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The Politics of Persuasion
Logos, Pathos and Ethos
in Media and Literature
Looking for Persuasive Strategies
• Everyone is trying to convince you of
something
– Commercials
– Advertisements
– How you get your parents to give you something
or allow you to do something
• What techniques do people use to persuade
an audience? Talk to your neighbor and fill in
the following chart.
Strategy Used to
Convince Others
Result Persuasive Term (to
be filled out later)
What is Rhetoric?
• Rhetoric is the way we use words in
__________ways to achieve a desired
________.
• Rhetorical strategies are different methods of
persuading an _________. They can be
divided into three major categories: logos,
__________, and ethos.
Logos (L is for Logic)
• Logos = Logic
• Logos means appealing to the audience
through the use of ________ or __________.
The author attempts to persuade the
audience by appealing to their ________.
• Ex. If we do not reduce our green house gas
emissions by 35% the polar ice caps will melt.
Logos (L is for Logic)
• Logos = Logic
• Logos means appealing to the audience through the use of ___logic___ or ____reason_____. The author attempts to persuade the audience by appealing to their brains.
• Ex. If we do not reduce our green house gas emissions by 35% the polar ice caps will melt.
Method Definition Example
Allusion Mentioning someone/something from
history, _________ or religion; usually the
reference is to something with which most
audiences would be familiar.
Michael Jackson was as
significant to the
development of music as
Elvis Presley or The Beatles.
Analogy A comparison that show similarities
between otherwise _________ facts or
ideas (often an exaggeration).
The effects of the polar ice
caps melting would be
more catastrophic than
having another world war.
Comparison
Contrast
Illustrating the ____________ or
differences between two things.
There are significantly
more gun-related deaths in
the US, where the right to
bear arms is protected,
than in England, where
guns are strictly outlawed.
Facts & Figures Statements that can be proven ______;
some facts are in the form of statistics, or
numerical information.
Of the garbage produced
each year in the U.S., 42%
is paper.
Pathos (P is for Pathetic)
• Pathos = Pathetic (sad)
• Pathos means appealing to the audience’s __________. The author uses these strategies to get to the audience’s ________.
• Ex. As you sit there chowing down on your cheeseburger and fries, children in Africa die every day from starvation. What will you do about it?
Pathos (P is for Pathetic)
• Pathos = Pathetic (sad)
• Pathos means appealing to the audience’s ___emotions___. The author uses these strategies to get to the audience’s hearts.
• Ex. As you sit there chowing down on your cheeseburger and fries, children in Africa die every day from starvation. What will you do about it?
Method Definition Example
Anecdote A short ________ used as an
example to illustrate a point
The people from the town of
Maplewood began recycling and were
able to lower their taxes and become
happier citizens.
Loaded Words Words that have extremely
positive or negative
______________.
You would have to be a social
delinquent not to care about the
environment.
Personal
Experience
An example from
____________ that illustrates
your main point
When I first began recycling in my
home, I noticed that nearly half of my
garbage could actually be recycled.
Repetition Repeating a phrase or
sentence for ____________
(The idea is that your audience
will get the phrase stuck in
their heads!)
We must change the way we act. We
must change the way we think. We
must change the way we live.
Rhetorical
Question
A question asked for impact,
not because an ____________
is expected.
How can we stand by and do nothing as
our environment collapses?
What is Connotation?
• Connotation refers to the positive and
negative __feelings__ that we have/associate
with words.
• Ex. Young adult � positive, formal
connotation
• teenager � neutral connotation
• punk � negative, casual connotation
Ethos (E is for Ethical)
• Ethos = Ethical (trust)
• Ethos means appealing to the audience’s sense of __________. Part of this involves the author convincing the audience that he/she is worthy of __________ and is an authority on the topic. The audience needs to believe the author knows _______________________!
• Ex: Just like Martin Luther King Jr. once had a dream, I too have a dream for this country.
Ethos (E is for Ethical)
• Ethos = Ethical (trust)
• Ethos means appealing to the audience’s sense of right and wrong. Part of this involves the author convincing the audience that he/she is worthy of ___trust____ and is an authority on the topic. The audience needs to believe the author knows ___what she’s talking about___!
• Ex: Just like Martin Luther King Jr. once had a dream, I too have a dream for this country.
Method Definition Example
Call to Action A statement made inviting the
audience to _________; this
change can be in mind or can
involve physical action
So let each of us today make a personal
vow to start recycling.
Expert Opinions Statements made by a
recognized ___________ on a
subject.
According to the Platt Institute for Local
Self-Reliance, recycling actually costs
less than traditional trash collection and
disposal.
Quotations Using someone else’s
__________________ as
evidence
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must
be the change you wish to see in the
word.”
Rebutting a
Counterargument
_________________ an
argument made by someone
with the opposite point of view
While some argue that recycling is an
added burden in our already busy lives,
recycling should really be seen as a way
of ensuring that future generations can
enjoy the same quality of life that we do
today.
Now It’s Your Turn
• Look at the following pictures. In a 3 column
chart write down the following.
– What you see/feel
– What persuasive technique is being used
– Is it effective?
What Worked?
• Underneath your chart answer the following
question. Be sure to use the terminology in
your notes as well as evidence from your own
life and from the class discussion.
– Which of these posters was the most eye-
catching? Which was the most convincing? Why?
Next Steps – With a Partner
• Now, take a look at Creon’s speech to his city
after taking the throne and passing his decree
that Polyneices should be left to rot (pg 759).
• Analyze his speech in order to identify what
techniques he is using to get his main
message across.
• Fill in the same chart you did for the ads for
Creon’s speech using specific details/quotes
from the text.
• Complete the chart in your notebook.
