Final answer:
Darrow uses rhetoric in his closing argument to evoke sympathy and challenge the ethics of capital punishment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the excerpt of his closing argument in Illinois v. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, Darrow uses rhetoric to advance his purpose by employing various rhetorical strategies. One example of rhetoric Darrow uses is the appeal to pathos, or emotional appeal, when he discusses the defendants' youth and argues that they should be shown mercy because of their age. He states, 'They were not men, they were babies...who had not yet reached the stage of manhood.' Darrow's intention is to evoke sympathy from the jury and the audience, highlighting the defendants' immaturity and potential for rehabilitation.
Another example of rhetoric Darrow employs is the appeal to logos, or logical reasoning, when he questions the morality of the death penalty. He argues, 'If death is inflicted as a punishment for crime, then any man, no matter how heinous his crime...has the right to live while society will have need of him.' Darrow's purpose is to challenge the ethical basis of capital punishment and raise doubt about its effectiveness as a deterrent.