Rhetoric is a mode of communication that has a broad spectrum of definitions. Language professionals and writing instructors have always referred to it as a particular set of circumstances involving the use of one person's communication to influence the perspective of someone else. Broadly, rhetoric can mean any communication used to modify the point of view of other as a way of persuasion. Analysis and interpretation of rhetorical situations can contribute to the firm, audience-focused and organized writing (Tahin 1-3). The careful use of rhetoric and presentation of evidence can also make an argument more convincing. Rhetorical situations always involve a speaker, who is the party attempting to persuade and the audience who become the target of persuasion (Higgins and Walker 194-208). From experience, I have once been in a rhetorical situation when an advertiser tried to convince me to buy his product.
One evening on my way home, I branched to a coffee shop. Even before I could order a cup of coffee I heard a loud voice from the other side of the store saying, "Thank you, my dear friend, for choosing Altona! May I put to your attention a low-fat mango- passion bran muffin this afternoon, in addition to a tall skinny soy latte?” "The distinct flavors used are mouthwatering with a different taste that will leave you coming back for more, buy one and experience the real definition of delicious, the best muffins in town with the highest quality.” My rhetorical analysis of the situation shows that the advertiser was using two rhetorical appeals to persuade me. These strategies included the pathos and ethos.
Pathos is a rhetorical appeal that relies on the on arousing the emotional reaction of an audience. There are different emotions that people are capable of feeling including those of hunger, love, hatred, affection, fear and much more (Davenport and Caulkins). For my case, the fact that the advertiser addressed me as a dear friend is an indication that he is affectionate to his customers and values them. Drawing a client’s attention by warmly welcoming them is a pathetical appeal used in rhetoric situations. The use of pathos is the most efficient way in introduction and conclusion in communication and thus can also be used to attract the attention of the potential customers by warmly welcoming and thanking them too at the end of a transaction or sales.
Ethos is also a rhetorical appeal described by Aristotle as commonly used in rhetoric situations with the aim of giving credibility to the audience (Tahin 11-18). Ethos is most often used to stress the reputation of a speech and persuade their audience. This strategy applies to my situation in the sense that the advertiser tried to convince me that they offer the best muffins with the highest quality in town. The method is a strategy of trying to uphold the shop's reputation as the best bakery in the city and at the same time not attacking or insulting other bakeries around. Ethos is an appeal that was meant to persuade me as to why I should buy muffins from the bakery in that coffee shop and not any other.
The advertiser, however, was not able to convince me to purchase the cupcake. I could not get the logic behind buying the cake at a high price and mark you it was of a smaller size than the usual standard. Just because it was a low-fat muffin which is, by the way, healthy, does not mean that it was worth its price. There are alternative bakeries that offer low-fat muffins at an affordable price. The only strategy that would have worked for my case was the logo which involves the use of logic and reasoning. To make the argument of whether the muffins are the best with the stated price, the seller ought to have used logos as we all know that our society orients itself towards logical reasoning. Being able to persuade me by logically stating why he thinks his muffins are a healthier choice and trying to present some evidence as to why they are special regarding nutrition and diet, would have made me buy the product.
In conclusion, rhetoric, as famously defined by Aristotle as the “available means of persuasion” has emerged as a necessity for civil, professional and academic life (Higgins and Walker 194-208). Aristotle classifies three major rhetorical appeals as the means of analyzing rhetoric situations to understand how language is used to organize and maintain different environments.
Works Cited
Christopher, Anne A. "Rhetorical Strategies in Advertising: The Rise and Fall Pattern". AJIS (2013): n. pag.
Tahin, Gabor. "Rhetorical Heuristics: Probabilistic Strategies in Complex Oratorical Arguments". Argumentation 25.1 (2011): 1-21.
Higgins, Colin and Robyn Walker. "Ethos, Logos, Pathos: Strategies of Persuasion In Social/Environmental Reports". Accounting Forum 36.3 (2012): 194-208.
