Elezer Wiesel The Perils Of Indifference

888 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: a concluusion about the armenian genocide

Professor and author, Eliezer Wiesel in his speech titled “The Perils of Indifference” asserts that being indifferent is an inhumane action. He develops his message through his metaphoric definition of the word and his descriptive explanation of the consequences. In paragraph six, he explains indifference as a word literally meaning “no difference.” To illustrate the word clearer for the listener, he describes it as “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” (1). Wiesel’s comparisons are easy to comprehend, allowing the listener to fully understand the concept. In page 1 paragraph 8, he uses descriptive words such as “meaningless”
The Armenian Genocide is an example of this. Conflict rose after the Ottoman Empire collapsed and rule was taken by the Young Turks, who wished to dispose of the Armenians. During World War I, the race was accused of siding with the Allies and genocide began April 15, 1915. It lasted for “multiple months” according to an article located on endgenocide.org, and “the death marches killed roughly 1.5 million Armenians, covered hundreds of miles.” While it was acknowledged by the press and ambassadors alike, the only action done to stop it was when “he Allied Powers (Great Britain, France, and Russia) responded to news of the massacres by issuing a warning to Turkey.” This proved to be ineffective when the genocide continued afterwards and even Turkey today still doesn’t admit that a genocide did occur during World War I. Wiesel called being “indifferent to that suffering is what makes the human being inhuman” (2). With the denial and indifference toward the Armenian Genocide shown on Turkey and the former Allied Powers part, Wiesel is proven right in his statement that the indifferent people in the world are truly inhumane. However, with a shift in tone, he discusses the “good things” that have come out of those “traumatic” times, as well as his hopes for the future of

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Inhuman In Night By Elie Wiesel

    647 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book Night by Elie Wiesel there were countless acts that would be classified as inhuman. For example the hanging of an angelic pipel, or killing one’s father for a piece of bread. Although both acts are extremely inhuman, hanging a child is more inhuman than killing one’s father for a piece of bread. Yet, to kill someone’s father for a bread is more in keeping with human nature in the fact that it is done for survival.

    Read More

  • The Dangers of Fear

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    Irish Playwright, George Bernard Shaw, once said, “The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of inhumanity.” Inhumanity is mankind’s worse attribute. Every so often, ordinary humans are driven to the point were they have no choice but to think of themselves. One of the most famous example used today is the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night demonstrates how fear is a debilitating force that causes people to lose sight of who they once were. After being forced into concentration camps, Elie was rudely awakened into reality. Traumatizing incidents such as Nazi persecution or even the mistreatment among fellow prisoners pushed Elie to realize the cruelty around him; Or even the wickedness Elie himself is capable of doing. This resulted in the loss of faith, innocence, and the close bonds with others.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Elie Wiesel's The Perils Of Indifference

    1163 Words  | 3 Pages

    Speeches are given for a purpose. Whether it is for persuasion, or education, or even entertainment, they all target certain parts of people’s minds. This speech, The Perils of Indifference, was given by Elie Wiesel with intention to persuade his audience that indifference is the downfall of humanity, and also to educate his audience about his conclusions about the Holocaust and the corresponding events. He was very successful in achieving those goals. Not only was the audience enlightened, but also President Bill Clinton, and the First Lady, Hillary Clinton, themselves were deeply touched by Wiesel’s words.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Teenage Relationship Abuse In Night By Elie Wiesel

    1611 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the eyes of Elie Wiesel, author of Night, indifference whether it be in relationship abuse or another problem, is mentally damaging and needs to be eliminated. In his memoir, Night, Elie Wiesel illustrates how indifference can harm the mind of the victim when he says, “Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live,” (Night 34). In this, Wiesel is speaking of his first night in Auschwitz. When he mentions silence he is referring to the indifference that the Jews in concentration camps faced from the rest of the world. Wiesel refers to that night as the time he lost his desire to live because he saw so much indifference toward the suffering of the inmates and the horrific things that were happening to them. After this, his desire to stay alive was destroyed because he watched as the world stood by, indifferent to the senseless murder of millions. Throught this, Wiesel illustrates that indifference will impact people for the rest of their lives. Because indifference

    Read More

  • Resistance During The Holocaust

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the Holocaust there were many varying forms of resistance these include refusal to follow German orders, the formation of the ZOB, continuing Jewish culture, education, religious practices, and keeping archives of historical events. These acts of Jewish resistance all required great courage and bravery as severe consequences were in place for those who did not follow German

    Read More

  • Elie Wiesel The Perils Of Indifference

    1733 Words  | 4 Pages

    To the people in the concentration camps, apathy is a “harsher punishment” (Wiesel) than anger or rage, because anger has feelings in it, while indifference just makes a suffering person feel even smaller and more insignificant. Indifference in humans potentially goes against religion, because it blurs the lines between “light and darkness” (Wiesel). Throughout his speech at the Millennium Lectures, Elie Wiesel both enlightens on the consequences of apathy towards those who need help, and inspires hope for a better future.

    Read More

  • Elie Wiesel's Night

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...igher being, or achieving a lifetime goal. People can survive even in the most horrible of situations as long as they have hope and the will to keep fighting, but when that beacon begins to fade. They will welcome what ever ends their plight. The Holocaust is one of the greatest tragedies in human history. Elie Wiesel wrote this memoir in hopes that future generations don't forget the mistakes of the past, so that they may not repeat them in the future, even so there is still genocide happening today in places like Kosovo, Somalia, and Darfur, thousands of people losing their will to live because of the horrors they witness, if Elie Wiesel has taught us anything, it is that the human will is the weakest yet strongest of forces.

    Read More

  • Hope Despair And Memory By Elie Wiesel Rhetorical Analysis

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    Oppression is the systematic method of prolonged cruelty and unjust treatment, often intended for those who are deemed “different” by a hierarchical society. It’s a basis that can be found in the plot of a fictional movie or novel, but most importantly, it’s an aspect of both past and modern life that has affected multiple nations. Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor, is a humanitarian who embodies the personal experiences of what being oppressed feels like – how it itches at one’s skin like the hatred and stares directed at them. The reason he is so important is because of his stories; what he has seen. The insight and intelligence he has brought forth further educates those who had previously accepted the world with their eyes closed.

    Read More

  • Ethos, Repetition, And Pathos In The Perils Of Indifference

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “The Perils of Indifference” Elie Wiesel uses several techniques to get his point across. Three of them in the speech are Ethos, Repetition, and Pathos. He uses a combination of the three elements throughout the paragraphs of his speech to attract the readers. The combination of these elements help draw the reader’s emotions and interest towards his subject. He focuses on word choice that would pertain to his audience’s level of vocabulary.

    Read More

  • Dehumanization In Eliezer Wiesel's Night

    445 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dehumanization is to deprive of human qualities or attributes: divest of individually. What were some ways that Eliezer, his father, and his fellow Jews dehumanized?

    Read More

  • Differences In Night By Elie Wiesel

    995 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Lack of interest, concern, or sympathy” This is the very definition of indifference. Elie Wiesel once stated, “The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.” Wiesel’s statement relates to numerous civil rights movements. Why do these movements continue to thrive? The quote by Elie Wiesel, “Indifference to evil is evil,” still holds merit in the twenty first century as examined in Night by Elie Wiesel, Swing Kids directed by Thomas Carter and in Thirteen Reasons Why directed by Bryan Yorkey, and written by Jay Asher.

    Read More

  • Elie Wiesel's Response To Inhumanity

    718 Words  | 2 Pages

    ”Lie down on it! On your belly! I obeyed. I no longer felt anything except the lashes of the whip. One! Two! He took time between the lashes. Ten eleven! Twenty-three. Twenty four, twenty five! It was over. I had not realized it, but I fainted” (Wiesel 58). It was hard to imagine that a human being just like Elie Wiesel would be treating others so cruelly. There are many acts that Elie has been through with his father and his fellow inmates. Experiencing inhumanity can affect others in a variety of ways. When faced with extreme inhumanity, The people responded by becoming incredulous, losing their faith, and becoming inhumane themselves.

    Read More

  • Dehumanization And Polarization In Elie Wiesel's Night

    1283 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Holocaust era, a third of all Jewish people alive at the time were murdered by the Germans. In the book Night by Elie Wiesel, the systematic killing of the Jewish people was happening all around him. Although Wiesel does not use the word “genocide,” his account of his experience shows that it was definitely genocide that he witnessed.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Speech In The Millennium Speech By Elie Wiesel

    707 Words  | 2 Pages

    He says, “These failures have cast a dark shadow over humanity: two World Wars, countless civil wars, the senseless chain of assassinations,... so much violence; so much indifference.” (4). Indifference is shown by not only the people involved in these violent events, but also Wiesel’s audience as well, many clueless of these events. For one to fail to know and understand these events in order to stop and bring awareness to them is just as wrong as committing the event in the first place, according to Wiesel. One must also believe the event itself to escape the corruptive qualities of indifference. During the Holocaust, many did not believe what was happening and chose to then ignore it rather than do anything about it. The unaware audience and people in the 1940s thoroughly proves the corrosiveness of

    Read More

  • Elie Wiesel Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech Analysis

    757 Words  | 2 Pages

    To reiterate, Elie Wiesel uses logos, ethos, and pathos in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech to retaliate against silence and neutrality because the oppressor will always be benefited. He makes logical points that prove his beliefs to his audience. Also, he appeals to his readers morals and gains their trust. Wiesel also toys with his reader’s emotions, making them feel guilty for not helping those who need it most. Silence will only provoke the oppressor and neutrality will only benefit them. Refuse to stay

    Read More

More about Elezer Wiesel The Perils Of Indifference

Open Document