Douglass’s Rhetorical Skills Rhetoric: The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.

As you read The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, think about the following : 1. the writer = Douglass is writing from the point of view of an American slave. 2. the ideas = Douglass makes comments that appeal to people’s reason. 3 the story/drama = Douglass tells the stories that best appeal to our emotions. What is persuasive powerful about his description of the characters? Find quotes that reflect how the story

Aristotle’s Rhetorics = Means of Persuasion

Aristotle’s Rhetoric Ethos: the source’s credibility, the speaker’s/author’s authority Logos: the logic used to support a claim (induction & deduction); it can also be the facts and statistics used to help support the argument. Pathos: the emotional or motivational appeals; vivid language, emotional, language and numerous sensory details.

The Narrative of Frederick Douglass follows Aristotle’s three fundamental elements of persuasive speaking and writing. 1. Ethos = appeal to one’s own character (= the writer) 2. Logos = appeal to reason (= the ideas) Pathos: appeal to people’s emotion (= the story/drama)