Genocide is defined as the “deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or social group.” Gourevitch use of simile informs the reader of the Americans view towards genocide; a sandwich. He is belittling the genocide, taking away the emotion from it all. The use of this simile also allows us to envision danger that is performed on a mass scale to being on the same level as bread with cheese between them. When something has a name or title of some sort, it holds some significance. The American is completely stripping down the catastrophic event to a mere lunch item. Not really a big deal. He has a very dismissive tone almost as if he’s in denial of the whole ordeal. According to the American however, genocide is
