Language & Literature

Logos Ethos Pathos

There are some things in life in for which we must seek permission, and often it is in the way we approach the
“asking” or “persuading” that can bring us what we want or leave us empty-handed. There are some things in
life about which we have very strong and passionate feelings and we want others to feel the same; persuasive
tactics are what allow us to convince others to understand and, perhaps, even agree with our perspectives. Study
the rhetorical and structural tools below and see how YOU can become a Jedi of Rhetoric.

RHETORICAL APPEALS:
(1) LOGOS- an appeal to the rational, logical; facts, statistics, details
a.) “One out two people in a household use Tom’s of Maine toothpaste.” *
b.) “The percentage of body fat in a woman to put her in the obese category is 32%, whereas the
percentage of body fat in a man to put him in the obese category is 26%.” **

Be careful in trusting your “facts”.

· “Fact” number 1 was determined in one household of two people.
· “Fact” number 2 was determined by the American Council on Exercise
(http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html)

A writer’s job when it comes to being successful with logos: connect multiple examples of support (facts,
statistics, details, etc.) in meaningful ways

(2) ETHOS- an appeal to the moral character of someone; the beliefs and reputation of someone
a.)Bono speaking on behalf of rock musicians for charity work would carry a good deal of ethos; he has
given countless hours and dollars to helping fight AIDS in Africa.
b.)Michael Jordan speaking on the hours of dedication, perseverance, talent and luck to make it big in
professional sports would carry a good deal of ethos based on his long and successful career in the
NBA.
c.) Former President Bill Clinton speaking about how crucial honesty was for him as a leader of The
United States would not carry much ethos because he was caught lying to the American public.

A writer’s job when it comes to being successful with ethos: acknowledge other points of view, attempt to
be objective and assume a respectful tone.

(3) PATHOS – an appeal to emotions

a.) If you have any kindness in your heart, please consider giving money to me. I have debilitating
arthritis in my hands and knees from too much lifting of heavy materials; I live under the South
Luzon Expressway because my weekly wages are pitifully low and the cost of living is too high; I
have intestinal worms, and I am always hungry. Death haunts my sleep-deprived body
b.) The deserted puppy curled up in its soggy coat in a cold puddle as the cruel rain pounded down
upon him.

A writer’s job when it comes to being successful with pathos: choosing “charged words”
–words that will trigger an emotional response in the reader.
 Becoming a Master of Rhetoric continued
Parallelism- When a speaker or writer expresses ideas of equal worth with the same grammatical form.

Example: “We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated
ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of
the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have
produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have
been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.” Patrick Henry from “Speech in the
Virginia Convention”

Your example:

Syntax- the patterns of arrangement of words; the arrangement of words in a sentence.

​
When looking at the samples below, consider the order of the words and why the author
might have chosen the arrangement in order to add variety and emphasis.
Example: “To be or not to be that is the question.” Shakespeare
​ ​
​ ​“Whose woods these are I think I know.” Robert Frost

​Please read the sentence below and rewrite it using different syntax.
​ ​ he sat in her house alone, worrying about all the creaks she heard.
S
​
​Your example:
Denotation- the basic meaning of a word, independent of its emotional coloration or associations

Connotation- the emotional implications and associations that words may carry, as distinguished from
their denotative meanings

​Example: Look at the two sentences below and study the differences in the connotations.

​
The legs as long as skyscrapers, the belly as flat as a pancake and the long, slender arms made
her a perfect contestant for the modeling contest.

​
The legs like leafless twigs, the belly as deflated as a popped balloon and the long, skinny arms
made her appear as if she was wasting away into nothing.
Your examples: