Final answer:
Malcolm Gladwell uses ethos, logos, and pathos in 'Outliers' to argue that success stems from environmental factors as well as personal ability, by establishing credibility, providing logical evidence, and connecting emotionally with readers.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers: The Story of Success, he utilizes the three rhetorical appeals - ethos, logos, and pathos - to develop the central idea that success is not just a result of individual excellence, but also a product of the historical and social environment. Gladwell's application of ethos is demonstrated through his credibility as a renowned author and thorough researcher, which strengthens the trust in his argument. The logos appeal is evident in the way Gladwell presents statistical evidence, historical examples, and logical reasoning to support his thesis about patterns of success. Moreover, he skillfully engages pathos by sharing compelling stories of individuals that evoke empathy and a connection with the reader, thus appealing to their emotions. An example of this is how he concludes that no matter how gifted an individual is, no one achieves success alone, which resonates with the reader's intelligence and sympathies.