Rhetorical Analysis Of Perils Of Indifference

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Cydnee Lopez Ms.Trelease English 1010 23 October 2015 Rhetorical Analysis-Perils of Indifference Well known writer, world activist, and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, in his speech, Perils of Indifference, elaborates on on the topic of indifference, within our country/society and consequences and achievements because of it. The speech was delivered on the 12th of April 1999, in Washington, D.C., as part of the Millennium Lecture Series hosted by the White House. Directed towards the audience of the White House, Government officials, and Americans. Wiesel's purpose is to show reference to how indifference has allowed many good and and bad things to happen throughout america's history. He creates a serious tone in order to influence …show more content…

Obviously he is someone of importance with a good education, moral values, and credible if he is speaking in Washington D.C. in the White House to the President of the United States. This will influence listeners/readers right off the bat knowing he has credible knowledge if he is speaking to government officials directly whom most have a high level of respect for, they will be more willing knowing this. He is also a Holocaust survivor which may also grasps more attention. Intrinsic ethos is used greatly in this speech through the word choice he makes to create a powerful tone. He is very skilled in the way he uses his language choice and terminology. The very beginning of his speech starts out by showing his credibility to the audience and what he has been through and how it affected his view on the world. “Fifty-four years ago to the day, a young Jewish boy from a small town in Carpathian Mountains woke up, not far from Goethe's beloved Weimar, in a place of eternal infamy called Buchenwald (1). This verifies for the audience where he has been and background knowledge on he grew and what he experienced in his life. Similarly throughout the speech he talks about his time in Auschwitz and the shares some of the horrors of his experience, things he had to endure. Ethos is well used to convey the