Elie Wiesel Critical Lens Essay Example
Triyanna Davoren May 5, 2013 period 6 English Honors Critical Lens Essay
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." is a powerful quote said by Elie Wiesel. In a simplistic way this quote is saying that in a time when something is going wrong, don't stay silent. Tell someone and speak up because if you don't, the wrong will continue to be done and nothing with solve it. The validity of this statement can be proven through two different works of literature. The fist work of literature is a memoir written by Elie Wiesel. It goes by the name of Night and consists of Elie's experience in the Holocaust. Anther work of literature that exemplifies the quote is the play Twelve Angry Men written by Reginald Rose. Both works of literature perfectly illustrate speaking up during wrong doings can give great change. In the book Night written by Elie Wiesel, he uses personification as a literary element to show how terrible it was during this time. In the book he said "Around me everything was dancing a dance of death. It made my head reel." Personification is being expressed here through death dancing. Death is unable to dance being that it is none human, but he's giving it a human characteristic to show the degree of death around him. Everyone was either dead, or dying and he couldn't understand why nobody on the outside would say anything about what was going on there. This contributed to his vow to never say silent when humans endure suffering and humiliation. In addition to this, he also says "Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust." which exemplifies personification as well. Moments cannot murder anything because they are inhuman, thus giving them human characteristics. Elie was hurt emotionally by this, making
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." is a powerful quote said by Elie Wiesel. In a simplistic way this quote is saying that in a time when something is going wrong, don't stay silent. Tell someone and speak up because if you don't, the wrong will continue to be done and nothing with solve it. The validity of this statement can be proven through two different works of literature. The fist work of literature is a memoir written by Elie Wiesel. It goes by the name of Night and consists of Elie's experience in the Holocaust. Anther work of literature that exemplifies the quote is the play Twelve Angry Men written by Reginald Rose. Both works of literature perfectly illustrate speaking up during wrong doings can give great change. In the book Night written by Elie Wiesel, he uses personification as a literary element to show how terrible it was during this time. In the book he said "Around me everything was dancing a dance of death. It made my head reel." Personification is being expressed here through death dancing. Death is unable to dance being that it is none human, but he's giving it a human characteristic to show the degree of death around him. Everyone was either dead, or dying and he couldn't understand why nobody on the outside would say anything about what was going on there. This contributed to his vow to never say silent when humans endure suffering and humiliation. In addition to this, he also says "Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust." which exemplifies personification as well. Moments cannot murder anything because they are inhuman, thus giving them human characteristics. Elie was hurt emotionally by this, making