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 appeals
Logos: logical appeal
Pathos: emotional appeal
Ethos: 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)
conversation
Audience
(Pathos)
Author
(Ethos)
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)
conversation
Audience
(Pathos)
Author
(Ethos)
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.