Question

Read the excerpt from "To the Public” by William Lloyd Garrison.

Assenting to the "self-evident truth” maintained in the American Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights—among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” I shall strenuously contend for the immediate enfranchisement of our slave population.

Which type of rhetorical appeal does Garrison use in this excerpt?

kairos
ethos
logos
pathos

Answer 1

William Lloyd Garrison uses ethos in the excerpt from 'To the Public' by referencing the Declaration of Independence and aligning his call for the immediate enfranchisement of slaves with the document's authority on equality.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the excerpt from "To the Public" by William Lloyd Garrison, the type of rhetorical appeal used is ethos. Garrison references the Declaration of Independence, espousing the 'self-evident truth' that 'all men are created equal'. By invoking the authority of the Declaration and aligning his argument with this revered document, Garrison establishes his credibility and ethical stance on the issue of slavery, thereby employing ethos. He connects the American foundational ideal of equality to his argument for the immediate enfranchisement of slaves as a moral imperative, which also has aspects of pathos given its emotional weight concerning the rights of the enslaved population.