Transcript Ethos, Pathos - cloudfront.net

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Layer of the Rhetorical
Situation:
A great way to enhance understanding of
effective arguments is through the Aristotelian
concepts of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. This
requires a basic working knowledge of rhetoric. A
key to strong persuasive writing is the ability to
dissect and validate, or debunk, the rhetoric of
other arguments.
• Ethos is the credibility of the speaker or writer. In order to engage an
audience on a particular topic, the person presenting the information must
first establish him or herself as someone that can be trusted, or as someone
who has a lot of experience with the topic. This is also known as ethics.
Ethos appeals to:
• Intelligence
• Virtue
• Morals
• Perception of trustworthiness
Ethos Example
Children’s Tylenol
Pathos accesses the emotions and deeply held beliefs of the audience to
draw them into the subject matter. Pathos often makes audiences feel
like they have a personal stake in the information being provided and is
often the catalyst that drives them into action.
Pathos appeals to:
• Emotions and feelings
• Biases and prejudices
• Senses
• Motivations
Pathos Example
Chevy Commercial
Logos uses logic, reasoning, evidence, and facts to support an argument.
Logos appeals to the more rational side of the audience’s minds, and
provides support for the subject matter. Logos strategies can often be
used to strengthen the impact pathos has on the audience.
Logos Utilizes:
• Evidence
• Testimony
• Statistics and Data
• Universal truths
Logos Example
Levi’s Commercial
Trafficking
Example of All 3 Appeals in
Advertising
All three at work together…
Allstate
“Got Milk ?”
•The "got milk?" ads have added
in their text that drinking milk can
help you lose weight.
• This particular one features
Meredith Viera, the host of Who
Wants to be a Millionaire, and
also one of the five hosts of the
popular morning show The View.
•Meredith is holding a glass of
milk reminiscent of a woman's
hourglass figure, and she is
proudly displaying a milk
mustache.
This ad plays on all three of
the major rhetorical tools: ethos,
pathos, and logos.
ETHOS
• Ethos is apparent with the sole
use of celebrities as models for
the ad.
• It says: "I drink milk and I'm
famous; if you want to be like a
star you should drink milk too."
• The play on ethos is also
apparent in the use of the
popular hourglass image.
• The hourglass is the most
popular way to characterize a
desirable woman's figure.
• Adding to this appeal is the slim
Meredith Viera dressed in a
conservative, but kneerevealing skirt to further convey
the message that drinking milk
can make you thin, attractive,
sexy, and maybe even famous!
PATHOS
• Pathos, or pathetic
appeal comes into play by
the association of
drinking milk with
watching the waistline.
• This ad is obviously
geared toward women,
and many women are
trying to, or feel the need
to, lose weight.
• The image of the
hourglass comes into play
with pathos as well, for
many women long to
have this kind of figure.
• The hourglass is the most
celebrated image of
women in art and
movies.
• The ad is presented in a
way that celebrates that
image, and suggests that
drinking milk is the way
to get it.
Practice: put the following into the
rhetorical situation, apply the appeals,
leading to the overall purpose!
Old Spice
Colgate
Political Ad
Turn to page 6 in textbook:
Independent Assignment: page 9 in textbook