Application of Aristotle’s Rhetoric
“Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion” (Aristotle 8). In other words, rhetoric is the art of effective persuasion in speech and writing. This practice may prove successful through the use of rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Aristotle stresses through his book Rhetoric that these three tactics are key to having a strong persuasive argument in both writing and in speech. The strategies described in Aristotle’s Rhetoric can be applied to connect many other forms of literature. To begin with, Aristotle’s Rhetoric may be compared to the informational piece Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick. Nothing to Envy is a non-fictional …show more content…
Tom Sawyer is a classic film describing a boy’s childhood mischief and how it leads to witnessing a murder. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer conveys a deep message of society’s hypocrisy using similar strategies to Aristotle’s Rhetoric. The film displays a powerful sense of pathos throughout, sending a nostalgic feeling of childhood memories to the viewers. It also uses that nostalgia of boyhood tomfoolery to challenge the principles of adulthood. A great use of pathos’ ability to subject the viewer to pity is demonstrated in the quote, “He had meant the best in the world, and been treated like a dog, like a very dog.” This movie quote evokes pity for Tom and the way he is treated. Similarly, Aristotle discusses pity as a notable pathos expressing, “In order to feel pity we must also believe in the goodness of at least some people” (Aristotle 65). This quote can reveal how viewers are able to look past Tom’s mischievous behavior and see he has a good heart as a result of the emotion of pity. Moreover, the film uses logos to better develop the theme of society’s hypocrisy. “The elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one constrained shape long at a time.” This logical reasoning demonstrates how the views of a child differ from that of an adult. This goes hand in hand with the theme presented in the film, showing how adults do not always have sound principles. To continue, Aristotle considers, “The man who is to be in command of [persuasion] must, it is clear, be able to reason logically” (Aristotle 9). By means of ethos, Tom Sawyer establishes a credible main character by rendering him very relatable to the audience. The character of tom Sawyer brings forth a sense of nostalgic boyhood tomfoolery adding to the ethos. For example, Tom’s Aunt Polly says, “Ain’t he played me tricks enough…” showing the constant mischief he gets into. This use
“Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion” (Aristotle 8). In other words, rhetoric is the art of effective persuasion in speech and writing. This practice may prove successful through the use of rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos. Aristotle stresses through his book Rhetoric that these three tactics are key to having a strong persuasive argument in both writing and in speech. The strategies described in Aristotle’s Rhetoric can be applied to connect many other forms of literature. To begin with, Aristotle’s Rhetoric may be compared to the informational piece Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick. Nothing to Envy is a non-fictional …show more content…
Tom Sawyer is a classic film describing a boy’s childhood mischief and how it leads to witnessing a murder. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer conveys a deep message of society’s hypocrisy using similar strategies to Aristotle’s Rhetoric. The film displays a powerful sense of pathos throughout, sending a nostalgic feeling of childhood memories to the viewers. It also uses that nostalgia of boyhood tomfoolery to challenge the principles of adulthood. A great use of pathos’ ability to subject the viewer to pity is demonstrated in the quote, “He had meant the best in the world, and been treated like a dog, like a very dog.” This movie quote evokes pity for Tom and the way he is treated. Similarly, Aristotle discusses pity as a notable pathos expressing, “In order to feel pity we must also believe in the goodness of at least some people” (Aristotle 65). This quote can reveal how viewers are able to look past Tom’s mischievous behavior and see he has a good heart as a result of the emotion of pity. Moreover, the film uses logos to better develop the theme of society’s hypocrisy. “The elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one constrained shape long at a time.” This logical reasoning demonstrates how the views of a child differ from that of an adult. This goes hand in hand with the theme presented in the film, showing how adults do not always have sound principles. To continue, Aristotle considers, “The man who is to be in command of [persuasion] must, it is clear, be able to reason logically” (Aristotle 9). By means of ethos, Tom Sawyer establishes a credible main character by rendering him very relatable to the audience. The character of tom Sawyer brings forth a sense of nostalgic boyhood tomfoolery adding to the ethos. For example, Tom’s Aunt Polly says, “Ain’t he played me tricks enough…” showing the constant mischief he gets into. This use