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PATHOS - Emotional Appeal(adapted from Thos. Kane, Oxford Guide to Writing, 1983)

the emotional appeal (pathos) is an important and legitimate means of persuasion

prompts changes in beliefs and behaviour of the audience by arousing

happiness guilt angerlaughter ambition fearexcitement self-love boredomaltruism moral indignation

emotional appeals are the essence of advertising, public relations, political image-making

as SSW states, pathos can effectively reinforce a rational argument (as in your research paper)

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… from last week…

“Persuasion: Non-Rational Modes:” “Unlike argument, emotive persuasion poses a moral problem. It

can be used more easily than argument to move us against our will, and even, perhaps, counter to it” (Kane, 501). Discuss this, giving a few examples.

“To assume that advertisements and press releases and political claims are all lies is no wiser than taking them at face value” (Kane, 502). Do you agree or disagree? Discuss.

Identify the 3 modes of emotive persuasion discussed by Kane (502). Be prepared to give some contemporary examples of each.

Find and be prepared to present some contemporary examples of emotional fallacies mentioned by Kane, 512-514

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Cautions from T. Kane Emotional persuasion can move us against our

will and judgment When emotion is appealed to, it cannot respond;

it can only resist. Manipulation promotes cynicism: aware of the

manipulation of image-makers, we turn off all messages, both the false and the worthy ones.

Cultivate a critical awareness; advertisers now routinely exploit cynicism for their own ends.

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Conveying an Emotional Appeal

A speaker can use voice tone, gesture, body attitude, laughter, weeping, sad or solemn looks.

A writer must use powerful words and images see readings on style, tone, figurative language

When reading or writing an emotional appeal, remember: clever, cynical writers and speakers can project

emotions they don’t feel (be on guard for insincerity & emotional fallacies)

emotional sincerity alone is not enough (write expressively when you need to, but avoid fallacies)

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Propaganda & Emotion Propaganda = information spread to promote a cause (can

include gossip, lies, half-truths) used by political & religious & special interest groups,

advertisers, media, government; often manipulates human weakness to achieve an emotional, not

logical, reaction exploits most people’s lack of critical reading, thinking, and

listening skills regularly, aggressively employs fallacies:

name calling & ad hominem attacks glittering generalities guilt by association card-stacking

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Propaganda & emotion Propaganda = information spread to promote a cause

(can include gossip, slogans, lies, half-truths) is a feature of daily life: used by advertisers, media,

business, government, political & religious organizations & special interest groups

is neutral in itself but its negative connotation (like that of “rhetoric”) exists because propaganda often manipulates human weakness to achieve an emotional, not

logical, reaction deliberately exploits most people’s lack of critical reading,

thinking, and listening skills.

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Propaganda, cont. regularly, aggressively employs certain fallacies:

name calling & mis-representation glittering generalities guilt by association card-stacking

see, for example, political party websites, (Nov. 2007 & Nov. 2008) websites (2007-8; access through WaybackMachine) attacking Stephan

Dion: http://notaleader.ca S. Harper and S. Dion on fed. Conservative Party site, and post-

election site: http://www.conservative.ca/ S. Dion & S. Harper on fed. Liberal Party site (2007), and post-

election site: http://www.liberal.ca

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Emotional appeal & complexity

Persuasive discourses often use complex forms of emotional appeal, identified by ancient rhetoricians & still used, including:

1. Satire2. Eloquence3. Pathos

All are legitimate means of persuasion. But: use them sparingly and with judgment in

professional discourse Satire often falls flat; demands intimate

knowledge of audience, genre, subject.

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(1) Satire

very complex, with a moral base - ridicules folly & vice by posing them against wisdom & virtue Mainly explicit: depicts both the folly/vice and the ideal

e.g., The Daily Show, Colbert Report, This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Mainly implicit: reveals the folly, but expects readers to supply the norm for themselves

MOST of the Simpsons; Family Guy ??? South Park

Satire uses irony, sarcasm, invective, ironic contrast, parody (see Kane, pp. 503-507)

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Satiric Devices: Irony Irony: language used in a manner that contrasts with its

conventional sense “Nice day!”

subtlety of irony is its strength and weakness; audience has to recognize it, or effect is lost e.g., “Told You So”

sometimes an author or text can begin with ironic commentary, transcend it to create a sympathetic and/or believable reality; e.g.: The Godfather [tragedy] > Analyze This / “Fat Tony” on

The Simpsons [comedy] >The Sopranos [tragedy] Simpsons / S. Park / Family Guy: whenever the

audience begins to “care” about the characters

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Situational Irony occurs when an event’s outcome contrasts with actors’

or audience’s expectations can be comic, biting, or serious; suggests truths &

paradoxes of human existence, large & small Alanis Morrisette’s song, “Ironic” (c. 1997): It’s like rain on

your wedding day / A free ride when you’ve already paid / Good advice that you just didn’t take / … Meeting the man of your dreams then meeting his beautiful wife…”

Sophocles’ play, Oedipus the King (c. 427 BCE): to rid his city, Thebes, of a plague, Oedipus vows to find & punish the killer of the previous king, unaware that he, Oedipus, had been the killer (of his father) & is now married to his own

mother.

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Other Satiric Devices Sarcasm: biting, scathing remark; narrowly, such a

remark, expressed as simple irony He’s a brave man (said of a coward)

Invective: abusive, insulting language (the film As Good As It Gets): Q: How do you write women

so well? A: I start with a man and take away reason and accountability

Ironic contrast: shows ideal & actual together; common in literature, film, tv

Parody: mocking imitation of a style of speaking or writing; MadTV, Daily Show, Adbusters, etc….

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Irony - fr. Gk. eiron, dis-

sembler

belittling,negativecriticism

comic, playful criticism

-not self-reflective -self-reflective -superiority to aud. -can reveal self to aud.-certain meaning -negotiable meaning-closed meaning -open meaning

Irony can be negative, neutral, or positive; depends on tone, context and attitude of speaker towards the object being discussed and the audience.•Sarcasm: can be comic; always belittling, negative•Parody & contrast: need not be negative•Invective: always neg-ative; not always ironic• Irony can be playful, belittling, or not directly critical (situational)

at least two meanings at once

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(2) Eloquence

language used powerfully & fluently to appeal to our nobler emotions: desire to reach toward and appreciate virtue

sense of honour love of country

Examples entire eulogy for Diana Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” and

most of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”

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(3) “Pathos”

in narrow, contemporary use, is an appeal to emotions of pity and compassion “’Why don’t you go back to Africa?’” (“Invisible Woman”)

“Who will protect the children?” (all-purpose appeal)

http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/

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Motivation and Persuasion(Institute of Financial Education, Writing to Persuade, 1990)

Consistency theory: assumes you must overcome readers’ resistance to change by increasing anxiety about severity of the

problem reducing anxiety about the impact of the

change offering significant rewards for change.

These approaches are prominent in advertising

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Motivation & Advertising, cont.

Maslow’s hierachy of needs: humans need/desire 1) security > 2) affiliation > 3) achievement > 4) power > 5) self-actualization

Advertising targets early links in this chain by seeking to motivate behavior through appeals to safety, comfort, belonging, appearance fulfillment through sensory pleasures. sex humor, novelty economy (savings), durability power/control, fame, exclusivity knowledge

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10 Basic Advertising Techniquesadapted from J. Schrank’s Deception Detection (1975), in W. Adams & J. Spira, Reading

Beyond Words, 1978

(1) weasel claim: seems substantial, but is hollow Listerine fights bad breath (fights does not = stop)

(2) unfinished claim: suggests product has something others don’t, without saying what Twice as much of the pain reliever doctors recommend (twice

as much of what? aspirin? morphine?)

(3) “we’re different & unique” claim: There’s no other lipstick like it (does this mean it’s better or

worse than other kinds of lipstick?)

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10 Techniques, cont.

(4) “water is wet” claim: says something true about the product, but it’s also true for any product Dairyland Fat Free Skim Milk (all skim milk is fat free)

(5) “so what” claim: claim is true, but there’s no advantage to it strong enough for a man but made for a woman (only for

women but strong enough for men?)

(6) vague claim: unclear; emotional appeal for luscious lips… (what are luscious lips?) (classic example:) Winston tastes good like a cigarette

should

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10 Techniques, cont.

(7) endorsement or testimonial: using well-known people to push products “got milk?” ads with Elizabeth Hurley, etc.

(8) scientific claim: makes the product sound as though some statistics, scientific evidence, or special ingredient makes it the best Kraft 2% milk slices: Twice the calcium of other slices (which

other ones?) Revlon Results cream with Alpha Recap 50

(what “results” are promised?)

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10 Techniques, cont.

(9) “compliment the consumer” claim: we all like to be complimented. Advertisers know it and use this technique to get us on their side. Because you demand the very best…

(10) rhetorical question: no answer expected, but assumption is that the answer is what the advertisers want Where will your best ideas end up? (IBM) When will you stop drinking and driving? (Counter-Attack) Isn’t it time you started thinking about #1? (Carlton low-tar

cigarettes)

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Abuses of Emotional Appeal

1. Hyperbole: 1. Rhet. A figure of speech consisting in exaggerated or

extravagant statement, used to express strong feeling or produce a strong impression, and not intended to be understood literally.   

2. gen. Excess, extravagance. rare.

2. Maudlin:1. Having reached the stage of drunkenness characterized by

tearful sentimentality and effusive displays of affection; characteristic of (the behaviour of) someone who has reached this stage.

3. Sentimentality:1. The quality of being sentimental; affectation of sensibility,

exaggerated insistence upon the claims of sentiment.