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Definition of Pathos
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
3. Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs
Explanation and Analysis—Cruelties:
In order to refute the arguments of those who wish to reconcile with Britain, Paine utilizes a great deal of emotion-based persuasion, or pathos. Take, for example, the following passage, in which Paine criticizes those who would make light of the cruelties endured by Boston residents at the hands of the British:
But if you say, you can still pass the violations over, then I ask, Hath your house been burnt? Hath your property been destroyed before your face? Are your wife and children destitute of a bed to lie on, or bread to live on? Have you lost a parent or a child by their hands, and yourself the ruined and wretched survivor? If you have not, then you are not a judge of those who have.
Paine asks readers—some of whom would undoubtedly prefer a more moderate and less revolutionary solution than the one he espouses—to not only condemn the actions of the British, but to empathize with the victims of their tyranny. By asking repeated questions that prompt an emotional response, Paine attempts to elicit greater sympathy from those who would perhaps prefer to overlook the violations of the British thus far, for the simple reason that they prefer not to stir up conflict.
Related Themes:
