Chapter 4 "Pathos" 9/18/07

In the reading, the word pathos literally means "suffering" or experience." Appeal to pathos acts as a powerful rhetorical device; this is all because it is associated with emotion. This means that it appeals to the emotions of the audience, therefore allowing them to see what the writer sees. Logos and Ethos are used mainly to the credibility of the author and the logical appeal, whereas pathos is used as a "logical discourse." So by pulling on the heartstrings of the author's audience, then the author knows that the audience will make an emotional connection. This allows the audience to gain more insight into the argument, and most likely side with the author's opinion. This is why pathos is a very strong rhetorical device, since it allows the author to gain the audience’s attention. This is very important to most writers today, to appeal to their audience based on whom they are trying to get their opinion to. Most likely an author will use the shock factor to gain the attention of their reader, which is what pathos is, it just makes you stop and think the way the author does. Pathos is based on appealing to an audience, to gain their appreciation of their argument.