Upon arriving at Auschwitz, Eliezer and his father are subjected to a brutal selection process. Those who are deemed fit for work are sent to the Buna labor camp, while those who are deemed unfit are sent to the gas chambers. Eliezer and his father are both sent to Buna.
At Buna, Eliezer and his father are forced to work long hours in harsh conditions. They are constantly malnourished and exhausted. They witness the deaths of thousands of prisoners. Eliezer's relationship with his father becomes increasingly strained as a result of the unimaginable horrors they are both enduring.
Despite the hardships they face, Eliezer and his father manage to find moments of hope and courage. They support each other and draw strength from each other's presence. They both know that they must survive, no matter what the cost.
In the end, Eliezer's father succumbs to the brutality of the camp. He dies of dysentery and starvation, just days before Auschwitz is liberated. Eliezer is devastated by his father's death. He feels guilty for not being able to save him. However, he also knows that his father's death has given him the strength to survive.