Rhetorical Appeals - Case Study Example

Rhetorical Appeals Introduction The art of rhetoric persuasive writing entails a careful use and arrangement of words, which results in persuading the readers in accepting and endorsing the ideas put forward by the writer. The process of such effective communication was introduced and explained by the Greek philosopher - Aristotle, who suggested that a reader can be persuaded by inclusion of three key elements i.e., ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos refers to use of ethics and ethical reasoning used to convince the readers; pathos refers to use of emotional appeals and examples; and logos refers to the use of logic to support the arguments made (Garver, 1994; Enos & Agnew, 1998; Kaufer & Butler, 1996).

The letter written by Martin Luther King, from a Birmingham Jail, uses all these types of appeals, listed above, in order to convince the reader regarding the validity and credibility of his ideas and actions. The same are discussed and highlighted below:Ethos: Ethos is primarily used to indicate and highlight the good character and credibility of the writer. In this letter, Martin Luther King, has very aptly and effectively highlighted his body of work, thus indicating his authority on the subject and successfully justifying his stance on the issue on hand.

Example:"I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty five affiliated organizations across the South, and one of them is the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Frequently we share staff, educational and financial resources with our affiliates"The statement mentioned above indicates the use of ethos, by the writer. Pathos: This form of speech is used as an artistic proof of the facts mentioned by the writer, and banks on the readers’ emotions and feelings as a method of persuasion.

The following is the example of pathos, as applied by Martin Luther King in his letter:“Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.

”“We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God given rights”Logos: This refers to the use of logical reasoning in support of the arguments made by the writer. The following is an example of the same:“".even though Negroes constitute a majority of the population, not a single Negro is registered. Can any law enacted under such circumstances be considered democratically structured?”“We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal”ConclusionThe skillful use of the three key elements, viz-a-viz, ethos, pathos and logos, by the writer, helped in highlighting the ideas and offer valid justification for the course of action chosen, and influence the readers to arrive at a common consensus.

The use of such elements paves way for establishing clear and effective communication with the readers and enhances the credibility and validity of the arguments and ideas put forth, by the writer. Martin Luther King’s letter is a clear case in point. References:Enos, R. L., Agnew, L. P., (1998). Landmark essays on Aristotelian rhetoric, Routledge Publication, Pp. 66-72Garver, E., (1994). Aristotles rhetoric: an art of character, University of Chicago Press, Pp. 100-111Kaufer, D. S., Butler, B. S., (1996).

Rhetoric and the arts of design, Routledge Publication, Pp. 78-82