Nicholas Schweers

Maj McDonald

8 February 2018

Reading Response 1

Aristotilian and general Classical rhetoric is based off of Aristotle’s three appeals: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Ethos, or the “good will of the speaker” refers back to the first chapter of “Rhetoric for Writing Teachers”, where it talks about how the writer must be believable (Lindemann 41). Pathos and Logos also are tied into the first chapter to advance the “…writer-reader…” concept. Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions, memories, and anything that could pull on their heartstrings to advance persuasion. Logos appeals to the rationality of the audience’s mind, helping the audience believe what is being said. Rhetoric, which is largely the art of persuasion, has been constantly modified throughout history, but almost all rhetorical ideologies refer back to these three appeals. One main example is the 5 cannons of rhetoric (Lindemann 42). Invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery all correlate or more so dissect the three appeals. All of the cannons effect one’s ethos, because if one lacks in any one cannon, people will not view the orator as well. Arrangement, style, and delivery all go into pathos, for the manner in which you present your information will greatly affect how the audience views the rhetoric. Finally, invention, style, and memory all work together to create logos, for if one forgets the material, is not consistent in style, and cannot logically connect the information, it will appear illogical.