“I have a dream . . .”
The above four renowned words prompt immediate remembrance of the speech Martin Luther King Jr. gave on August 28th, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial. Those four words imbued the audience with a great swell of courage to conquer the racial injustice still prevalent in the time. His words were filled with rich imagery which still affect people today. The influence of Dr. King’s speech is an outstanding example of the second rhetorical method, Pathos. Pathos hinges the audience on emotion, and is often used in conjunction with the other two methods to effectively persuade. This week we will be taking a deeper look into the specifics of this rhetorical device.
Pathos is the Greek word meaning “suffering,” “experience” or “emotion.” In speech, Pathos is used by way of emotional appeal in order to influence the audience. Emotions like anger, sadness, pity, courage and happiness are used to move audience to a certain position. Aristotle remarked, “Our judgments when we are pleased and friendly are not the same as when we are pained and hostile.” Unfortunately, the judgments we make largely depend on our emotional states. A good orator, however, will use Pathos in the appropriate measure to incite an audience to action.
Pathos can be powerful, as we have seen with Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have A Dream speech. However, it is not exclusive to the speech realm. I remember a striking example of this when my younger brother was elementary age. Large alligator tears fell from his eyes each time he saw those pitiful commercials of abused and abandoned shelter puppies, imploring him to “adopt one today.” I personally cannot count how many times I myself have used Pathos to persuade my parents to pity me, though it seldom worked on my mother.
Emotion is a powerful device in persuasion and perhaps the most powerful tool in promoting propaganda. And just as with Ethos, it can be used righteously or for a deplorable cause. Adolf Hitler was notorious for riling his people and army with speeches that instilled pride, prejudice and rage. In the ending words of Jewish Question, his speech on January 30, 1937, in Berlin, Hitler induced the sympathy of the audience by naming “three unusual friends” that have accompanied him in life, those being poverty, sorrow and anxiety. “How could a man shoulder the burden of this anxiety if he had not faith in his mission and the consent of Him who stands above us?” Though Hitler had a wicked mission, he influenced people to his side with twisting words like these. The dictator describes this abuse of Pathos in Mein Kampf, stating, “The great majority of a nation is so feminine in its character and outlook that its thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning.”
As seen in the above example, emotion can influence people to a greater extent than the most compelling fact. When we are in positions where provocation arises and our pride is injured, the common (and most unreasonable) reaction is anger and defensiveness. Emotion can impair judgement and cause us to act in unsuitable ways. Therefore it is very important to exercise self-control in times when emotion is high or has the opportunity to be manipulated. Failing to do so produces negative results.
Pathos, in the right measure, has profound effects. Whether it be in a righteous way or wicked way, people are greatly coaxed by emotion. It is imperative that we be mindful of this fact and regard arguments with self-control and sound reasoning. We should ask ourselves several questions before making a conclusion. Are the speaker’s motivations sincere? What is true about his claims? What is false? How are his words influencing my judgment? When we are aware of these things, we can proceed to make clear choices regarding the subject at hand. Just as Dr. King and Hitler impacted their audiences, we too have influence on our audiences. Let us season our speech with wise words that will coax people to noble action.
The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
Proverbs 16:23
King, Martin Luther Jr. “I Have A Dream.” 28 August. 1963. American Rhetoric. https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm. Accessed 10 August 2021.
Aristotle. “The Art of Rhetoric” (W. Rhys Roberts, Translation). Pg. 11, pt. 2, Book 1. Megaphone eBooks. 2008. http://www.wendelberger.com/downloads/Aristotle_Rhetoric.pdf. Accessed 9 August 2021.
Hitler, Adolf. “Jewish Question.” 30 January. 1937. Hitler Historical Museum. https://hitler.org/speeches/01-30-37.html. Accessed 12 August 2021.
Hitler, Adolf. “Mein Kampf” (James Murphy Translation). Pg. 158. The Heritage of the Great War. 1939. https://greatwar.nl/books/meinkampf/meinkampf.pdf. Accessed 12 August 2021.
