Aristotle’s Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, Logos Rhetorical Devices Aristotle’s Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

3 Minute Free Write in Journals Persuade your parents to give you a later curfew. Persuade your teacher to give you a better grade on an assignment you did not do as well on as you wanted. Persuade your friend to pay for your ticket to an event you really want to go to (i.e. concert of you favorite band or theme park) Persuade your sibling to do your chores or something else you do not want to do yourself. Persuade a classmate to do your homework for you.

Defining Rhetorical Devices Rhetoric is the art of speaking or writing effectively Device is defined by Shakespeare as “anything fancifully conceived.” SO! Rhetorical Devices are defined as using words in a certain way to convey meaning, emotion, an image, to persuade, or to inform in an effective and engaging way. Rhetorical devices are figurative language devices—not just the appeals. Greek philosopher Aristotle established three basic ways a speaker can persuade an audience: ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos Ethos is the appeal of the speaker’s moral character, credibility, and ethical appeal. Builds over time, but an initial impression is vital to establish overall ethos Trustworthiness Credibility Reliability Expert Testimony Reliable Sources Fairness “John is a forensics and ballistics expert working for the federal government for many years – if anyone’s qualified to determine the murder weapon, it’s him.” (Ethos) “Our expertise in roofing contracting is evidenced not only by our 100 years in the business and our staff of qualified technicians, but in the decades of satisfied customers who have come to expect nothing but the best.” (Ethos)

Logos Logos is the appeal to logic and reason and focuses on the message and main idea(s) of the message. Facts Case studies Statistics Experiments Logical reasoning Authority Voices Anecdotes Analogies “Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation”. (Logos) "The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas." (Logos)

Pathos Pathos is the appeal to emotions of the audience. Belief in fairness Love Pity Greed Revenge Sympathies And other emotional states… "You will never be satisfied in life if you don’t seize this opportunity. Do you want to live the rest of your years yearning to know what would have happened if you just jumped when you had the chance?" (Pathos) "There’s no price that can be placed on peace of mind. Our advanced security systems will protect the well-being of your family so that you can sleep soundly at night." (Pathos)

Diagrams: Rhetorical Triangle Intermeshing of Appeals

Rhetorical Appeal Uses Appeals are used to: Tell how something is said Gets the message across to the audiences Communicate importance of message Persuade the audience to the author’s purpose Not all 3 appeals have to show up in one communication (written or spoken). Only two being present is common

Guiding Questions Logos— Pathos— Ethos— Is the thesis clear and specific? Is the thesis supported with strong, credible sources? Pathos— Are engaging images, details, and examples used to enhance the reader’s emotions? What kind of values does the writer utilize to engage the reader? Ethos— What are the writer’s qualifications? How is the writer connected to the topic, and how does the writer connect him/herself to the topic? Are sources credible and appropriately documented?

What’s in YOUR journal? How did you persuade your audience? What rhetorical device appeals can you pick out of your writing? Could you improve your argument now that we’ve gone over appeals? What’s in YOUR journal?

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