Logos, ethos, and pathos

Modes of persuasion are rhetorical strategies used by George W. Bush to inform and inspire the audience. His 9/11 address is constructed using a combination of logos (appeal to…

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Logos

The speaker appeals to reason when he includes factual information and uses logical arguments. For example, he gives factual information as he describes the image of the terrorist attacks: “airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge – huge structures collapsing” . He also informs the audience about the actions tak…

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Ethos

Bush appeals to his authority as President, to human values, to international common values, and the American spirit as he attempts to bring hope and trust to the audience. For example, he assures the audience that he, as President, has given a proper response to the attacks:“Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government’s emergency response plans.”

The speaker also asks the audience to send their prayers to those affected by the tragedy: “Tonight, I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve” and quotes Psalm 23 to com…