rather than a student, as physical laborers were deemed more valuable to the camp's operation.

These sorts of decisions were a matter of life and death in the concentration camps. By lying about his age and occupation, Elie aimed to join a work group that would spare him from immediate extermination and give him a greater chance of surviving the Holocaust. Such decisions were not taken lightly, as the wrong answer could have led directly to the gas chambers.