Question

Imagine that you are writing an essay about freedom, and you decide that you want to quote the following line from Abraham Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation." "I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves...shall be free." What rhetorical strategy are you using?
logic
emotion
credibility
credibility and logic

Answer 1

Credibility

 

There are three basic rhetorical strategies that can appeal to a person’s logos, pathos, and/or ethos.  The rhetorical strategy that appeals to one’s logic is called logos.  The rhetorical strategy that appeals to one’s emotions is called pathos. The rhetorical strategy that references the moral/ethical standing (trustworthiness/credibility) of the speaker is called ethos.  That said, because the quotation is based upon the fact that slaves should be because it is by order of the president, and the president of the United States is one whom is deemed trustworthy, the rhetorical strategy you would be using would be that of credibility/ethos.