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Quizzes > Books & Literature

Night Chapter 1 Quiz: Test Your Understanding

Quick, free Night Chapter 1 questions and answers quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Aijarkyn Azamat KyzyUpdated Aug 23, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art of open book and quiz icons on dark blue background promoting Night chapters 1 5 quiz

This Night Chapter 1 quiz helps you review the opening of Elie Wiesel's Night, recall key events and characters, and see where you might need more practice. When you're done, try the To Kill a Mockingbird quiz, check the Watsons Birmingham chapter 1 quiz, or switch gears with the call of the wild quiz.

What is the narrator's name in Chapter 1?
Eliezer
Moishe
Elie Wiesel
Shlomo
In the memoir, the author refers to himself by his given name, Eliezer, to lend authenticity and personal voice to the narrative. Although readers often associate the story with Elie Wiesel, his literary self is Eliezer, a detail kept consistent throughout Chapter 1. This choice underscores the firsthand witness dimension of his harrowing experiences.
Where does Eliezer live at the beginning of Chapter 1?
Birkenau
Warsaw
Sighet
Auschwitz
Eliezer and his family reside in Sighet, a small Transylvanian town then part of Hungary. This setting situates readers in a seemingly peaceful community that later faces Nazi occupation. The shift from Sighet's calm to horror is central to Chapter 1's tension.
Who warns the townspeople of Sighet about the dangers posed by the Nazis?
Stein of Antwerp
Madame Schächter
Moishe the Beadle
Shlomo Wiesel
Moishe the Beadle, a poor foreign Jew and synagogue caretaker, escapes a Gestapo massacre and returns to Sighet to warn his community. His vivid account of mass executions is met with disbelief. His role introduces the theme of ignored warnings.
What atrocity does Moishe witness that he later describes to the Jews of Sighet?
Gas chambers in Auschwitz
Medical experiments
Mass execution in the forest
Deportation to America
Moishe recounts how Gestapo officers forced Jewish detainees into a ditch and shot them in cold blood. This mass execution in the forest of Galicia illustrates the early, brutal methods of Nazi terror. Chapter 1 leverages his testimony to foreshadow later horrors.
How do the residents of Sighet react to Moishe's warnings?
They dismiss him as crazy
They immediately escape
They hold a community vigil
They write to the Red Cross
Despite Moishe's firsthand account of atrocities, the townspeople refuse to believe such brutality could reach their community. Their dismissal reflects denial and false security. This collective skepticism underpins the tragic trajectory of Chapter 1.
What is the name of Eliezer's youngest sister?
Sarah
Bea
Tzipora
Hilda
Eliezer has three sisters: Hilda and Bea are older, while Tzipora, the youngest, is just a child. Her presence adds emotional weight when the family later faces separation. Tzipora's fate becomes a poignant symbol of lost innocence.
Who is Madame Schächter in Chapter 1?
A Jewish teacher in Sighet
Eliezer's neighbor who hides weapons
A fellow deportee who screams about a fire
A German officer who helps the Jews
Madame Schächter is one of the Jewish deportees packed into the cattle cars. She becomes hysterical, repeatedly shouting that she sees flames, foreshadowing the crematoria in the camps. Her portrayal intensifies suspense in Chapter 1.
What horrifying vision does Madame Schächter repeatedly describe?
Flames and fire
Floodwaters
Angels
Wolves
Throughout the train journey, Madame Schächter screams that she sees fire and flames. This unsettling vision is a direct foreshadowing of the crematoria and true horrors ahead. Her prophecies intensify the narrative's ominous tone.
What item are the Jews forced to wear to identify themselves?
Yellow star
Red circle
Armband with skull
Blue triangle
Under Nazi decree, every Jew had to sew a yellow Star of David onto their clothing. This enforced identification stripped them of anonymity and dignity, a major instrument of social control. It marks a significant escalation in Chapter 1's depiction of anti-Jewish measures.
How many ghettos were established in Sighet by the Germans before deportation?
Four
Three
Two
One
The German authorities divided Sighet's Jewish population between two sealed ghettos - one small and one large. This forced concentration in cramped quarters preluded the mass deportations. Wiesel's Chapter 1 outlines how these ghettos facilitated Nazi control.
What council did the Nazis establish to administer Jewish affairs in Sighet?
The Red Cross
The Judenrat
The Gestapo
The SS Council
The Judenrat, or Jewish Council, was imposed by the Nazis to manage Jewish community tasks and relay orders. Though presented as self-governing bodies, these councils enforced Nazi directives under duress. Chapter 1 reveals their controversial role in the occupiers' administrative apparatus.
Before deportation, the Jews of Sighet were confined to their homes for how many days?
Three
One
Seven
Five
The Nazis ordered a temporary house arrest of the Jewish community for three days before loading them onto cattle cars. This period built fear and helplessness, serving as a prelude to their mass deportation. Chapter 1 uses this interval to heighten tension.
Which profession did Moishe the Beadle hold before deportation?
Tailor
Farmer
Religious teacher and synagogue caretaker
Doctor
Moishe served as a shabbos goy and caretaker at Eliezer's synagogue, guiding religious practices. His modest role belies the critical eyewitness testimony he later provides. Wiesel details Moishe's early status to emphasize the shock of his transformation.
What belongings did the Jews originally take with them on the cattle cars?
Just a photo album
Only their identity papers
Suitcases packed with clothes and food
No belongings at all
Believing deportation was temporary, families packed luggage with clothing and provisions. This illusion of return was cruelly exploited by the Nazis. Wiesel's detail highlights the false hope that permeated Chapter 1.
What is the first camp to which the Jews of Sighet are transported?
Dachau
Buchenwald
Birkenau
Auschwitz I
The cattle cars ultimately arrive at Birkenau (Auschwitz II), known for its gas chambers and crematoria. Though often lumped with Auschwitz I, Birkenau was the primary extermination site. Chapter 1's closing scenes foreshadow this grim destination.
What was the main reason Eliezer gives for not staying behind when Jews were sent to death camps?
Faith in God's promise of deliverance
Threats from guards
Waiting for his family
Lack of strength to flee
Eliezer's unwavering belief that God would protect him leads him to endure the transports. This faith, deeply rooted in his religious upbringing, gives him a sense of false security in Chapter 1. It sets up his later, profound spiritual crisis.
What literary device is most prominent in Madame Schächter's visions?
Foreshadowing
Alliteration
Metaphor
Personification
Madame Schächter's repeated cries of fire and flames directly foreshadow the crematoria she will later see. Her prophetic outbursts heighten dramatic tension and prepare the reader for impending horrors. This use of foreshadowing is a critical narrative technique in Chapter 1.
What does the Judenrat primarily represent in Chapter 1?
The illusion of Jewish autonomy under Nazi rule
A resistance movement
A charity organization
A religious sect
The Judenrat, though presented as an administrative body, functions under Nazi coercion to implement oppressive policies. Its existence gives false hope of self-governance while facilitating deportations. Wiesel critiques this dynamic in Chapter 1.
Which event in Chapter 1 best signifies the loss of Eliezer's innocence?
His first sight of barracks
His recitation of the Kaddish
His witnessing of the mass execution in the forest
His separation from his father
Eliezer's first encounter with mass shooting in the forest shatters his spiritual and moral world. This horrific spectacle marks the end of his childhood innocence. Chapter 1 uses this pivotal moment to set the memoir's grim tone.
How does Wiesel describe the townspeople's reaction to foreign Jews' deportation?
Indifference mixed with hope it wasn't real
Immediate panic and revolt
Organized protests
Widespread celebration
Despite mounting evidence, Sighet residents respond to early deportations with disbelief and passive acceptance. This blend of denial and false optimism prevents them from fleeing. Chapter 1 portrays this attitude as a tragic communal failing.
What theme is introduced by Moishe's return to Sighet?
The joy of survival
The power of community
The strength of family bonds
The fragility of faith and memory
Moishe's harrowing account introduces how trauma can strain belief and recollection. His warnings and their dismissal underscore the precariousness of faith and memory under extreme threat. This theme resonates throughout Chapter 1 and beyond.
In Chapter 1, what does the character Stein of Antwerp ask Eliezer's family?
News of his own wife and sons
A loan of money
Permission to hide
Directions to the nearest town
Stein of Antwerp seeks information about his missing family, clinging to hope in the face of despair. His inquiry highlights how prisoners used community ties as emotional lifelines. Chapter 1 portrays his dependency to illustrate collective suffering.
What does Eliezer ask Moishe the Beadle to teach him before deportation?
German language
Blacksmithing
The mystical teachings of the Cabbala
Farming skills
Before the upheaval, Eliezer seeks deeper spiritual knowledge through Cabbala study. His request underscores his profound faith and intellectual curiosity. This detail in Chapter 1 emphasizes the depth of his religious devotion.
Which event from Chapter 1 most effectively foreshadows the horrors of the crematoria?
The establishment of ghettos
The issuance of yellow stars
Moishe the Beadle's return
Madame Schächter's screams about fire on the train
Madame Schächter's vision of fire and flames aboard the cattle car serves as chilling foreshadowing of the crematoria she will later encounter. Her hysteria anticipates the true combustion chambers awaiting the deportees. This moment is a masterful instance of narrative forewarning in Chapter 1.
The silence of the synagogue bells after the ghettoization symbolizes:
The beginning of hope
The end of Jewish spiritual life in Sighet
The start of Jewish resistance
The celebration of freedom
Once the ghettos are sealed, the synagogue bells cease, marking the abrupt halt of Jewish religious observance. Their silence powerfully symbolizes the community's spiritual demise under Nazi oppression. Chapter 1 uses this image to convey profound cultural loss.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Setting and Context -

    Readers will be able to explain the historical and geographical backdrop of Sighet at the onset of World War II, setting the stage for Chapter 1.

  2. Identify Key Characters -

    Readers will recognize and describe the roles of Eliezer, Moishe the Beadle, and other significant figures introduced in the opening chapter.

  3. Recall Major Events -

    Readers will accurately recount pivotal incidents such as the deportation orders, community reactions, and early warnings of impending danger.

  4. Analyze Themes -

    Readers will explore central motifs like faith, innocence lost, and the early signs of persecution as presented in Chapter 1.

  5. Interpret Narrative Perspective -

    Readers will examine how Eliezer's first-person narration shapes the memoir's emotional impact and reliability.

  6. Strengthen Comprehension Skills -

    Readers will reinforce their memory and critical-thinking abilities through targeted night chapter 1 questions and answers.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Moishe the Beadle's Warning -

    Moishe's transformation from a humble guide to a harbinger of doom foreshadows the horrors ahead and is a frequent focus of night chapter 1 questions and answers. His vivid account ("they left us for dead") highlights the themes of disbelief and ignored prophecy. Mnemonic tip: recall "Moe's Message" to connect his warnings with the unfolding tragedy.

  2. Sighet's Cultural Bubble -

    The peaceful Transylvanian town of Sighet represents the Jewish community's isolation and false security before deportation. Recognizing this setting is vital for chapter 1 night quiz questions, as it underscores the shock of sudden upheaval. Think of Sighet as a "soap bubble" that bursts when external forces invade.

  3. Testing of Faith -

    Eliezer's struggle with prayer during Rosh Hashanah services illustrates the memoir's central tension between tradition and doubt. Scholars note his internal conflict ("Where is God? Where is He?") as a key discussion point in chapter 1 questions night. Use the acronym "PRAY" (Protest, Reflection, Anguish, Yearning) to trace his spiritual journey.

  4. Foreshadowing Through Fire Imagery -

    References to distant fires and smoke serve as ominous symbols long before the camps are mentioned, making this motif essential for night chapter 1 questions and answers. The biblical allusion to "the burning bush" inverted here signals destruction instead of salvation. Visualize a flame that both warms and warns to remember its dual meaning.

  5. Wiesel's Narrative Style -

    The concise, fragmented prose in Chapter 1 mirrors Eliezer's shock and disbelief, a technique often highlighted in chapter 5 questions night as well. Short sentences and sharp contrasts intensify emotion and pace. Use the "NIGHT" mnemonic - Narrative immediacy, Imagery, Guilt, Humanity, Trauma - to recall how style conveys substance.

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