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This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.

Elie Wiesel

A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.
ELIE WIESEL

Election God Official Person Religious
Whoever survives a test, whatever it may be, must tell the story. That is his duty.
ELIE WIESEL

Himself Story Survive
In the word question, there is a beautiful word – quest. I love that word.
ELIE WIESEL

Beautiful Love Myself Question Word
Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.
ELIE WIESEL

Help Oppression Side Victim
To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.
ELIE WIESEL

Death Forget Kill Time
No human being is illegal. That is a contradiction in terms. Human beings can be beautiful or more beautiful, they can be fat or skinny, they can be right or wrong, but illegal? How can a human being be illegal?
ELIE WIESEL

Appearance Beautiful Contradiction Human Illegal Right Wrong
All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them. No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior.
ELIE WIESEL

Collection Faith Inferior Judgement Religion
Every Jew, somewhere in his being, should set apart a zone of hate – healthy virile hate – for what the German personifies and for what persists in the German.
ELIE WIESEL

Hate Health Persistence Religious
We must choose between the violence of adults and the smiles of children. Between the ugliness of hate and the will to oppose it. Between inflicting suffering and humiliation on our fellow man and offering him the solidarity and hope he deserves.
ELIE WIESEL

Adult Choice Deserve Hope Ourselves Suffering Ugly Violence
Suffering pulls us farther away from other human beings. It builds a wall made of cries and contempt to separate us.
ELIE WIESEL

Build Cry Human Separate Suffering Wall
This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.
ELIE WIESEL

Pain Prayer Role Tears Writing
I write to understand as much as to be understood.
ELIE WIESEL

Feeling Myself Understand Writing
Even in darkness it is possible to create light.
ELIE WIESEL

Creation Darkness Light Possible
But where was I to start? The world is so vast, I shall start with the country I knew best, my own. But my country is so very large. I had better start with my town. But my town, too, is large. I had best start with my street. No, my home. No, my family. Never mind, I shall start with myself.
ELIE WIESEL

Better Country Inspirational Myself Start World
Every moment is a new beginning.
ELIE WIESEL

Beginning Moments Perspective Time
I came to the conclusion that I am free to choose my own suffering. But I am not free to consent to someone else’s suffering.
ELIE WIESEL

Choice Freedom Myself Suffering

This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.

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This is the role of writers: to turn their tears into a story – and perhaps into a prayer.

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Popular Authors

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