The short story Dawn, written by Elie Wiesel, faces the human need for freedom, and the individual need for conformity. While staring down opposite ends of a pistol, two men face similar conflicts, yet in the same sense, are completely opposite. What's deeper than eminent death, is the fear and hate that has been imbued into their daily life. As one quote in the book reads, "A man hates his enemy because he hates his own hate", means that there was no reason for the hating between each other besides the fact that each others" society had led them to believe that the other was wrong.
Elisha, a young boy, was a survivor of the holocaust. Afterwards he was sent to France where he spent a couple years. Then at the age of 18, Elisha was recruited for an underground Palestinian terrorist group. He was then faced with the task of executing an English officer in retribution of the execution of a member of his group. Through the night, Elisha struggles with his morals and the expectations of his society. He deliberates if he is entitled to take a man's life that he could have, under other circumstances, been a friend. He fights to understand his fears of what he is about to do and why John Dawson, the hostage, can keep his composure. He is completely baffled by the logic or lack thereof in the decision he faced at the break of day. In the final hour, Elisha decided to confront John Dawson. He talked to him and tried to understand his emotion. Failing to find in time, John Dawson was executed. As the sun rose over the horizon he came to realize that what he was truly afraid of was him self. One possible theme that was conveyed was the fact that many times people get so carried away with a conflict that they forget why they are fighting. In this case, John Dawson and Elisha were on opposite sides of a political issue, where neither of them was personally involved. What is to be learned from this is to stop and think about your actions and what is behind them, whether it be your own true morals or the lessons of society.
