Question

Why does the POV shift in Wiesel’s speech?

Answer 1

Hi. You did not enter the speech this question refers to. This makes it impossible for it to be answered. However, after searching for your question on the internet, I was able to find another question like yours that showed the speech "The Perils of Indifference" written by Wiesel, where he showed that the indifference of nations was one of the main culprits for the massacre that the Jews suffered during World War II. In that case, I hope the answer below can help you.

Answer:

His personal view increases his credibility as a primary source.

Explanation:

Wiesel begins his speech by commenting on the feelings of a Jewish boy who was liberated from a Nazi concentration camp by the American army. In this part of the speech, he uses a third-person point of view, talking about this boy, as someone he was watching. However, soon after he proceeds to declaim the speech with the point of view in the first person, showing that this boy, in fact, was him.

This shift in viewpoint adds credibility to Wiesel's speech. This is because, when moving to the first-person point of view, he shows that he is talking about himself and a situation he has lived through and therefore has the credibility to speak and present an account as a primary source, which has not been adapted or retold.