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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
Part 2, Chapter 27
Explanation and Analysis—Lolita's Letter:
Lolita, now going by the names “Dolly” and “Mrs. Richard F. Schiller,” writes to Humbert several years after running away from him. In the letter, she employs pathos in her attempt to convince her estranged stepfather and former abuser to send money to her:
This is a hard letter to write. I’m going nuts because we don’t have enough to pay our debts and get out of here [...] Pardon me for withholding our home address but you may still be mad at me, and Dick must not know [...] Please do send us a check, Dad. We could manage with three or four hundred or even less, anything is welcome, you might sell my old things, because once we get there the dough will just start rolling in. Write, please. I have gone through much sadness and hardship.
Here, Lolita appeals to Humbert’s emotions. She starts by noting that it is difficult for her to write to him, but she is “going nuts” because of financial difficulties that have been compounded by her pregnancy. Imploring him to “send us a check,” she refers to him as “Dad,” a term that emphasizes their familial relationship. Her language in the letter is emotional, as she notes the “sadness and hardship” that she has experienced and begs Humbert to write back to her. The decision to write to Humbert despite his previous abuse of her underscores her strong feelings of desperation at this point in the novel.
