Who Is Elie Wiesel's Speech In The Perils Of Indifference

The Perils of Indifference “He was finally free, but there was no joy in his heart. He thought there never would be again” (“The Perils of Indifference” Wiesel). Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Holocaust who was freed by American troops, has released a speech that is still commemorated today. His speech, The Perils of Indifference, expresses and delivers compassion for those who suffered from the Holocaust. First of all, Wiesel reminds us that these people were men, women, and children that were held in concentration camps; they were subjected to injustice and indifference. This portion of his speech evokes a response from the audience by using pathos and rhetorical questions. Further on, Elie Wiesel’s speech is momentous as it speaks of the Holocaust and the things he saw. He explains that we should never forget such an event. Last but not least, his speech is still venerated today; filled with passion as a speech should. What makes the audience respect this speech is the fact that Wiesel was once a victim of the Holocaust and that his speech speaks of the many people who died. Indeed there were men, women, and children who became victims to the Holocaust and their concentration camps. Simply speaking of the events may not catch the majority of the audience’s attention. So, what Elie Wiesel did was use pathos or brought emotion to the listeners by speaking of the victims of the camps; however, he didn’t simply use pathos, but he also described how these people were being tormented or persecuted. “The most tragic of all prisoners were the ‘Muselmanner,’ as they were called. Wrapped in their torn blankets, they would sit or lie on the ground, staring vacantly into space, unaware of who or where they were strangers to their surroundings. They felt nothing. They were dead and did not know it” (“The Perils of Indifference” Wiesel). Wiesel used strong, eerie words that immediately brought attention to the audience. He also uses rhetorical questions. “What about the children? Their fate is always the most tragic, inevitably. When adults wage war, children perish. We see their faces, their eyes. Do we hear their pleas? Do we feel their pain, their agony?” (“The Perils of Indifference” Wiesel). By using pathos and rhetorical questions, this left the audience with broken hearts. Moreover, Elie Wiesel’s The Perils of Indifference is remarkable and momentous. …show more content…
“If we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices,’ Jenny Nelson says, quoting from Elie Wiesel’s Night” (“Teachers Revisits Holocaust” Mitchell). His speech is momentous as it talks about the Holocaust and what they did to all kinds of people. If we were to forget about this event, we would simply replay it all over again and this is not okay. This is why his speech is remembered, to speak of it to the children in schools, to speak of it to all of the people in the world in hopes to prevent it from happening again. Wiesel told the people, his audience, to speak up when there is injustice. “Why remember?...Why should we give our memories to young people and place such a burden of sadness on their frail or not so frail shoulders? We know to speak about [the Holocaust] is impossible, but to be silent is forbidden. If it were simply a matter of communicating a lesson or tale of suffering, that wouldn't do it” (“Remembrance and Hope”). Furthermore, Elie Wiesel’s speech is still being venerated today. According to the Teacher Revisits Holocaust article, the