The Rhetorical Triangle: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle Aristotle taught that persuasive speaking is based on how well a speaker appeals to audience in three areas: logos, ethos, pathos. Logos, ethos, and pathos are methods of persuasion. Triangle represents the balanced interaction between logos (text/subject), ethos (speaker/writer), and pathos (audience), which creates effective writing.

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle Logos: –Appeal to reason –Text of an argument; how well writer argues his/her point. –Includes: Facts, statistics, surveys and polls, testimony and narrative; common sense. Ethos: –Appeal to writer’s character; credibility –Role of the writer in the argument; how credible his/her argument is; writer’s persona. –Includes admitting limitations, exceptions or weaknesses; honesty about motives.

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle Pathos: –Appeal to emotion and sympathetic imagination, as well as beliefs and values. –Role of audience in the argument. –Includes humor.

Overlap Often a particular aspect of a text will represent more than one appeal. Example: –Use of credible sources can be considered both logos and ethos. –Credible sources support the logic and reasoning of a text and portray the writer as thoughtful and engaged with the subject.