Assertion Analysis #2

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, but indifference between life and death." - Elie Wiesel

   Elie Wiesel's view on the world is that everyone is indifferent. Indifferent meaning unimportant or the lack of interest. He states that there is no hate, no ugliness, no heresy, nothing but indifference. Americans have become so indifferent, they no longer care of what is going on in the world around them, for all they care about, is themselves. It is way easier for Americans to avoid what's going on around them then actually care of what's happening. Americans have become indifferent, without a care in the world. 

   Wiesel uses rhetorical devices to support his claim on indifference. He uses anaphora and repetition like "The opposite of" and "indifference" to catch the viewers attention on his argument. His syntax, consists of short statement sentences and  long statement. " The opposite of beauty is not ugliness, it's indifference." His mood throughout  his assertion is negative. He uses words like "Indifferent," that have negative connotation. Throughout his assertion he repeats indifferent in order to demonstrate how important it is and to remind the audience that we have become indifferent, and we should start to care.   

Assertion Analysis #1

“Lady and gentleman, when my parents left Korea with nothing but the clothes on their backs and the considerable wealth they had amassed in the shipping business, they had a dream. They had a dream that one day amid the snowy hilltops of western North Carolina, their son would lose his virginity to a cheerleader in the woman's bathroom of a Waffle House just off the interstate. My parents have sacrificed so much for this dream! And that is why we must journey on, despite all trials and tribulations! Not for me and least of all for the poor cheerleader in question, but for my parents and indeed for all immigrants who came to his great nation in what they themselves could never have: cheerleader sex." - John Green

   John Green believes the American Dream is a joke and uses sarcasm throughout his text to get his ideas about the American Dream across. He states how his parents sacrificed so much to get to America for his son to loose his virginity to some cheerleader in a bathroom. They gave up a lot of things to achieve their American Dream, but instead it was all for his son to have sex with some cheerleader, accomplishing nothing. 
   Through his assertion we can see that John Green's mood and tone is indeed sarcastic. Towards the end of his assertion, his sarcastic mood can be sensed with his last two words, "cheerleader sex." He sees his American Dream as "cheerleader sex" and how everyone believes in a Dream that many may not be able to attain. He makes these silly remarks to claim how the American Dream is stupid and that in reality it isn't as everyone sees it to be. John Green's parents did their best to get to America to achieve the dream,  but only to see his son have sex in a Waffle House? 
   Some people truly believe in the American Dream, and therefore sacrifice everything, and work their hardest to posses the "dream." Although many attempt to achieve this silly Dream we have established in America, many don't get close to accomplishing it.