The occurrences depicted by author, Elie Wiesel of Night, are genuine and actually happened. This is what makes the irony of his experience all the more moving to the reader. Of all the ironic situations in Night, there are three, which will be elaborated upon. From the son who killed his father for bread, to the air raids, and to Elie's post liberation near-death experience, it is proven that such irony does not only occur in the mind of the fictional author.
The Holocaust can change the way people are, very dramatically, making them very cruel and selfish. During the train ride to Buchenwald a very disturbing situation happened between a father and son. Workmen were throwing pieces of bread inside the wagons just to see the prisoners fight over the food. While doing this, an old man came across a piece of bread and snuck away from the mob of people, but the man does not go unnoticed. Someone threw himself on top of the old man and began to hit him for the bread. While this happens, the old man screams out "Meir. Meir, my boy! Donyou recognize me? I'm your father you're hurting me you're killing your father! I've got some bread for you too for you too" (p 97). The boy killed his own father just for some food that his father was going to give him anyway. Additionally, the boy was soon killed for the piece of bread that he killed his own father for. The irony of this situation is quite eminent, and undoubtedly saddening. .
The bombing lasts for over an hour. The prisoners, however, are filled with hope and joy because the rumors they have heard about German defeat on various fronts seem real and believable now. Elie's thoughts during the raid: "If it could only have lasted ten times ten hours!" (p 57). That afternoon, the prisoners cheerfully cleared away the ruins. The irony in this situation comes from the prisoners' amiability toward the air raids. They look forward to the air raids, for they are against the Germans, their captors.
" (Wiesel, 56). ... " (Wiesel, 63). ... " (Wiesel, 92). ... " (Wiesel, 97). ... The irony is that the son wanted the bread because he was starving and he killed his father, but the same thing had happened to him exactly after he had obtained the piece of bread. ...