In Elie Wiesel's Night, Juliek gives his final performance to a mass of dying people. In the morning, Elie describes Juliek's broken violin as an...

Eliezer
described Julieks broken violin as an eerily poignant little corpse because the sight evoked
both fear and sadness. When Juliek, played his violin it may have inspired some sense of hope
among the prisoners including Eliezer. However, in the long run, not even the instrument
survived, attesting to the destructive nature of the situation.

Eliezer may
also have used the phrase to personify or give life to the instrument that his friend cared so
much about. When Eliezer stumbled upon Juliek, who was also trapped among the bodies and the
prisoners, the violinist was worried that the people would break his violin. For Juliek, his
violin was not only an instrument but a close companion who accompanied him through the trouble.
Eliezer seemed to understand this and referred to the broken violin as a
corpse.