Understanding Pathos in Rhetoric

Understanding Pathos in Rhetoric

Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will assess your understanding of pathos in rhetorical analysis.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

1. Identify at least two phrases or sentences in the passage that primarily appeal to the audience's emotions (pathos). Explain how each example evokes a specific emotion.

2. How does King's use of historical references contribute to his appeal to pathos in this excerpt?

3. Which of the following emotions is King primarily trying to evoke in the audience when he states, 'the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity'?

4. The phrase 'seared in the flames of withering injustice' is an example of pathos because it:

5. Pathos is a rhetorical appeal to  .

6. Effective use of pathos can make an audience feel   or  .

7. Pathos relies solely on logical arguments and evidence.

8. A speaker using pathos might share a personal anecdote to connect with the audience.

9. In a well-developed paragraph, discuss how understanding and analyzing pathos can help you become a more critical consumer of information and a more effective communicator. Provide specific examples of how you might apply this understanding in your daily life.