Using Aristotle’s Metaphor for persuading through images

Melanie Lee, Professor Stella Mills, Dr Matthew Cohen

Contents

• Introduction to Persuasion Theory• Logos, Pathos, Ethos• Metaphor• The Images• Preliminary Findings• Conclusion• References

Persuasion Theory• As a theory rose to prominence in the early 1930s• Study into how to effect behaviour and attitude change• Influenced by cultural paradigms, speech, sociological hierarchy, emotion• Today , it is prevalent in its application in many things we see and do

– Politics– Media– Advertising– Drama– Comedy– Art

Aristotle/Persuasion Theory

• Not a new theory• Its origins are cited back to Aristotle’s Rhetoric• Persuasion Theory uses in its attack:

NarrativeEmotional appealCredibility of the narrator

• Aristotle used:LogosPathosEthos

Logos, Ethos, PathosIn Persuasion Theory

• There are many approaches as to how to utilise Pathos. O’Keefe (2002) concentrates on the generation of guilt to gain a persuasive response

• Others have looked at the negative emotional response to test its effectiveness in the Persuasion process (Nabi, 2002)

• However emotional persuasion needs a logical narrative behind it and Logos offers that argument. The ethos or credibility of the message could be judged by its logical argument and likewise affect the pathos of the message

• Each one is intrinsic to the other two

LogosPersuasion TheoryNarrative Message/story

Delivery through Speech,Metaphor, Simile,Imagery.

Aristotle (from the Greek-English Lexicon 1957)Continuous Statement, narrative (whether fact or fiction), orationFable ( Rhetoric 13938)Tale, story (Poetics 1336a)Tragedy

Thing spoken of, subject-case, plot of a narrative or dramatic poem,= "muthos", in Art, subject of a painting,

expression, utterance, speech regarded formally, of rhythmical language set to music, (Poetics) logois in orations, (Poetics)of various modes of expression, esp. artistic and literary, muthois kai logois (Plato, n.d. Laws)

Each word has versatility within its definition.

Pathos

Persuasion TheoryDraws upon the experiences of the audience

Needs a positive emotional response such as enjoyment and happiness for acceptance

(Thus, can persuasion theory include tragedy?)

AristotleWhat one has experienced, good or bad, experience, my experiences, (Poetics 1447a)to drama Negative feelings generated by Tragedy Of the soul, emotion, passionto excite passion, (Rhetoric 1418a) sensation (Poetics)

EthosPersuasion Theory

Credibility

Ethos gives the argument credibility by nature of who or what is presenting it

Credibility of the message

Ethical impact of the message

Aristotle

Credibility

Connection to the audience

Character of the narrator

Poetics• Basis of Poetics contains a universal structure/truth• Contains a sequence of linked events • Relies upon Primacy of the plot , with an aim to evoke a reaction• “Tragedy is not an imitation of persons, but of actions” (50a16f)• This also incorporates events, with an aim of raising fear and pity• True tragedy can be gauged from the actions of others• When someone close , family member, affects harm upon others• When harm is knowingly rendered upon a close friend or relative it

instigates a feeling of disgust (Ch 13)

Metaphor

• Aristotle recognised the presence of metaphor contained within the written word

• Does not distinguish between the use of metaphor and simile• Accredited for defining and adapting the use of metaphor to

give new meaning within rhetoric• Used as a vehicle to giving life and meaning to a narrative

through the actualisation of its content (Newman 2002)• Instigates the juxtaposition of form• Allows the audience to create their own imagery (Kirby 1997)

Poetics• Aristotle suggested that imitation is natural for humans• People get pleasure, whether good or bad, in viewing images of objects• It is the understanding that gives the pleasure• May be derived from understanding the use of colour, texture, execution,

imagery

LogosThe image itself is the metaphor for the story

Built up in layersExplore juxtaposition of simple naive formThrough harsh, violent strokes

PathosUsing simple primary colours (pigment based) Red is used a metaphor for pain and bloodGreens/purples signifies dark destructionOf soul

Ethos is attained through the representation of the image

Visual Interpretation of Aristotle’s Entities 1

LogosPrimacy of plot, portrayed through metaphor of imagery

Pathos Evoke a reaction of pity, disgust, fear within the audience

EthosCredibility of the narrator

Visual Interpretation of Aristotle’s Entities 2

Audience Evaluation

• Full ethical approval obtained at Staffordshire University• Narrative is in the public domain• Pictures exhibited over four days• 80+ members of the public viewed the pictures• Images shown were just two examples of 47 images• Public viewed images as they wished• Were asked to participate in one to one semi-structured

interviews• Pastoral support was available throughout the viewings

Preliminary Findings

• Still analysing the data• People who worked within the art industry and within mental

health appeared to have a greater understanding of the Logos and Pathos

• People who had experienced child abuse and trauma also related to and were affected by the imagery (this information was readily given by people and not requested)

• 80% of older people, who presented in the 65+ age group did not engage well with the exhibition. Many wanted to look at images that were pretty (chocolate box), not dark and disturbing

• People under 65 found it acceptable to view the images publically

Aristotle’s Theory

• The imagery succeeded in Pathos• Generated shock, horror, sadness, memories• The main story (Logos) was recognised by 70% of the

audience• Ethos of imagery was never questioned

Persuasion Theory

• Initial findings suggest that there is a gap within Persuasion Theory between

• Understanding and• Acceptance ( Not everybody thought the imagery

itself was acceptable)• Negative Pathos resulted in negative acceptance

Conclusions so far

• The images successfully demonstrated Aristotle’s Logos, Pathos and Ethos

• Thus metaphor was a successful vehicle for expressing a morally sensitive subject

• For positive acceptability there is a need for positive Pathos

References

• Arndt, W. F. and Gingrich, F. W. 1957. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. London: Cambridge University Press and Chicago: Chicago University Press.

• Bryant, J., 1993. OR Enactment:The Theatrical Metaphor as an Analytic Framework. The Journal of the Operational Research Society, 44(6). 1061-1061

• Canan Ay, P. A. (2010). Guerrilla Marketing Communication Tools and Ethical Problems in Guerilla Advertising. American Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 2 (3), 280-286.

• Johnson, M., 1981. Philosophical perspectives on metaphor. Minnesota. The University of Minnesota Press.• Kirby, J, 1997. Aristotle on Metaphor. American Journal of Philology 118:4, The John Hopkins University

Press.• Klapper, J. T., 1963. Mass Communication Research: An Old Road Resurveyed. The Public Opinion

Quarterly, 27(4), pp. 515-527.• Nabi, R 2002. Discreet Emotions and Persuasion. In: M.P.James Price Dillard, 2002, The Persuasion

Handbook. California: Sage Publications Ltd, pp. 268-308.• Newman, S., 2002. Aristotle's Notion of "Bringing-Before -the-eyes" Its contributions and

Conceptualizations of Metaphor, Style and Audience. The International Society for the History of Rhetoric, Winter edition, Rhetoica XX(1), pp. 1-23.

• O'Keefe, D. (2002). Persuasion Theory and Research. University of Illinois. Sage Publications. Wegner C. 1994. Message Order Effects in Persuasion: An Attitude Strength Perspective. The Journal of Consumer Research, 21, pp. 205-218.