Patrick Henry Ethos Pathos Logos

Patrick Henry evolved from being an attorney to becoming an influential and inspirational revolutionary who convinced the colonists to fight for independence. During this time the British ruled and colonists had begun to resist them. Furthermore, religious values were important in the time as most everyone belonged to a church. In his speech to the Virginia convention, Patrick Henry uses pathos to enact a sense of distrust and fear toward the British.

Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?” (Henry 90). The rhetorical questions try to convince the Convention to truly think about starting the war by exaggerating the fact that America will be completely helpless if they do not act before England. Finally, the imagery applied gives the audience a clear view of what the battle will look like if they are not prepared when Great Britain comes. An example of this is when Henry claims that “the next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms” (Henry

"But when shall we be stronger?" On March 23,1775 Patrick Henry gave his speech at the Virginia convention to persuade people to join and fight against Britain. But they are afraid. Patrick uses pathos throughout his speech by speaking respectfully, and asks rhetorical questions so the audience can feel more connected.

“Unite the liberality with just frugality; always reserve something for the hand of charity; and never let your door be closed to the voice of suffering humanity” (“Patrick”). Patrick Henry was an important figure throughout the American revolution. During the revolution, Americans fought against the British for their independence and liberty. Before the war began, Americans were hesitant to fight because they feared the backlash that could have come with if the revolution was unsuccessful, and also because some refused to believe that their motherland would fight against them. Henry felt they had no choice but to battle against Britain and that the war was inevitable, so he decided to speak to the Virginia Convention in hope to rally them. In the “Speech to the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry, he uses logos when talking about Britain to persuade the colonists to take up arms.

“We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the sound of that siren, till she transforms us into beast,” (Henry 103). During this period of time, everything was brand-new to the colonist. Sometimes, new things can be extremely scary and it might cause fear. The majority of the colonist wanted freedom but were scared to go against Britain’s rule. Families were very emotional because of the lack of freedom, money, and all the people dying. Patrick Henry used the colonists’ fear to help encourage and motivate them into taking a stand and fighting against the British.

During the Revolutionary War, writers and orators publicly revealed their thoughts on how to respond to Britain’s further subjugation of the American colonies. After a futile hope for reconciliation and failed petitions to the British government, several patriots, such as Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry, called for the colonists to take up arms against the British. Through Paine’s Common Sense and Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Convention”, they displayed an adamant message for the colonies to fight immediately. Both used the rhetorical elements of ethos, pathos, and logos within their respective works, and their various applications to the three elements allowed for their arguments to reach all ears and influence the majority of the population towards the fight for independence.

Patrick Henry's Essay In the speech of the Virginia convention, Patrick Henry convinces colonists to fight Britain through the use of several main rhetorical devices: Pathos, Diction, Allusion, and Rhetorical Questions. Patrick Henry, a Virginia militia Colonel, with his militia troops faced down Lord Dunmore, forcing the British Government in the famous "Gunpowder Affair" to return the large quantity of gunpowder which had been set aside for the Virginia militia by the colonial legislature.

In the “Speech in the Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry, there is an abundance of persuasive arguments that are employed to try and push the American politicians to fight the British control over the colonies. The rhetorical strategies used are ethos, pathos, and logos, and this helps further the development of his argument for fighting against the British rule over the colonies.

Patrick Henry was born in virginia in 1736. He was a lawyer and a politician who encouraged the separation from great britain, by delivering the “Speech to the virginia convention” on March 23 1775, 3 week before the actual war. He was a powerful speaker whose words helped sweep the colonist towards their Declaration of Independence. Rhetorical devices and rhetorical appeals are ways that the writer draws you into the reading. By using ethos pathos and logos, the author finds ways to entregue everyone in different ways.

Henry includes a passionate pathos appeal in his speech to fill the audience with much passion and emotion to make them want to join his fight. Towards the end of his writing, Henry states, “There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable and let it come!” (Henry 6). This piece of the speech uses a significant amount of emotionally charged language, as well as, emotionally charged punctuation. Through the immense amount of emotionally charged language and punctuation, these statements easily display a pathos appeal. Henry displays this information to ensure his audience knows that these unjust British actions are not going away. He also is including these statements, so that the audience knows that the British are preparing for war, and if the colonists do not prepare, then then Britain is simply going to crush them and going to make matters even worse. At the end of the speech, Henry mentions, “Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms!” (Henry 7). These statements easily display many emotionally charged words, along with a few emotional punctuations that show the use of the pathos appeal. Henry mentions this in his

In Neil Postman’s novel, Amusing Ourselves to Death, he argues that rationality in America has become dictated by television. Through the use of ethos, pathos, and logos, Postman demonstrates that his claim is valid and reliable. These are three forms of persuasion that are used to influence others to agree with a particular point of view. Ethos, or ethical appeal, is used to build an author’s image. Ethos establishes a sense of credibility and good character for the author (Henning). Pathos, or emotional appeal, involves engaging “an audience's sense of identity, their self-interest, their emotions” (Henning). If done correctly, the power of emotions can allow the reader to be swayed to agree with the author. Logos, or logical appeal,

Ethos (Credibility), or ethical appeal, means convincing by the character of the author. We tend to believe people whom we respect. One of the central problems of argumentation is to project an impression to the reader that you are someone worth listening to, in other words making yourself as author into an authority on the subject of the paper, as well as someone who is likable and worthy of respect.

In major historical documents, authors often use rhetorical appeals in form of ethos, pathos, and logos. Those are helpful to include Power, Motivation, and Confidence in a speech or text. Patrick henry used Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in hs speech to the Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775, to prepare his audience, who are patrious and christians, for war with Great Britain, because he wants freedom and liberty for the United States.

Our forefathers dedicated their lives to the establishment of our nation, but what inspired these men to do this? First, these men felt a responsibility to their country. George Washington said in his first inaugural address “I was summoned by my country, whose voice I can never hear but with veneration and love…” (Document C) Second, they were unhappy about Great Britain’s brutality towards the colonies. As stated by the founders in the Declaration of Independence, Great Britain was responsible for “cutting off our trade with other parts of the world” and “imposing taxes without our consent.” According to the founding fathers, Great Britain also “plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.” (Document N) These men thought the actions of Great Britain were unfair and they needed to protect the rights of their people and stand up for their country. Finally, they wanted freedom for themselves and for generations to come. In a letter to Abigail Adams, John Adams writes “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study