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Select a quote from one of the autobiographies, memoirs, or personal essays in this unit that show ethos logos, and pathos (one quote for each). In at least 150 words, define your terms and explain why the given term is an example of its rhetorical strategy. one of the readings from this unit is "I Have a dream"

User Birdbuster
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In his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. provides an excellent example of ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos is an appeal to an audience's sense of ethics and morality. King uses ethical appeals throughout his speech to emphasize the importance of his message and to connect with the audience. For example, he says, “We have 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.” By invoking the country's founding documents, King shows his audience that he is speaking from a place of authority and that he is in line with their values.

Logos is an appeal to an audience's sense of logic and reason. King uses logical appeals throughout his speech to make his argument more persuasive. For example, he says, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment.” By pointing out the importance of acting now, King makes a logical argument that appeals to his audience’s sense of reason and encourages them to take action.

Pathos is an appeal to an audience's emotions. King uses emotional appeals throughout his speech to make his argument more powerful and to connect with his audience on a more personal level. For example, he says, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” By speaking about his own children, King draws on the emotions of his audience, making his argument more resonant and powerful.

Overall, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech is a prime example of how to use ethos, logos, and pathos to make an argument more persuasive and powerful.

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