Laura Smith  

3/21/19  
 
 
 
Persuasive writing and speaking advances the progress towards social 
justice and equality because it shows the pain people go through using Ethos, 
Logos, and Pathos. Dr. King’s purpose in his letter was to end segregation. 
Malala’s purpose in her speech was to fight for rights of women and children so 
they can have a free education. Lastly, Alvarez’s purpose in her novel was to 
speak up against injustice people have went through. King and Malala used 
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos by reaching to people with facts, credibility and 
emotion about the struggles the people and themselves went through. Alvarez 
speaks on how what her parents went through affected her from being a child 
and growing up to an adult.  
Dr. King’s purpose is that he wants to address the clergymen and persuade 
them that he should be in Birmingham protesting. Dr. King explains how people 
fear of not being heard and is traumatized because of it. In the text it shows 
ethos by stating, “How we have blemished and scarred that body through social 
neglect and fear of being nonconformist” (king 10). Dr. King is saying how the 
church has been traumatized by society and the people who are afraid of not 
going by the rules. Him being in Birmingham, he wants to fight and show no fear 
for what’s right. The he explains the torture that they had to go through because 
of their skin color. In the text it shows Logos by stating, “I dont believe you would 
have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its angry violent 
dogs literally biting six unarmed, nonviolent negroes” (King 11). Dr. King stated how 
unarmed, nonviolent men were attacked by police who were suppose to keep 
people safe in Birmingham, King protesting shows he wants to keep people safe 
and treated equal. Dr. King was successful by persuading his audience by using 
Ethos, Pathos, and Logos because he explained the pain people of color had to 
go through.  
Alvarez’s purpose in her novel is to speak up against injustice among 
people. Alvarez explains how the trauma got to her parents because of what they 
went through. She shows pathos by saying, “...Her parents were afraid to say 
anything”. This shows emotion because it says how her parents were scared to go 
against the regime years later. Then she explains how so many people lost their 
lives because of the regime. It shows Logos when it states, “Thousands had lost 
their lives…”. This quote shows logical reasoning because it tells us a number of 
people who died because of the dictator. Alvarez was successful by showing her 
audience what her parents and others went through by using Ethos, Pathos, and 
Logos.  
Malala Yousafzai’s purpose is to advocate for women’s rights, girls 
education and free education all over the world for every child. Malala explains 
how she learned from gods that wanted peace like her. In the text it shows ethos 
by stating, “This is the philosophy of nonviolence that I learned from Gandhi..”. 
Malala is stating how she wants everyone to have their rights, her speaking up 
about it shows how much she's determined. Then she talks about the inspiration 
she has gotten from others. In the text it shows Pathos when stated, “They 
continue to inspire all of us to action”. This quote shows how she wants to show 
her audience that voices need to be heard and gets inspiration to speak out for 
those who cant by others. Malala was successful because she spoke up for 
herself and others by showing ethos, pathos, and logos to her audience.  
The best one to show Rhetorical Evidence to advance their purpose was Dr. 
King because he was a huge major part of ending segregation, Malala would be 
second considering she used a lot of Rhetorical Evidence too. Alvarez would be 
last because she didnt use much Rhetorical Evidence but she did speak out the 
experience of what they went through. I believe if Alvarez used more logos then I 
believe her purpose would be more stronger and as strong as Dr. Kings or 
Malala’s. These three pieces of text are successful at demonstrating their 
advancement of purpose through Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. They persuaded 
their audience to see the problems they went through and what was right for 
people to be treated equal.