RHETORICAL APPEALS

RHETORIC: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Rhetoric is the study using language effectively and persuasively.

The history of rhetoric reaches back to the beginnings of human culture.

Ancient Greek civilization gave birth to some of human history’s great philosophers—Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

SOCRATES: ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHER

Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who is widely credited for laying the foundation for Western philosophy. The trial and execution of Socrates was the climax of his career and the central event of the dialogues of Plato. Socrates admits in court that he could have avoided the trial by abandoning philosophy and going home to mind his own business.

PLATO: ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHER

Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher, as well as a mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens. Plato is widely believed to have been a student of Socrates and to have been deeply influenced by his teacher's unjust death. Plato's brilliance as a writer and thinker can be witnessed by reading his Socratic dialogues.

ARISTOTLE: THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on diverse subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry (including theater), biology and zoology, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, and ethics. Along with Socrates and Plato, Aristotle was one of the most influential of the ancient Greek philosophers.

-en.wikipedia.org

RHETORICAL APPEALS

Aristotle named three rhetorical appealsLogos: logical appealPathos: emotional appealEthos: ethical appeal

THE RHETORICAL TRIANGLE

The Greek philosophers also gave us the rhetorical triangle, which argues that all forms of communication are a conversation between the text, the audience and the author.

Text(Logos)

Audience

(Pathos)

Author(Ethos)

conversation

THE TRIPLE THREAT: LOGOS, PATHOS, ETHOS

Most persuasive texts will use some combination of the three appeals to get their message across. Each of the appeals corresponds to a part of the rhetorical triangle (pictured here).

Text(Logos)

Audience

(Pathos)

Author(Ethos)

conversation

LOGICAL APPEALS: (LOGOS)

Logical appeals are the reasons given for supporting a particular argument.

Examples of logical appeals include the use of evidence, anecdotes, facts and figures, references to current events, and testimony.

LOGOS: RELATED VOCABULARY

Logos literally means the “word”Dialogue is the exchange of words

between two people.A monologue is the delivery of words

from one person without any expectation of a response.

A logo is a symbol that represents all the words (and ideas) associated with a company or brand.

EXAMPLES OF LOGICAL APPEALS

Incorporate reasoning

Provide facts/evidence

Quote research

Allude to history,

religious

texts, great literature or

mythology.

Provide testimony from

experts

Argue from precedent

(what has happened

before)

EMOTIONAL APPEALS (PATHOS)

Pathos appeals to the emotions, needs and wants of the listener.

This strategy attempts to influence or manipulate the emotions and desires of the audience in order to persuade or convince the listener that their argument is true.

Can you name any techniques that rely on emotional appeals?

PATHOS: RELATED VOCABULARY

Sympathy and empathy are both emotional states and have to do with shared feelings.

Pathological liars have no feelings of guilt when they do not tell the truth.

If someone is pathetic, they are pitifully sad.

EMOTIONAL APPEALS

Tell stories—stories trigger emotional connection! Use language that involves the senses Include a bias or prejudice Include an anecdote Include connotative language Explore euphemisms (soft or coded language) Use vivid description Use figurative language Develop tone Experiment with informal language

ETHICAL APPEALS (ETHOS) Ethos appeals to our sense of

ethics, including social and moral codes, trust, and credibility.

In persuasion, ethos is about building trust with the audience, to show we are credible (believable).

ETHOS: RELATED VOCABULARY

Ethics are a set of moral principles, or a theory or system of moral values.

If you are an ethical person, you are considered a good person and you most likely follow the rules.

If someone has a good work ethic, they have a strong belief in work as a moral good. In other words, they work hard because they believe it is the right thing to do.

EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL APPEALS (ETHOS)

Make the audience believe that the writer is trustworthy

Demonstrate that the writer put in research time Support reasons with appropriate, logical evidence Present carefully crafted and edited argument Demonstrate that the writer knows the audience

and respects them Show concern about communicating with the

audience Convince the audience that the writer is reliable

and knowledgeable Show voice (individuality) in the argument

NOW THAT YOU KNOW…

see if you can identify how each of the appeals—logos, pathos, and ethos—are used in the following print advertisements. Here is your first chance to try out your knowledge… The Magnus Harmonica!

DID YOU NOTICE… ?Pathos: The expressions on their face communicate specific emotions. The word “free” is also shown in the description (this is a loaded or emotional word). The words, “What you need is a Magnus…” suggest that the harmonica will be the solution to the man’s unhappiness. The words, “easy to play” seem to say that the man will have no trouble playing the harmonica on the first try, so he will not be disappointed in his performance (and his unhappiness will be relieved). The ad goes on to say that you can “learn to play in 5 minutes”Ethos: The harmonica is sold by a company called “International Plastic Harmonica Corporation.” This suggests that this brand of harmonica is known around the world (although, if we look carefully, we notice that their business is run out of Newark, NJ). Logos: The description of the harmonica offers us specific facts and features that persuade us to purchase the harmonica—”instructions in every package…can be washed in soap and water…” They also offer us a choice of colors and pricing options.

Pathos: Everyone shown in this image is smiling. Happiness seems to surround them as they sit together in what seems to be a ski lodge. They are dressed warmly and are sitting near a glowing fireplace. The red of the cigarette package stands out against the black and white image—this seems to suggest that the owner of the cigarettes might also “distinguish” himself (or stand out from the crowd) by owning the cigarettes. Loaded words like “smooth,” “finest quality,” “distinguished," and “finest money can buy” suggest wealthy and upper class living.

Ethos: Pall Mall attempts to give their argument credibility by showing us a picture of one man offering the cigarettes to another. The man offering the cigarettes seems slightly older than the man receiving the cigarettes, maybe suggesting that the older man’s experience qualifies him to make a recommendation.

Logos: Interestingly, there is little or no evidence of a logical appeal, although the words, “guard against throat scratch” seem to suggest that smoking other brands will cause your throat to scratch.

Pathos: As in the other advertisement, everyone shown in this image is smiling. Happiness seems to surround them as they sit together in the seats of a Greyhound bus. Everyone is formally dressed and neatly groomed. “The friendly way to travel” suggests that driving in a car, or riding your bike, are more aggressive. The ad also states, “The people you meet aboard a Greyhound somehow seem more neighborly, more relaxed, easier to talk to.” In fact, it looks like this group of people could have come from the same neighborhood.

Ethos: The ethical appeal is harder to see. Greyhound seems to be relying on the credibility of it’s name, and it’s presentation as a safe and clean environment in the advertisement.

Logos: Greyhound uses it’s low fares as evidence to support the passenger’s friendly attitude: “a person who has bought a travel bargain is sure to be in a pleasant frame of mind.” They don’t offer any specific pricing information, however.

Pathos: The man appears to be in the role of the husband returning home to his wife after a long day of work. He reaches for her, hat in hand, and instead of the “royal welcome” he expects, the man is greeted by the scrutinizing stare of his wife, whose expression seems to communicate suspicion, anxiety and possibly disgust. The font exclaims: “INFECTIOUS DANDRUFF!” Infectious is a loaded or emotional word that carries a negative connotation similar in tone to the expression on the woman’s face. Ethos: The ethical argument is harder to see and seems connected to the pseudoscience (false scientific facts and information) pictured on the man’s shoulder.

Logos: The close-up image of the germs, flakes, and scales pictured on the man’s shoulder attempt to create a sense of scientific evidence, although they ultimately come across as specious.