A Guide to Ethos, A Guide to Ethos, Pathos, and LogosPathos, and Logos

for for ““WAY SMART” WAY SMART” Middle School StudentsMiddle School Students

By Chuck BennettBy Chuck Bennett

There is one thing that There is one thing that ALL of youALL of you

will be wanting in the next will be wanting in the next few years.few years.

Here’s a hint…Here’s a hint…

Here’s another hint…Here’s another hint…

Maybe you’ll be satisfied Maybe you’ll be satisfied with your parents’ car.with your parents’ car.

Maybe not.Maybe not.

You are probably thinking…You are probably thinking…

OROR

OROR

OROR

OROR

It wont be easy to It wont be easy to convince your parents,convince your parents,

but a guy from but a guy from

back in the dayback in the day

wants to help.wants to help.

AristotleAristotle

Greek PhilosopherGreek Philosopher

Student of PlatoStudent of Plato

Teacher of Teacher of Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

One of the greatest One of the greatest minds in all of minds in all of

history…history…can help you get a car.can help you get a car.

RhetoricRhetoric

The The

Art ofArt of

PersuasionPersuasion

EthosEthos

LogosLogos

PathosPathosAppeal Appeal to to

AuthorityAuthority Are you Are you credible?credible?

Have you Have you given me given me

any any evidence evidence that I can that I can

trust trust you?you?

EthEthicicalal

EthosEthos

LogosLogos

PathosPathosAppeal Appeal to to

EmotionEmotion

Do you Do you make me make me feelfeel like like

you and I you and I want the want the

same same thing?thing?

SymSympathpatheetictic

EthosEthos

LogosLogos

PathosPathosAppeal Appeal to to

ReasonReason

Does your Does your argument argument

make make sense?sense?

LogLogicalical

RhetoricRhetoric

The The

Art ofArt of

PersuasionPersuasion

EthosEthos

LogosLogos

PathosPathos

Now, let Now, let me help me help you get you get that car.that car.

EthicalEthicalSympatheSympathe

ticticLogicalLogical

The first and The first and most important most important step in making step in making a persuasive a persuasive argument is to argument is to think about think about your audience.your audience.

In this case, In this case, your audience your audience

isisyour your parents.parents.

An argument An argument that might that might work on your work on your friends might friends might not convince not convince your parents.your parents.

You have to You have to look at this look at this

from their point from their point of view.of view.

Now, make a Now, make a list of list of arguments you arguments you can use to can use to convince your convince your parents that parents that you need your you need your own car.own car.

Then, rank Then, rank those those arguments arguments from most from most effective to effective to least effective.least effective.

Finally, using Finally, using the terms the terms ethos, logos ethos, logos and pathos, and pathos, label each label each argument. argument. (Some arguments (Some arguments

may be a may be a combination.)combination.)

Let’s look at a Let’s look at a few examples.few examples.

PathPathosos

A car of my own would A car of my own would be AWESOME!be AWESOME!

EthoEthoss

You can trust me. I You can trust me. I always remember to always remember to

feed the dog.feed the dog.

LogoLogoss

You will have more You will have more time, since I can drive time, since I can drive

myself to school.myself to school.

PathPathosos

Everybody else has one.Everybody else has one.

As you As you analyze your analyze your arguments arguments

ask yourself ask yourself some some

questions.questions.

Which type or Which type or mode of mode of

argument is the argument is the most effective?most effective?

Is there any Is there any mode of mode of

argument that argument that you could do you could do

without?without?

Is there any Is there any mode of mode of

argument argument that you that you

absolutely absolutely must have?must have?

There is a lot There is a lot more that you more that you can learn can learn about about rhetoric.rhetoric.In fact, In fact, rhetoricrhetoric is one of the first is one of the first classes most classes most people take in people take in college.college.

Finally, how Finally, how might learning might learning

more about more about ethos, pathos, ethos, pathos, and logos help and logos help

you in the you in the future?future?

Good luck Good luck and be and be safe!safe!