Rhetorical Techniques In Elie Wiesel's Speech

In his address to Ronald Reagan, Elie Wiesel attempts to convince the president not to visit the Bitburg cemetery. Weisel is well aware of President Reagan’s situation, and thus, he crafts his speech around rhetorical techniques, namely concession refutation, repetition, and the appeals.
Throughout the speech, Elie Wiesel makes clear his appreciation for America and President Reagan: “We are grateful to this country, the greatest democracy in the world, the freest nation in the world, the moral Nation, the authority in the world.” Firstly, Wiesel wishes to appease the American public: He establishes that he is grateful for America’s humanity and compassion and uses an apposition to underscore America’s greatness. In other words, Wiesel concedes that America has done much, but he then continues with a refutation: “But, Mr. President, I wouldn’t be the person I am, and you wouldn’t respect me for what I am, if I were not to tell you also of the

sadness that is in my heart for what happened during the last week.” Wiesel’s refutation does not truly convey his message as he chooses to continue with a concession instead: “Of course you didn’t know. But now we all are aware.” In doing so, Wiesel provides Reagan with support, implying that Reagan had made a “poor” decision only as he was uninformed, not because he intended to scar the Jewish people. Wiesel does not wish to offend Reagan. In fact, through choice diction, he wishes to paint Reagan as the hero: “Each time I came away enriched, for I know of your commitment to humanity.” His use of diction is carefully planned, even as far back as his initial concession. Wiesel calls America “the moral Nation” not only out of appeasement, but to urge America to live up to its name – to be morally just and not force the Jewish people to visit the Bitburg cemetery.
Repetition in various forms also appears throughout the text. In general, the use of repetition emphasizes the message which Wiesel is trying to convey. More specifically, Wiesel chooses to repeat certain phrases again and again: “I learned the perils of language and those of silence. I learned that in extreme situations when human lives and dignity are at stake, neutrality is a sin… I learned the meaning of solitude, Mr. President.” There is a tone of grief but acceptance in his voice. It is as if Wiesel wishes to pass on a message that he learned only because he lived through something so traumatizing that he believes no one else should experience. The anaphora increases the impact and magnitude of the words, as well as the weight of the interpretation. In other instances, repetition is used alongside other rhetorical techniques: “For I have seen the SS at work. And I have seen their victims. They were my friends. They were my parents.” The use of anaphora amplifies the exemplification. It creates a personal connection as Wiesel himself lived through the aftermath of the Holocaust. Being brief, the anaphora allows for silence after each sentence, time to reflect.
Another rhetorical technique which Wiesel employs is the appeals.

He conveys a powerful message using pathos: “There was… suffering and loneliness in the concentration camps that defies imagination. Cut off from the world with no refuge anywhere, sons watched helplessly their fathers being beaten to death. Mothers watched their children die of hunger.” Diction like “loneliness”, “defies imagination”, and “helplessly” create a solemn and helpless tone. It evokes vivid imagery, a tragic scene of death and despair. The juxtaposition of children, this idea of youth and innocence, and death evokes pity from the audience. With this in mind, Reagan would feel guilty if he forced the Jewish people to relive their suffering by going to the Bitburg cemetery. Wiesel then appeals to Reagan’s ethos. They both share a common goal – to attain reconciliation, and to do so, they “must work together with them and with all people” to “bring peace and understanding to a tormented world that… is still awaiting

redemption.”
In conclusion, Wiesel’s use of rhetoric leaves a lasting impact on Reagan. He plays on Reagan’s emotions, creates weight and emphasis with repetition, and most importantly, depicts Reagan as the individual who has the choice to respect the Jewish people or dishonour them. Being the president, Reagan should have options, but Wiesel forces him to reconsider the visit to the Bitburg cemetery. Without a doubt, Wiesel’s speech is truly a well-thought out piece of rhetoric.