Kerisha Goode
ERH 201WX
December 6, 2016
Research Informed Essay

In June 2016 Jesse Williams, Grey’s Anatomy actor, was honored and awarded the Humanitarian Award at the Black Entertainment Television Awards (BET). The Humanitarian Award has been given annually for the past 14 years to recipients who seek to promote human welfare, maintain dignity, and end suffering on the grounds of gender, religious affiliations, or sexual orientation. A person must also possesses and obtain a high level of ethos within a community. One who is said to be intelligent, virtuous, and an overall good character is one who is considered for this award. “The speaker must understand what the community believes makes a person believable” (Herrick 81). The ability to connect with the audience on an emotional level is also a major factor when choosing a recipient, which we call pathos. Finally we have logos, which are the thoughts expressed in the words and argument of the speaker. This is something Aristotle uses which he refers to as proofs available in the logic of speech. Logos can be defined as the logic of sound arguments. By accepting this award in front of the world Williams makes a bigger appeal that captivates the nation making headlines. Although he uses all three rhetorical appeals in his speech, the use of pathos dominates tone when communicating his call for action which resonates with the audience.
Throughout the speech Williams attempts to persuade the audience by allowing them to feel emotions of curiosity, grief, and admiration, which we call pathos. Herrick describes pathos as the “emotional appeals that give persuasion messages their power to move an audience to action” (Herrick 79). In his introduction, Williams lays out his thesis, that his speech is for those “that are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do”. For those listening this was a call to action to stand for what’s right and against what’s wrong. For those not listening it then became the job of the audience to be the new author and translator. Williams chose to speak to this particular community because not only would they understand him, he understood them. Those in the audience were all said to have some ties to the African American community, whether that is a leader, an artist, or a friend. In the early 90’s BET became first black-controlled TV company. Prior to that, the rise became a prominent idea since African Americans weren’t often allowed to act, sing, or dance on television. Therefore, this became a double appeal of emotions for many people in that room, even though some where unspoken of. This is similar to Aristotle’s take on emotions, which has to do with the ability to affect the audiences judgement (Herrick 79).
Williams then reaches out to the black women in the crowd, who he says, “have spent their lifetimes dedicated to nurturing everyone before themselves. We can and will do better for you”. First, by using the pronoun “we”, Williams identifies himself as one that is part of the problem or an answer to the solution. This draws a connection between him and those he is speaking too, by breaking down any possible barriers that may lay. The idea of deliberative oratory, that “addresses the use of resources and solutions to problems facing the city-state” (Herrick 75), is a perfect example of just that. Also given that the audience members, or judge, are the ones deciding what will be best. Appealing to African American women was greatly significant because they made up more than half of the audience he was speaking to. He knew that appealing to the majority would put the audience in the right frame of mind.
Williams then appeals to the audiences emotions by providing a trail of facts. He reminds them that yesterday would have been Tamir Rice’s 14th birthday. Yet, “paid public servants can pull a drive by on a 12 year old playing alone in a park in broad day light…” Williams doesn’t stop there, he continues on by mentioning how after events like this can occur they “then return home to make a sandwich”. Here although it is clear that he is playing on the emotions of the audience, he is also toying with the notion of ethos. Ethos, the sociology of character measures human character and goodness, simple characteristics Police Officers are expected to have. Williams provided a scenario where his listeners were expected to recognize that Police Officers are suppose to be the likeminded individuals that help guide beliefs about our culture. Jesse himself is said to have a high level of ethos given his credibility. These are similar to the characteristics Cicero describes, “character was comprised of dignity, worthy achievements, and a solid reputation” (Herrick 99). I see Williams playing on the emotions of the audience by pointing out the pain and sadness many of the audience members are holding. Some of which family members and friends of victims where in that crowd. He rowels them back up with the sarcasm of saying “going home to make a sandwich”. “Tell that to Rekia Boyd, Eric Garner… Sandra Bland, Dorian Hunt”. By listing the victims of police brutality I believe provides a connection between the grief of those who have passed to their families and now the audience.
Williams speech was a message of call to action to stand up for what is right. This call to action is not only for the African American communities, but for everyone listening, and those not listening. Actions of our society 50 years ago is still very relevant in many ways today, such as the treatment of African Americans and social injustice. People like Jesse Williams who’ve dedicated their lives to finding a solution to theses problems remind me of actions by the late Aristotle. I’ve noticed a connection between emotion and judgement in both the reading and Williams’ speech. This connection has been affectively beneficial on the delivery of the speech. “A knowledgeable speaker can engage that strong beliefs and feelings that both influence the reasoning of audience members and move them to action” (Herrick 79).

Work Cited

Herrick, James A. The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, 2009. Print.