The rhetorical triangle Reviewing ethos, pathos, and logos

ethos Basics: Appealing to character and authority Goals: Building up character (or tearing down competition’s character), seen as the “right choice” Side-effects: May cause group-think mentality to overtake logic

pathos Basics: Appealing to emotions (positive and negative alike) Goals: Engage someone emotionally Side-effects: May cause reactionary decisions (and later regret)

Logos Basics: Appealing to logic and reason Goals: Deliver the facts, they speak for themselves Side-effects: May not engage the audience

But wait! There’s more! Rhetoric goes beyond the visual…

A Deeper Look at Rhetoric: Need more info? Try: Language of Composition: Chapter 1

Rhetoric: A Definition More than just “ethos, pathos, logos” Aristotle defined rhetoric as “the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion” Using speech effectively Influencing thought Inciting action

The Aristotelian Triangle Aristotle described the interaction among subject, speaker, and audience (or subject, writer, and reader), as well as how this interaction determines the structure and language of the argument. Writer/speaker first must choose a subject and evaluate what they already know about it, what others have said about it, and what kind of evidence or proof will sufficiently develop their position. Persona= depending on the context, purpose, subject, and audience Persona: the character the speaker creates when he or she writes or speaks

SOAPS & Rhetorical Organization Subject Topic at hand Occasion Time and place text was written or spoken Audience Listener, viewer, or reader May be multiple audiences Purpose Goal a speaker wants to achieve Speaker The author/speaker and their relationship to the audience A checklist for organizing and/or breaking down rhetoric

Farewell Speech by Lou Gehrig

9/11 Speech by George W. Bush

SOAPS in Bush’s 9/11 Speech Subject: Occasion: Audience: Purpose: Speaker:

Expanding on Ethos Character-based appeal Demonstrate credibility and trustworthiness Shows shared values between writer and audience Established by reputation of writer or speaker, or the tone given Expertise and knowledge Ethos provides a connection between speaker and audience based on experience, training, sincerity, or combo, and gives the audience a reason for listening. It appeals to ethics and establishes a common sense of right and wrong, or may use tactics such as patriotism to motivate a group toward action.

Expanding on Logos Reason-based appeal Writer’s/speaker’s appeal to logos by offering clear, rational ideas Fact-based, with a clearly stated claim/thesis Support is given via examples, facts, statistical data, or expert testimony. Logos acknowledges counterarguments, anticipates objections, and after conceding they may be true a logical argument will then refute (deny) the truth of the counterargument by proving it invalid.

Expanding on Pathos Emotional appeal Humor Guilt Anger Connects with audience on a “personal level” Short-term effects emotional appeal usually includes vivid, concrete description and figurative language, including visuals. Meant to play off emotions and create a sense of urgency to act. Often use charged images to manipulate feelings and shroud logic.

Visual Rhetoric Ex. political cartoons Can use satire to criticize or simply provide commentary Rhetoric is also found in literature, including poetry, fiction, and drama Characters created so you intentionally like or dislike them Emotional situations that connect with reality In works of fiction we are meant to sympathize with certain characters, and meant to dislike others. Often these unsympathetic characters (who are frequently villains) are people of ill-repute (ethos appeal), or who insight negative emotions within us (pathos appeal). However, rhetoric can also be used to create a villain we identify with, and thus make the work more dramatic.

Activity Directions In groups of three or four, you will create a commercial that appeals most strongly to either ethos, logos, or pathos. Your group must advertise an existing product or service that we will know about…meaning even your teacher. You will need to use your brilliant acting skills for this assignment. Needs to be between 30 and 45 seconds Remember to keep it school appropriate! Form your group and choose your appeal type—only so many spots per appeal!