Chapter 24The Persuasive Speech

Professor Tonya Seavers Evans

What is the persuasive speech?

Goal is to: Influence an audience’s beliefs or

understanding about something. Influence an audience’s behavior. Reinforce audience members’ existing

attitudes, beliefs, or behavior so they will continue to possess or practice them.

Classical Persuasive Appeals

Aristotle explained that persuasion could be brought about by the speaker’s use of three types of persuasive appeals, or forms of rhetorical proofs.

The first is the message in the speech called logos.

The second, the nature of the audience’s feelings, called pathos.

The qualifications and personality of the speaker, called ethos.

Logos: Proof by Reason

Appeals directed at the audience’s reasoning on the topic

To reason is to draw conclusions based on evidence.

Described two forms of reasoning of speeches: syllogism and enthymeme

Proof by Reason

Syllogism – A three part argument consisting of a general case or major premise, and a specific case or minor premise

The conclusion derived from the first two steps

Based on deductive reasoning or reasoning from a general condition to a specific instance

Beware of hasty overgeneralizations

Proof by reason

Enthymeme – A syllogism is presented as a probability rather than as a an absolute, and it states either a general case or a specific case but not both.

Be sure to read the examples on page 379 for specifics.

Pathos: Proof by Emotion

Creating a certain disposition in the audience You can evoke these emotions in a speech

by using vivid descriptions and emotionally charged words

Use emotion to get the audience’s attention and stimulates a desire to act on the emotion

Reason is then presented as justification for the action

Ethos: Proof through Speaker’s Character Emphasizes the nature of the speaker’s character

and personality Elements of persuasive appeal based on ethos:

Good sense. Knowledge of and experience with the subject matter.

Moral character. Reflected in the speaker’s straightforward and honest presentation of the message.

Goodwill toward the audience. Demonstrate an interest in and concern for the welfare of the audience.

Bibliography

O’ Hair, Dan, Stewart, Rob, Rubenstein, Hannah, A Speaker’s Guidebook, Bedford St. Martin (2009)