Deception – especially self-deception – is a powerful force in Night. Self-deception has two primary results: boosting morale and hope, but also deluding the Jews and leaving them vulnerable. The Jews of Sighet experience some serious group-think when they deceive themselves many, many times into thinking that they’re not in real danger from the Germans. This illusion prevents them from escaping Sighet while they still have a chance. In other instances, self-deception is used to create hope in situations where there is none. For example, Eliezer and his father continue to convince themselves that Eliezer’s mother and little sister are still alive and strong. There are other instances, more rare, of people deceiving each other, mostly for the sake of boosting morale and spirits. For example, Eliezer tells his cousin, Stein, who lives only for his family, that Stein’s wife and kids are all OK – a lie to give Stein a reason to keep living.
In Night, self-deception does more harm to the Jews than good.
In Night, self-deception is necessary for survival in the concentration camps because it gives the prisoners a reason to hope and to live.