Never Shall I Forget

The words “silent” and “silence” appear twice in the poem and serve as a motif that underscores the larger theme of Silence and Helplessness. The “silent sky” (Line 5) and the “nocturnal silence” (Line 7) symbolize indifference or an absence of help. They represent the lack of concern for Wiesel and the Nazis’ victims. As far as he could tell, no one was talking about their horrible situation, and no one was doing anything to alleviate it. The “sky” (Line 5) extended throughout the universe, and the universe was silent. Night—the “nocturnal” (Line 7)—doubles down on the symbolism of silence. There was no figurative light, as no one was coming to help them. Wiesel suffered, and the world was mute: It was a constant sky of blackness.

The silence also relates to the prisoners. The Holocaust took away their humanity and left them mute and apathetic. As Wiesel states, “Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and / turned my dreams to ashes” (Lines 9-10). Surrounded by indifference, Wiesel lost what he once cared about and became a symbol of stony emptiness.