Summary Of Elie Wiesel's The Perils Of Indifference

In his noteworthy speech, “The Perils of Indifference,” Elie Wiesel claims that indifference, a force which he struggles to characterize, is the root of many of the differences between highly capable and influential societies such as the United States and oppressed groups, often composed of minorities, and prevents the development of truly compassionate feelings amongst these societies. Wiesel employs a paradoxical portrayal of indifference, an abstract diction regarding its effects, and a simple yet evocative syntax when portraying the consequences of indifference in the twentieth century. In doing so, he develops his purpose of motivating Congress and people worldwide to make changes regarding their individual outlook on the surroundings

The abstraction of his descriptions applies principally to the appearance of indifference in society, yet also extends to its effects on and appeal to the individual. To exemplify this, Weisel describes indifference as a, “strange and unnatural state” in which many of the absolute principles dividing opposite qualities are blurred. The use of both “strange” and “unnatural” imply an abstract and hypothetical purpose for this quality that is not perceived simply. Wiesel also employs the use of these words to demonstrate that indifference was not an intended component of society, as the demonstration of indifference is not natural and, according to Wiesel, altered everything mankind perceived about the world it knew. Additionally, Wiesel uses an abstract diction when describing the appeal to indifference. He portrays this quality as, “tempting — more than that, seductive” in its appeal to the common man. The inclusion of both “tempting” and its more fervent form, “seductive,” imply that indifference provides a supposed benefit that overshadows the drawback associated with this benefit. Wiesel also employs these words to portray that indifference, at times, is irresistible; however, he also alludes to the disadvantage of being indifferent and advises people to refrain from being seduced by the temptation of indifference. In

As a result of this choice in syntax, many of Wiesel’s sentences are very brief, yet fully evoke an emotional reaction from the audience. For example, Wiesel claims that indifference on great magnitudes toward the status of others establishes that, “their lives are meaningless” to the indifferent individual, contrary to the purpose of life that society values. This statement declares his perspective in an excessively brief way, yet enables the audience to fully realize that indifference is a punishment for those affected by it. The brevity of this statement allows for Wiesel to convey his perspective concerning indifference while interfering minimally with the audience’s understanding of his statement as he progresses through his speech. Additionally, Wiesel employed a short, evocative syntax in his description of incidents of compassion in the twentieth century. In his discussion of the United States and NATO’s intervention in the territory of Kosovo, where displaced refugees were in desperate need of assistance, Wiesel portrays the decision to engage in this external action in his claim that, “This time, we do respond. This time, we intervene.” In this circumstance, the inclusion of concise syntax maintains the simplicity of his speech and minimizes the amount of information the audience processes. In the delivery of