Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

Ethos is the ethical appeal of the rhetor's credibility and trustworthiness. In the beginning Sojourner Truth uses ethos when she talks about how she is a woman and deserves the treatment a woman is supposed to get. She deserves to have her hand held when getting out of a carriage or out of a bus, etc. Shes using the credibility that she is a woman and that she is a mother and can work and eat as much as a man.
Logos is the logical appeal of a reasonable, well-supported argument. So she uses logos when she makes the point that women have just as many rights as men. She makes the argument that is against men thinking that Christ is not a woman she says who do you think made Christ, God and a Woman. Woman can do just as much as men can and just as well.
Pathos is is the emotional appeal of language and examples that stir the audience's feelings. In the final part of any speech like this pathos is important to get the audience on you side and to win them over so that the speech moves them and sticks with them. Her gratitude for the audiences time and for listening to her which humbles and makes you sympathize for her points that she made in her speech.