Patel 1

Diya Patel

Ms. Maher

AP English III

27 August 2024

Summer HW

Aristotelian’s Appeals

→ ETHOS: the ethical appeal, convincing the audience based on the speaker’s

personal characteristics and credibility used for an argument

“Using Rhetorical Strategies for Persuasion.” Rhetorical Strategies - Purdue OWL® - Purdue

University, Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

Ex. Speakers might use ETHOS to persuade the audience in an argument because it

establishes the writer’s credibility. This increases the chances for the listeners to trust

the information, since the speaker is proven to be an expert on the topic.

→ PATHOS: the emotional appeal, convincing the audience by appealing to their

emotions and needs (Purdue Writing Lab; User, Super)

Ex. Speakers might use PATHOS to persuade the audience because it helps connect

the argument to the audience. It allows for the listeners to feel more involved and

relate to the matters being discussed, influencing their point of view.

→ LOGOS: the appeal to logic, convincing the audience with reasons from factual

proof or evidence (Purdue Writing Lab; User, Super)

 Patel 2

Ex. Speakers might use LOGOS to persuade the audience by using information from

many sources to make it hard to disagree with their side. It builds trust on the

speaker’s information and appeals to the listeners intellect, making it easier to

persuade them.

Rhetorical Choices

→ Analogy: a comparison that shows a relationship of two unlike things to explain the

connection between the words

“Oxford Languages and Google - English.” Oxford Languages, languages.oup.com/google-

dictionary-en/. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

− Ex: Pencils are to write as scissors are to cut

→ Diction: a writer’s word choice used to help readers understand his/her writing in specific

way (“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: Lady Macbeth formally describes her husband, “Yet do I fear thy nature, It is

too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way.” (Shakespeare, I,

v, 16-17)

→ Irony: a contradiction between what is expected and the actual results of a situation,

phrase, or storyline (“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: A doctor who fears giving shots

→ Juxtaposition: the comparison of multiple objects placed side by side to emphasize

differences (“Oxford Languages”)

 Patel 3

− Ex: A photographer who may place a black and white picture next to a colorful

picture to create a juxtaposition between dull and bright

→ Symbolism: the use of different objects/people that represent a bigger idea (“Oxford

Languages”)

− Ex: In “Lord of the Flies” the conch symbolized power and order.

→ Syntax: the arrangement of words that help convey different meanings or emotion in a

sentence (Cambridge Dictionary)

Syntax | Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary,

dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/syntax. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

− Ex: 1.) The boy jumped happily. 2.) The boy happily jumped. 3.) Happily, the boy

jumped.
 Patel 4

→
Alliteration: the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words that

are placed close together in a phrase/sentence (“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: Sarah saw some silly squirrels skipping school.

→ Allusion: an indirect reference to a universally known work, that allows the reader to

easily make a connection

“Allusion Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/allusion. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

− Ex: The Albert Einstein of my school is Billy Jones.

→ Anecdote: a short story about a real incident that shows familiarity/knowledge to a topic

(“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: I scored the most goals in one game for soccer during the 2017 summer

tournament.

→ Concession: acknowledging the viewpoints of all opposing sides, considering it to maybe

be reasonable/accepting (Cambridge Dictionary)

− Ex: The Golden State Warriors are the best basketball team, even though the Los

Angeles Lakers have won more championships.

→ Exemplification: the use of particular incidents to explain a point or a concept

(Cambridge Dictionary)

− Ex: Global warming has many negative factors such as causing hazardous weather,

like hurricanes and tornadoes.

 Patel 5

→ Parallelism: a sentence structure that places similar grammatical patterns near each other

for emphasis/rhythm (Cambridge Dictionary)

− Ex: My favorite hobbies include dancing, skiing, and swimming.

→ Anaphora: the repetition of certain words at the beginning of successive phrases/sentence

(“Oxford Languages”)
− Ex: Every morning, every night, every day, I prayed to get a dog.

→ Antithesis: a pair of phrases/sentences with contrasting/opposite ideas formed by a parallel

structure

"Anthesis." Vocabulary.com Dictionary, Vocabulary.com,

https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/anthesis. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

− Ex: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." - Neil Armstrong

→ Epistrophe: the repetition of a certain phrase/word at the end of successive

clauses/sentences (“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: When the robber robbed the bank, everything was gone. The computers were

gone. The safes were gone. The money was gone.

→ Hyperbole: an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis/humor (“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: I am so hungry I could eat the whole world.

Fallacies:

Ethical Fallacies

→ Appeal to False Authority: an argument used to make believe that opinions from someone

who has dubious credentials, irrelevant credentials, or no credentials are true

Effectiviology, effectiviology.com/false-authority/. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

 Patel 6

− Ex: An artist -- “An apple a day makes you smarter. Look into my new book for

the reasons behind this.”

→ Dogmatism: the assumption of the speaker that his/her opinions are true without farther

evidence (“Vocabulary”)

− Ex: Someone who thinks that only men should be doing work outside of work,

while women take care of the house.

Ad Hominem: a response to an argument that targets the person’s character rather than

their intellect -- goes “against the man” (“Literary Terms, Techniques”)

Writer, Literature. “Ad Hominem: Definitions and Examples.” Literary Terms, 15 July 2018,

literaryterms.net/ad-hominem/.

− Ex: Someone arguing -- “You should not support Trump, he is racist.”

→ Stacking the Deck: a fallacy in which only ideas supporting the speaker’s argument are used,

while the other evidence is rejected or ignored (“Oxford Languages”)

− Ex: When going to a car dealership, the dealers talk about benefits of getting that

car, not mentioning some of the risks that are included, to quickly sell out the car.

Logical Fallacies

→ Hasty Generalization: a fallacy in which conclusions are drawn based on a small sample

rather than more statics

 Patel 7

“English.” Vaia, www.vaia.com/en-us/explanations/english/rhetoric/faulty-causality/

#:~:text=Faulty%20causality%20is%20the%20inaccurate,causality%20is%20a%20logical

%20fallacy. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

− Ex: Two of my friends said biology is hard, so it must be the hardest class there

is.

→ Faulty Causality (Post Hoc): the assumption that when two events happen one after

another, the cause of the second was because of the first (“Vaia”)

− Ex: Every time I get my nails done, they always have chip.

→ Begging the Question (Circular Reasoning): a fallacy in which the argument’s premises

assume that the conclusion is true without evidence (“Dictionary by Merriam-Webster")

− Ex: Gun should be abandoned because they are only used to kill people.

→ Equivocation: the use of vague language/phrases with multiple meanings to hide the truth

or avoid agreeing to a single viewpoint (“Vocabulary”)

− Ex: I parked the car in front of a sign that said “Fine for parking” because it was

fine for me to park.

 Patel 8

Non Sequitur: a conclusion/statement that does not logically match with the previous

statements/general fundamental principles (“Literary Terms, Techniques”)

− Ex: Tyler always helps me put a bandage on my scabs so he should be a doctor.

→ Straw Man: a fallacy in which a person makes distorted claims of the opposing

arguments/points to confute that idea (“Vaia”)

− Ex: Everyone should be vegetarians since animals are more important than people.

→ Red Herring: a fallacy in which the attention of the reader is shifted from the original

issue by the introduction of an irrelevant topic (“Literary Terms, Techniques”)

− Ex: When your parents are mad at you for not helping set the dinner table, so you

start talking about all the exams and assignments you have coming up.

→ Faulty Analogy: a misleading comparison of two ideas/objects that share some similar

characteristics (“Literary Terms, Techniques”)

− Ex: Ice cream must be as healthy as milk because milk is one of the key

ingredients.

Emotional Fallacies

→ Scare Tactics: a strategy that uses fear to influence the readers get them to agree with the

speaker’s ideas/conclusions (“Vocabulary”)

− Ex: Chain mail -- “If you do not forward this message in the next 10 minutes, you

will face bad luck within the next 3 years.”

→ Either/Or Choices: a fallacy in which a complex issue is misrepresented and is looked at

in only two other alternatives (“Vaia”)

− Ex: Be for the team or be against the team.

 Patel 9

Slippery Slope: an argument that suggests a series of minor events led to one big, major

event (“Vaia”)

− Ex: If teachers allow test retakes once or twice, the students will keep wanting to

redo every test.

→ Overly Sentimental Appeals: a strategy used to grab the hearts of the readers to make

them forget to use their minds by using more emotions (“Vaia”)

− Ex: Commercials about a baby product with many happy, smiling families using

the product

→ Bandwagon Appeals: encourages the readers to agree with a certain side because

“everyone else believes in that side” (“Vaia”)

− Ex: Everyone voted Obama for president, so I will too.

Dialectical Journal
 Patel 10

Page # Quote (from Just Mercy by Bryan Analysis

Stevenson)
17 “Each of us is more than the worst thing This quote proves that a theme of the
we’ve ever done.” memoir Just Mercy is accepting and
respecting the human nature of making
mistakes. Stevenson uses diction such
as the phrase “more than” to emphasize
that a person’s worth is not defined by
their mistakes but instead by their
character. The tone is compassionate
and free of harsh judgment. Stevenson
is advocating for people to be more
understanding by saying EVERY
individual is not shaped by their
poorest action.

18 “The true measure of our character is how This quote proves that when one is
we treat the poor, the disfavored, the faced with an unfavorable individual,
accused, the incarcerated, and the they reveal their true moral character.
condemned.” Stevenson uses diction such as “poor,”
“disfavored,” “accused,”
“incarcerated,” and “condemned” to
show that there is vulnerable
population of people that are frowned
upon. Stevenson is suggesting that our
character is reflected on our actions
towards people who need compassion
the most. He is trying to prove that
empathy is a prime factor in good
moral character.

46 “‘You see this scar on the top of my head?’ The speaker is using imagery from a
He tilted his head to show me. ‘I got that personal experience, symbolizing scars
scar in Greene County, Alabama trying to as a trophy of resistance. The tone of
register to vote in 1964. You see this scar the speaker is proud, meaning that the
on the side of my head??… I got that scar struggle and pain he endured in his
in Mississippi demanding civil rights…. fight for civil rights proves his scar to
These aren’t my scars, cuts and bruises. be a mark of commitment instead of
These are my medals of honor.’” defeat. Stevenson uses personal
anecdotes to show that the fight for
justice is sacrificial and honorable.

65 “He was depressed and terrified when they Stevenson uses the metaphor “coming
took him to death row before trial before back to life” to show the moment
being convicted of any crime, and the McMillian regained his mentality after
weeks became months. But when the nearly being shocked because of his unjust
 Patel 11

all-white jury pronounced him guilty, after arrest. The tone shifts from numb to
fteen months of waiting for vindication, he angry after he feels like himself again
was shocked, paralyzed. Now he felt he’s filled with “seething anger”
himself coming back to life—but all he instead of relief for regaining his
could feel was seething anger.” emotions. Stevenson uses pathos to
gain empathy from the audience by
proving the emotional toll of racism
within the system. This quote marks
the beginning of McMillians fights
against injustice by highlighting his
change of emotions from shock to
righteous anger.

94 “I feel like they done put me on death row, Stevenson’s use diction and rhetorical
too. What do we tell these children about questions proves the speaker is feeling
how to stay out of harm’s way when you frustrated and helpless. The tone is full
can be at your own house, minding your of anguish which suggests that
own business, surrounded by your entire systematic failures, such as unfairly
family, and they still put some murder on being sent to death row, take a mental
you that you ain’t do and send you to death toll on the accused and their loved
row?” ones. Stevenson includes this quote to
show that confusion stems from
injustice because flawed justice
systems can ruin innocent lives.

121 “The prosecutor insisted that Charlie be This quote is about a 14 year old black
tried as an adult, and he announced that boy who is tried for capital murder
he intended to seek the maximum with adult charges showing how harsh
punishment permitted by law. The judge and unfair the system is towards black
agreed that this was capital murder and citizens. The prosecutor and judge
that the boy should be tried as an adult.” rooting for this young boy to not only
be charged as an adult but also face
“maximum punishment” emphasizes
that the legal system is dehumanizing
and not compassionate. Stevenson does
not use figurative language or any
silver lining in this quote so that the
reader has to acknowledge the harsh
reality of the legal proceedings that
Stevenson had witnessed. Stevenson
uses logos by insinuating that a child of
color can be faced with such brutal
treatment which is so real but shocking,
making the reader question the
morality of the legal system.
135 “But before I could say anything, Myers Stevenson uses ethos by stating that
 Patel 12

blurted out, ‘I lied. Everything I said at Myers’s confessed to lying during

McMillian’s trial was a lie. I’ve lost a lot McMillian’s trials. My diction, “I lied.
of sleep and have been in a lot of pain over Everything I said at McMillian’s trial
this. I can’t be quiet any longer.’” was a lie,” proves that he was
internally struggling with regret and
guilt. This confession proves the theme
of truth and justice by proving that the
charges against McMillian were unjust
because it was a false case. Myers’s
words are honest showcasing his
transformation from someone how is
deceitful and unjust to someone who is
looking for redemption.

162 “I felt joyful today during the photo shoot. Stevenson uses juxtaposition by
I wanted it to never end. Every time you all mentioning his joy when he is with
visit and leave, I feel saddened. But I everyone followed by his sadness when
capture and cherish those moments in they all leave, this shows that it is apart
time, replaying them in my mind’s eye, of human nature to need connection
feeling grateful for human interaction and and feel depressed by isolation.
contact.” Stevenson uses figurative language, “I
capture and cherish those moments in
time” to highlight that the speaker
clings to those temporary interactions
which further shows the
dehumanization of those who are
imprisoned. This is a use of pathos to
get the reader to feel empathy for the
incarnated people as they are lonely
and vulnerable.

200 “I argued to the judge that not taking Stevenson advocates for justice by
Avery’s mental health issues into using analogies to emphasize how the
consideration at trial was as cruel as legal system does not fairly take mental
saying to someone who has lost his legs, health issues into consideration.
‘You must climb these stairs with no Expecting someone with mental health
assistance, and if you don’t you’re just issues to function properly without help
lazy.’ Or to say to someone who was blind, is as unlikely and cruel as telling
‘You should get across this busy interstate someone who lost their legs “‘you must
highway, unaided, or you’re just climb these stairs with no assistance,
cowardly.’” and if you don’t you’re just lazy’’’ or
telling someone blind “‘You should get
across this busy interstate highway,
unaided, or you’re just cowardly.’’’
Stevenson uses this analogy to the
include the rhetorical appeal of logos
 Patel 13

by hoping the reader sees how it is

logically necessary for the justice
system to take mental health into
consideration.

222 “Walter’s sense of humor hadn’t failed Stevenson uses juxtaposition of humor
him despite his six years on death row. and tragedy to prove that resilience is
And this case had given him lots of fodder. achieved by overcoming a negative
We would often talk about situations and situation with a positive attitude. He
people connected to the case that, for all mentions the scary reality of being
the damage they had caused, had still placed on death row but then
made us laugh at their absurdity. But the immediately shifts to a hopeful tone.
laughter today felt very different. It was The presence of laughter is not only a
the laughter of liberation.” coping mechanism but also a means of
resilence. The word “liberation” shows
that their laughter was a way for them
to escape the harsh reality and feel a
normal sense of freedom. This quote
proves a theme of finding strength in
hope and joy when one is faced with
painful loss.

242 “‘I am lucky. I got help that most women The woman who is speaking is talking
can’t get. It’s what bothers me the most about her experience with survivors
now, knowing that they are still there and guilt of getting out of death row.
I’m home. I hope we can do more to help Pathos is used when the woman is
more people….We need more hope. We speaking about how she was lucky but
need more mercy. We need more justice.’” many other women were not so
fortunate, she also states “WE need
more hope. WE need more mercy. WE
need more justice.” The diction she
chooses to use emphasizes how urgent
her claim is as she repeatedly says “We
need.” The readers can also assume the
mature nature of this woman because
even though she is free, she is still
fighting for systematic change and
justice for others.

273 “I watched Joe, who laughed like a little In this quote Stevenson acknowledges
boy, but I saw the lines in his face and the resilience of an imprisoned man
even the emergence of a few prematurely named Joe who is resilient enough to
grey hairs on his head. I realized even laugh despite all the hardships he has
while I laughed, that his unhappy faced his entire life. Stevenson uses
childhood had been followed by unhappy, figurative language by comparing Joe’s
imprisoned teenage years followed by laughter that sounds like a “little boy”
 Patel 14

unhappy incarceration through young to his appearance with “lines in his

adulthood. All of the sudden, it occurred to face” and “grey hairs” this shows the
me what a miracle it was that he could still difficulty and hardships of growing up
laugh.” following the loss of innocence. The
word “miracle” and Stevensons shock
towards Joe being able to feel joy
insinuates that Joe is lucky enough to
muster up something as casual as a
laugh proving how dehumanizing death
row is. This quote proves that Joe is a
resilient and hopeful character despite
his suffering.

288 “Why do we want to kill all the broken Stevenson uses this entire quote as a
people? What is wrong with us, that we rhetorical question to persuade the
think a thing like that can be right?” reader to reflect on the morality of the
death penalty as a whole. Stevenson
uses pathos to get the reader to
empathize for the “broken people” (the
people on death row), trying to get the
reader to think about how the justice
system treats people who are most
vulnerable. Stevenson is advocating
against the death penalty and for mercy
as shown in the diction he uses which
is simple but powerful, making it easy
for the reader to understand and reflect
on the moral questioning.

289 “We are all broken by something. We have Stevenson is highlighting that one
all hurt someone and have been hurt. We opens up to being apart of vulnerable
all share the condition of brokenness even population it can lead to a more
if our brokenness is not equivalent…. Our compassionate character. The diction,
shared vulnerability and imperfection such as “brokenness,” “vulnerability,”
nurtures and sustains our capacity for and “compassion,” is used to connect
compassion. We have a choice. We can with frequent human emotions and
embrace our humanness, which means normal imperfections. Stevenson states
embracing our broken natures and the this in efforts to motivate people to
compassion that remains our best hope for acknowledge and use their personal
healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, flaws to connect with others in an
foreswear compassion, and, as a result, empathetic way, instead of judging
deny our own humanity.” them for their humane imperfections.
Stevenson is using a reflective tone to
suggest that no matter the severity of
the flaw, we are all flawed and
embracing that fact can lead to greater
 Patel 15

justice.

294 “The power of just mercy is that it belongs Stevenson is portraying the most
to the undeserving. It’s when mercy is least important theme in this quote, stating
expected that it’s most potent—strong that when one is faced with or serving
enough to break the cycle of victimization mercy it can lead to a transformation in
and victimhood, retribution and their character. The diction of
suffering.” “undeserving” and “least expected”
shows that mercy is a complex word,
as it is meant to be granted to those
who are unworthy. The resolute tone
suggests that mercy has the power to
foster healing and change in the most
corrupt individuals. Mercy has the
power to insert compassion and justice
in failed systems.