Speakers Evoking Empathy
Have you ever wondered how a speaker awakens feelings of empathy in the reader? Both the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and the Statement on the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. given by Robert F. Kennedy use rhetorical devices to reach out to their audience in a certain way. They have a goal. Harper Lee’s character Atticus and Robert F. Kennedy both evoke empathy in their audience to either generate understanding or inspire action with the use of logos or ethos, respectively.
Atticus evokes empathy in the audience with the use of logos. Atticus is defending a black man named Tom Robinson in court in the 1930s. He is using logos in his final statement to evoke understanding from the audience that Tom did not commit the crime that he was accused of. In the beginning of his statement, he mentions that “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence… it has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses,” (Lee 272). With the use of logos, he reasoned that Tom could not have committed a crime that has no evidence. Therefore, he attempts to make the audience understand that Tom is innocent. The reason for his use of logos is that it is the most effective way to stress the clarity of his claim. Very few people feel bad for Tom or think he is credible, so Atticus has to rely on facts and common sense. Through this, he will gain understanding in the audience. Of course, logos could …show more content…
Kennedy, speakers that have a purpose. Atticus does this to convince the audience that Tom is innocent. Kennedy does this to convince the audience to unite. They both have a goal, to evoke empathy from the people. By using the stated devices, they either inspire action or generate understanding. Overall, they want to get their message across. Whether that’s proving the innocence of a man, or convincing a country to move forward together in
Have you ever wondered how a speaker awakens feelings of empathy in the reader? Both the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and the Statement on the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. given by Robert F. Kennedy use rhetorical devices to reach out to their audience in a certain way. They have a goal. Harper Lee’s character Atticus and Robert F. Kennedy both evoke empathy in their audience to either generate understanding or inspire action with the use of logos or ethos, respectively.
Atticus evokes empathy in the audience with the use of logos. Atticus is defending a black man named Tom Robinson in court in the 1930s. He is using logos in his final statement to evoke understanding from the audience that Tom did not commit the crime that he was accused of. In the beginning of his statement, he mentions that “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence… it has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses,” (Lee 272). With the use of logos, he reasoned that Tom could not have committed a crime that has no evidence. Therefore, he attempts to make the audience understand that Tom is innocent. The reason for his use of logos is that it is the most effective way to stress the clarity of his claim. Very few people feel bad for Tom or think he is credible, so Atticus has to rely on facts and common sense. Through this, he will gain understanding in the audience. Of course, logos could …show more content…
Kennedy, speakers that have a purpose. Atticus does this to convince the audience that Tom is innocent. Kennedy does this to convince the audience to unite. They both have a goal, to evoke empathy from the people. By using the stated devices, they either inspire action or generate understanding. Overall, they want to get their message across. Whether that’s proving the innocence of a man, or convincing a country to move forward together in