Question

What is Elie's tone when he writes, "The SS offered us a beautiful present for the new year"(69)? What was the
present?

Answer 1

Elie's tone when he writes, "The SS offered us a beautiful present for the new year" is sarcastic and grim. The present he is referring to is the evacuation and transfer of prisoners from Auschwitz, a site known for its horrifying conditions and atrocities. The sarcastic tone suggests the irony of being presented with something seemingly positive in such a bleak and brutal environment.