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Rhetorical Analysis Of Night By Elie Wiesel

Decent Essays

In Oslo, Norway, in 1986, Elie Wiesel received a Nobel Peace Prize in response to speaking out on behalf of oppressed people throughout the world. In his speech to the members of the Nobel Committee, the people of Norway, and the rest of the world, Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel proves to be an ardent advocate for social change, particularly concerning the oppression and persecution people of all ages face primarily due to their race, religion, and/or political views. He acknowledges the appalling injustices present across the globe, postulating that feigning ignorance or maintaining silence in times of maltreatment is detrimental to fostering peace. As a result, Wiesel educates humanity on the anguish people endure around the world and the …show more content…

The vivid description of the “kingdom of night” evokes a haunting landscape–a place devoid of hope and filled with darkness. The image of a bewildered and anguished boy stumbling into the “kingdom of night” encapsulates the horrors of the Holocaust. Listeners can almost visualize the boy’s terror and feel the darkness, the unknown, and the loss of innocence. Furthermore, Wiesel’s integration of stark imagery paints a moral landscape where neutrality and silence become accomplices to cruelty: “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” The oppressor and tormentor alike loom large, casting shadows over humanity. Through dynamic imagery, Wiesel transports us to the heart of the Holocaust, transcending the historical event into a visceral experience. Wiesel’s indelible mental pictures urge mankind to confront the darkness of history and ensure that such atrocities are never repeated. Elie Wiesel’s acceptance speech masterfully employs diction, imagery, point of view, and syntax to convey the moral imperative of remembering and speaking out against

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