Name: Luca Pretini, Alyssa Garces,

Date: 11/20/20
Period:8
Civil Disobedience Rhetoric Organizer

Activity:
-Nearpod: https://share.nearpod.com/EvTrJqjMsbb
-Signup for CommonLit by visiting www.commonlit.org/en/enroll and using the class code
provided during our Teams Meetings. If you were absent, you will need to message me on
Canvas for the code.
-Access “Excerpt from ‘Civil Disobedience’” in your assignments on CommonLit and complete
the organizer below. As you read, take notes on what Thoreau believes individuals can do to
create change.
Organizer:
Ethos Logos Pathos

Textual Evidence: Textual Evidence: Textual Evidence:

● Henry David Thoreau ● Unjust laws exist ● How can a man be

(1817-1862) was an
● If you are cheated out
American author, of a single dollar by
poet, philosopher, your neighbor, you do
abolitionist, and not rest satisfied with
naturalist. knowing that you are
cheated... but you take
● effectual steps at once
to obtain the full
●
amount, and see that
you are never cheated
again.
● “The broadest and most
prevalent error requires
the most disinterested
virtue to sustain it”
satisfied to entertain
an opinion merely,
and enjoy it?
● Is there any
enjoyment in it, if his
opinion is that he is
aggrieved?
● “The soldier is
applauded who refuses
to serve in an unjust
war by those who do
not refuse to sustain
the unjust government”
 Impact on Argument: Impact on Argument: Gives
the reader common
Gives credibility to his ideas
knowledge. By stating this
and helps him develop them
facts the reader is able to
effectively
logically see his argument
unfold and would be inclined
to take his side.
Impact on Argument: This
helps add an emotional
connection of what they’re
saying to the audience. The
emotional connection could
help persuade the audience
and help them form their own
opinions from what they read.

Closure: How was Thoreau's use of rhetoric particularly effective? Using textual evidence from
your organizer, explain how the content he included contributes to the power, persuasiveness or
beauty of the text.
Answer:
Thoreau’s use of rhetoric is particularly effective because he first begins by using ethos and
describing his experience which makes the reader believe he’s a reliable source of information
and that he has knowledge on the subject. This can be seen at the start in “Henry David Thoreau
(1817-1862) was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, and naturalist.”.
He later uses logos to further convince the reader on why he should consider the opinion
described in the passage by using logical example such as “unjust law exists” and make the
reader understand the meaning of the passage.
Finally, he utilizes pathos to connect with the reader on an emotional level and make him agree
with the opinion of the text. By doing so he also help’s the reader forms their own opinions
from what they just read. He’s able to appeal to the reader emotions with phrases such as
“How can a man be satisfied to entertain an opinion merely, and enjoy it?”