In the wake of being conveyed to Auschwitz-Birkenau by a dairy cattle wagon with eighty other future detainees, "Eliezer" is isolated from the vast majority of his family by the part of male and female detainees into two distinct lines. A SS man with a club orders separating man from women, Eliezer and his dad move to one side, while his mom and sisters are moved to the other side.
Elie remarks in the book, "I didn't realize this was the minute in time and where I was leaving my mom and Tzipora until the end of time." This characterizes whatever is left of Elie's life and results in colossal misfortune.
