Brianna Cruz

February 20, 2017

English 225

Rhetoric in Professional Writing

Dr. Michael Martin

Ethos and Rhetorical Analysis

Out of the three points in the rhetorical triangle, the role of ethos in text appeals greatly to not only the
speaker but the audience as well. The role of ethos can be reflected through the five canons of
rhetorical analysis. As defined by Keith, the author of The Essential Guide to Rhetoric, ethos mainly
focuses on the credibility of the speaker (p 7.) The credibility of the speaker is important in an argument
because it gives the audience a sense of verification in regards to the content being provided by the
speaker. According to the Salem Press Encyclopedia, “Ethos itself forms the core of what is termed
ethics – that is the measure of how that person conducts themselves under a certain set of
circumstances, or behavior that is guided by a deeply help, preconceived set of convictions.” This
statement confirms that the role of ethos also effects the audience, because the speaker’s ideas and
ethical stand point is projected onto the audience. While the speaker interjects their ethical beliefs, the
audience is allowed to better understand the speaker’s style and point of view. This process is more
clearly defined when the speaker uses rhetorical analysis to produce a speech or argument.

The role of ethos during rhetorical analysis is important to each of the five canons; invention,
arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. These five canons are all addressed by the reader while
creating the speech or argument to be presented. Keith also states on page seven, the role of ethos
applies to the speaker. Because the speaker performs rhetorical analysis while creating and presenting
the argument, his or her ideas are clearly represented by the way they approach these canons.

The first canon the speaker addresses is invention. The role of ethos in invention has been previously
stated; as the content is created by the speaker, they are reflecting on their own ideas and ethical
stances. This gives the audience a better understand of the speakers view point on the topic. The second
canon has an especially important relation to the role of ethos in a speech. The arrangement of a speech
generally follows a structure of an introduction, a neutral statement of fact, confirmation, reputation,
and conclusion. As stated in a class presentation on February 1st, the second canon is where the speaker
provides credibility to the audience (February 1, 2017.) Dr. Martin also stated in class, “The title itself
creates ethos. It is both established and given” while using the presidential title of ‘Commander-in-
chief” as an example of ways credibility is employed in rhetorical analysis from a political standpoint
(February 6, 2017.) In the third canon, style, a class presentation informed the class that the reader uses
ethos to appeal to the audience. As the reader reflects on their beliefs, they determine how much
emotion is appropriate for the speech by acknowledging both sides of a debate or topic. The forth canon
enforces ethos as memory plays an important role in the remaining four canons. The main way ethos
applies to memory was stated on Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle, “Ethos presents and fairly refutes at
least one opposing argument.” The author accurately enforces ethos by deciding how little or how much
emotion is enough emotion to use when presenting an argument. Lastly ethos plays a role in the
delivery canon of rhetorical analysis. Delivery pertains to the state of mind of the reader, which is made
up of ethos, or what a reader believes in from an ethical stand point.

The importance of ethos in rhetorical analysis is that it personally places the speaker’s views and idea
into their argument or speech, which enforces their credibility to the audience. Lutzke and Henggeler
support this statement as they write, “Ethos appeals to the writer’s character. Ethos can also be thought
of as the role of the writer in the argument and how credible the argument is” (The Rhetorical Triangle.)

One contemporary issue where the role of ethos is prevalent is in an article by Teen Vogue, titled “Jackie
Rayos- Garcia Tells about the Deportation of Her mother – Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos.” The article
describes the event in which an illegal immigrant was deported under President Donald Trump’s new
ban enforcement and how it impacted her children, especially her young daughter. The article goes on
to describe how this deportation has negatively impacted her children’s life as they are living without a
parent, yet puts little importance on the fact that the deported person has committed a felony offenses
in the United States as well as having been deported prior to her deportation in 2017. The logic of the
writer, or logos, used in the text presents a sad, sympathetic emotion from the writer to readers. As
stated in class on February 6, “Ethos is built upon by logos” (Martin.) The credibility of the author in
some way effects the logic the author used to decide that readers should feel sympathy for the mother
and her child rather than another article that may support the deportation if in favor of the ban. They
also acknowledge at Teen Vogue who their main audience is; teenage and young adult women, which
plays a major role in the delivery of the content. The use of ethos in this article is used fairly by the
author. While the author provides all information that is important to both sides of this argument, they
also demonstrate credibility by providing readers with more content expressing their knowledge on the
stand point and actions of the president elect. The writer, Bogado, strongly uses the role of ethos in her
article to clearly deliver, with an appropriate amount of emotion, the story of a young girl’s loss of a
mother through deportation.

On February 15, 2017, while discussing the information needed to be addressed in the paper, Dr. Martin
asked the class where we as students felt we had a tendency to begin on the rhetorical triangle; ethos,
logos, or pathos. While collecting research for the paper, I discovered that I often begin my rhetorical
analysis with the proof of ethos. While collecting research, I consider the sources where I get my
information and if they are scholarly, which provides me with credibility as a writer. The role of ethos is
also present when I perform rhetorical analysis in my writing. The five canons; invention, argument,
style, memory, and delivery are all importantly influenced by the role of ethos in my writing. While
conducting the process of invention, I use outside knowledge of a subject to better understand my topic
are argument, this provides me with credibility also because I have an idea or knowledge on my topic.
The role of ethos also influences my arrangement because I focus on letting my audience become aware
of my credibility early in my speech. By making the audience aware of my credibility, they are more
likely to trust what I am saying, and better understand me as a speaker. The role of ethos in my memory
on a larger scale effect each canon separately. The use of prior knowledge, understanding of my
audience, credibility, and a solid arrangement not only effects the message I am sending out, but also
the effect and impact the information has on the audience. Next, the role of ethos influences my style,
because my personal beliefs and ethical stand point influence the way I present my information. This
statement confirms that it also influences my delivery, as the delivery process of the rhetorical analysis
is how the information is presented. It is important for me to reflect on the appropriate amount of
emotion needed to help readers understand the main idea or thesis I am making in my speech or
argument.
 Works Cited

Aristotle Rhetorical Triangle. Black Hills State University Writing Center. PDF. Web. February

19, 2017.

Bogado, Aura. “Jackie Rayos- Garcia tells About the Deportation of Her Mother – Guadalupe

Harcia Rayos.” Teen Vogue. February 10,2017. Web. February 15, 2017.

Class presentations. The Five Canons of Rhetoric. February 1, 2017. Fellow Classmates. Lecture.

Keith, William M., and Christian O. Lundberg. The essential guide to rhetoric. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. Print.

Martin, Michael. Class lecture. Rhetoric in Professional Writing. February 6, 2017.

Popan, Elena, MA. “Ethos.” Salem Press Encyclopedia (2016): Research Starters. Web.

15 February, 2017.

The Rhetorical Triangle: Understanding and Using Logos, Ethos, and Patho. Jaclyn Lutzke and

Mary F. Henggeler, Indiana University. PDF. 2009. Web February 16, 2017.