Name ________________________ Date _____________

English 9H Period __________

Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetoric: The art of writing or speaking effectively. An author uses rhetoric to

persuade his or her audience.

Rhetorical Appeals:

Ethos: The persuasive technique that tries to convince an audience based upon
the character or credibility of an author/speaker. When a writer tries to
convince you s/he is a credible source, is an expert, or has a unique knowledge of
a problem, s/he is appealing to ethos. Ethos is the Greek word for “character.”

Pathos: The persuasive technique that appeals to the audience’s emotions or

feelings. A writer uses this technique to create sympathy for his/her cause.
Common uses of pathos would be to draw pity from an audience or inspire
anger. Pathos is a Greek word for both “suffering” and “experience.”

Logos: The persuasive technique that convinces the reader by use of logical
appeals, or reason. A writer uses logos when s/he makes claims supported by
reason and evidence. Common uses of logos include citing facts and statistics,
citing certain authorities on a subject, and referencing historical analogies. Logos
is the Greek word for “word.” The word “logic” is derived from logos.