Elie Wiesel's The Perils Of Indifference

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On April 12, 1999, Elie Wiesel delivered a poignant speech during the Millennium Lectures. (Wiesel 1) Throughout Wiesel’s speech, the word “indifference” is heavily emphasized while establishing connections between the past and the present – contrasting what we, as a country, have done and what we should do going forward. “The Perils of Indifference” is a powerful plea to the American government and people to defend human life in the new millennium. Wiesel captures his audience with facts, appeals to the human conscience, and utilizes many strategies to add weight to his words.
From the very first line, Wiesel targets his audience effectively. By directly addressing authorities and governors, like “Mr. President, Mrs. Clinton, members of Congress, Ambassador Holbrooke, Excellencies, friends”, Wiesel calls their attention and challenges them stop the atrocities against innocent people. (Wiesel 1) A critical word in this address is “friends”. (Wiesel 1) This leaves an open door for the extended audience, the American people, to feel …show more content…
Additionally, Wiesel frequently uses terms like “we”, “our”, and “us” to create a comradery with the audience. This ties into Wiesel creating a feeling of emotional vulnerability and trust so his message is better received. Wiesel follows this message of gratitude with a strong message of indifference. Wiesel starts off with a powerful explanation of what the word indifference means, saying “Etymologically, the word means "no difference." A strange and unnatural state in which the lines blur between light and darkness, dusk and dawn, crime and punishment, cruelty and compassion, good and evil.” This particular statement creates comparisons that people can easily understand, ultimately making the topic of the speech more accessible to the general populace and ensuring that his message will be well
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