In Elie Wiesel's "Night," the protagonist reflects on the harrowing experiences faced in a concentration camp. The SS officers, ruthless and unyielding, scrutinize the prisoners for signs of weakness. Those deemed vulnerable, referred to derogatorily as "musulman," are marked for extermination, their fates sealed by a mere number written down by an indifferent guard.

This moment captures the haunting realization of familiarity amidst horror, where a known word takes on a terrifying new meaning in a context of terror and dehumanization. The juxtaposition of a familiar term used in such a brutal way underscores the transformation of identity in the face of systematic annihilation.