Question

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolution, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

Which of these rhetorical devices is most clearly used in the underlined portion of the text?

A.) Ethos
B.) Deductive logic
C.) Pathos
D.) Inductive logic

Answer 1

The underlined portion of the text primarily uses pathos as a rhetorical device, aiming to evoke an emotional response by describing the dangers faced by the State due to the lack of a legislative body. The correct answer is option C.) Pathos

Step-by-step explanation:

The text in question makes use of rhetorical devices to communicate its message effectively. Upon examining the underlined portion, 'He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.', we can identify the predominant use of rhetoric.

This technique is referred to as pathos, which appeals to the emotions of the reader by highlighting the potential dangers and instability the State faces due to the absence of a functioning legislative body.

It plays on the fears and concerns of invasion and internal chaos, aiming to stir the audience's emotions and push for action. While the text presents a scenario and the consequences, it does not primarily rely on ethos (character or credibility), or deductive or inductive logic (logical reasoning from general to specific, or specific to general), but rather on evoking a strong emotional response, thus making C.) Pathos the most clearly used rhetorical device.