Rhetorical Appeals
An appeal to the emotions
Pathos
This is the author or speaker's attitude towards the subject.
Tone
An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning
This is the author's main message or life lesson.
Theme
A means of convincing an audience of the reliable character or credibility of the speaker/writer, or the credibility of the argument.
Ethos
This is an author's specific word choice and can help create a certain effect.
Diction
Does the word enraged have a positive or negative connotation?
negative
What tone is conveyed in the following passage?
Each year in the middle of February, when slush is underfoot and the sky is a depressing gray, I begin dreaming of warm beaches, tropical fruits and sunsets. If only I could save enough for a winter vacation! Maybe next year I’ll win the lottery. Meanwhile, I’ll read travel brochures and sigh.
Longing
A rhetorical or persuasive appeal to the audience's logic and rationality
Logos
This refers to a speech or address to a person who is not present or to a personified object.
Apostrophe
Does the word abysmal have a positive or negative connotation?
negative
What tone is conveyed in the following passage?
Why do these things always happen to me?, Brad wondered. First I forget an important meeting, and nobody reminds me until it’s over. Then my boss dumps a big project on my desk and wants it done by yesterday. And to top everything off, I leave my wallet on the bus.
Self-Pitying
You are using this type of appeal when you include facts and statistics in your argument.
Logos
This is a comparison that is developed in detail or that continues over multiple lines.
Extended Metaphor
Does the word confident have a positive or negative connotation?
positive
Which sentence below contains an allusion?
She transformed her backyard into her own personal Garden of Eden.
OR
His quick strides were like that of a cheetah chasing its prey.
She transformed her backyard into her own personal Garden of Eden.
This contains a reference to the biblical story of the Garden of Eden found in Genesis.
Using an expert to endorse a product utilizes this type of appeal
Ethos
This is a reference to something well-known, such as a person, event in history, or even another literary work.
Allusion
Which of the following has a more positive connotation? Unique or Strange?
Unique
Which of the following sentences contains an allusion?
We will miss him so much because he was the best dog we ever had.
OR
He is what you might call a charmer, a modern-day Romeo.
He is what you might call a charmer, a modern-day Romeo.