REHUGO

Quinci Woods

Mr. Soeth

English 3 AP

February 2, 2011

REHUGO Analysis- Historical Speech: “The Perils of Indifference” by Elie Wiesel

A. Elie Wiesel delivered “The Perils of Indifference” on April 12, 1999 in Washington, D.C.

B. Elie Wiesel is a Jewish author who survived the holocaust and wrote the well-known novel, Night. In this speech, he is addressing the President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, members of the Congress, Ambassador Holbrooke, and Excellencies, which means he is speaking to them and America. He shows how humble he is towards America, “…that freed me, and ten thousands of others -- and I am filled with a profound and abiding gratitude to the American people.” He is humble by the American people because American soldiers liberated over 20,000 Jewish prisoners in Buchenwald in 1945. “Liberated a day earlier by American soldiers, he remembers their rage at what they saw.” Wiesel looks up to the American soldiers for giving the Jewish prisoners what they have been waiting for, freedom.

C. The speech takes place in 1999, which is only 12 years from the present. Wiesel’s legacy and his book, Night, still live on today in 2011. This speech is still effective today since all of our hearts go out to the victims of the holocaust. All throughout school, students still learn about the holocaust, the Nazis and Adolf Hitler. This speech is more of a reference and very effective to that part of history to learn more about what Jewish people went through and how they were given back their freedom.

D. “What are its courses and inescapable consequences? Is it a philosophy? Is there a philosophy of indifference conceivable? Can one possibly view indifference as a virtue? Is it necessary at times to practice it simply to keep one's sanity, live normally, enjoy a fine meal and a glass of wine, as the world around us experiences harrowing upheavals?” Rhetorical strategies that Wiesel uses are rhetorical questions. He uses this effectively by explaining the word “indifference.” He defines the word but then asks the audience to think if it means something different. It’s effective because the questions that he states infer deeper meaning towards the word. Throughout Wiesel’s speech, the word “indifference” shows up many of times. He uses repetition as a rhetorical strategy for the word “indifference”. This is effective by the way he wants the audience to know the impact of that word. “Indifference elicits no response. Indifference is not a response. Indifference is not a beginning; it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy...” He repeats this word with so many different meanings that it is obvious that he wants the audience to know what indifference means to him and how he can connect to it by not just one meaning.

E. MLA Citation:

Wiesel, Elie. The Perils of Indifference. Millennium Lecture Series. Washington, D.C. 12 April 1999.