The father-son bond is a unique one. It is a special one and it can not be broken - or can it? The memoir Night written by Elie Wiesel shows that when deprived of basic necessities (such as food and shelter) even fathers and sons may turn against each other. .
When faced with the trauma of death by starvation a person's loyalty will falter. An example from the book is when an inmate tells Eliezer "There are no fathers, brothers, no friends. Everyone lives and dies for himself. Don't give your bread and soup to your father; you should be taking his ration." This shows how easily the mind can break and the basic animal is brought out. An animal's life is based on searching for food and finding a mate to produce children. Humans are no different. They are clothed with culture and technology covering the beast inside.
Self-preservation and the drive to survive is the main instinct in every animal's life and almost overcomes Eliezer. Eliezer witnesses his father getting beaten by a gypsy guard and he says, "I did not move what has happened to me? My father had just been struck, before my very eyes, and I had not flickered an eyelid. I had looked on and said nothing. Yesterday, I should have sunk my nails into his flesh." Eliezer means that today instead of protecting his father his concern for his own survival took over and controlled his actions. When he and his father were home where he had basic necessities such as food and shelter Eliezer's life was not in danger so the self-preservation instinct did not come into play. (37).
Eliezer from the beginning of the book decides to stay with his father which is the key to his survival. Eliezer is tested like others, but instead of leaving his father he stays beside him till the end. Eliezer witnesses on the train a boy killing his father for a piece of bread (97) In return the boy is killed by other men, but this incident shows that all these people were not men, but walking dead searching for food.