Pathos, Ethos and Logos are the rhetorical strategies that are used in persuasive writing and to persuade the audience. Each technique has a different meaning and purpose. However, in order to convince them, Pathos, Logos, and Ethos are very important in persuasive arguments.
What is Pathos?
Pathos is a Greek word meaning emotions. Just like the meaning, pathos is used to persuade and appeal to the emotions or feelings of the readers/audiences. The speaker communicates with the listeners and affects their feelings. There are many ways to appeal to the audiences' emotions, it could be with cute animals, by telling inspirational stories and personal experiences or anecdotes. Also, we normally hear and see this form of writing in courtrooms or in politicians' addresses as well as advertisements. An example of this was seen and heard in the famous speech of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr called I Have a Dream. "But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chain of discrimination"
Pathos is a Greek word meaning emotions. Just like the meaning, pathos is used to persuade and appeal to the emotions or feelings of the readers/audiences. The speaker communicates with the listeners and affects their feelings. There are many ways to appeal to the audiences' emotions, it could be with cute animals, by telling inspirational stories and personal experiences or anecdotes. Also, we normally hear and see this form of writing in courtrooms or in politicians' addresses as well as advertisements. An example of this was seen and heard in the famous speech of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr called I Have a Dream. "But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chain of discrimination"
In this speech of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, he uses strong words and emphasis how the Negros are still not treated as equal individuals. He also showed the audience his desire for wanting his people to have their rights and future for everyone.
I have also decided to write my own sentence that has pathos.
"We all make mistakes in our lives, but that does not mean that it's the end of our lives."
This example emphasizes the thought of not giving up despite the wrongdoing we've done in our lives.
What is Ethos?
Ethos is a persuasive technique that emphasises the speaker's trustworthiness and authority to the listeners. Ethos is used to appeal to the audiences' ethnic responsibilities. This is normally seen or heard in advertisements or political addresses. The speaker only used credible and reliable sources in order to convince the audience. An example of ethos is heard in the commencement speech of Steve Jobs.
"I never graduate from college, truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to college graduation."
In this speech, Jobs was trying to say that despite the situation of not graduating college himself he was able to reach his dream. Therefore, this made the audience doubted his achievement. However, the message of the speech and Jobs' objective was to persuade the students to find their passion.
What is Logos?
Logos is one of the persuasive strategies that convince the audience using logic or reasons. This is important as this is also used to back up your idea or claims. To use logos, it needs statistics, facts, and graphs. An example of Logos is this famous speech by Sojourner Truth, "Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman!' Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them." This is an example of logos as Sojourner Truth uses a reasonable argument about why women should be treated the same as men. This is supported and backed up by the bible.
1.) What are we doing?
We are learning about the three rhetorical strategies: pathos, logos, and ethos by finding their definition.
2.) Why are we doing it?
So we know where and how to use and write a sentence that uses these three strategies for our upcoming persuasive writing.
3.)What question do I have?
I currently don't have any questions about these three strategies.
