Ethos, Pathos, Logos Examples

Why This Matters

Aristotle identified ethos, pathos, and logos over 2,000 years ago, and these three rhetorical appeals remain the foundation of every persuasive speech you'll analyze or deliver. You're being tested not just on whether you can identify these appeals in a speech, but on whether you understand how speakers strategically combine them to move audiences toward action. The most effective speeches don't rely on a single appeal—they weave credibility, emotion, and logic together in ways that reinforce each other.

As you study these examples, pay attention to the sequencing of appeals, audience adaptation, and strategic word choice that make each speech effective. Don't just memorize which speech uses which appeal—know why a speaker chose a particular appeal at a particular moment and how that choice serves their persuasive purpose. That analytical skill is what separates surface-level recognition from the kind of rhetorical fluency that earns top marks.

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Ethos: Establishing Speaker Credibility

Ethos operates on the principle that audiences are more likely to be persuaded by speakers they trust and respect. Credibility isn't assumed—it's constructed through demonstrated expertise, shared values, and authentic self-presentation.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

• Moral authority—King establishes ethos by speaking as both a Baptist minister and a leader of the civil rights movement, positioning himself as a voice of conscience
• Shared values alignment connects King to the audience by invoking the Declaration of Independence and biblical references, demonstrating his commitment to ideals Americans already hold
• Personal stake reinforces credibility as King speaks not as an outsider but as someone directly affected by the injustices he describes

Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Address

• Vulnerability as credibility—Jobs builds ethos by openly discussing his adoption, college dropout status, and cancer diagnosis, rejecting the polished CEO persona
• Success narrative establishes expertise indirectly; his accomplishments speak for themselves without boastful claims
• Audience identification positions Jobs as a fellow traveler rather than a lecturer, using "I" statements that invite connection rather than distance

Barack Obama's 2004 DNC Keynote Address

• Biographical narrative establishes ethos by tracing his multiracial, multicultural background as evidence of American possibility
• Outsider credibility—as a relatively unknown state senator, Obama built trust by presenting himself as uncorrupted by Washington politics
• Aspirational positioning frames Obama as someone who embodies the values he advocates, making his message and messenger inseparable

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Pathos: Emotional Connection and Resonance

Pathos persuades by making audiences feel something—hope, fear, anger, pride, or grief. The most effective emotional appeals don't manipulate; they create genuine connection between speaker, message, and audience experience.

Winston Churchill's "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" Speech

• Defiant repetition—the anaphora of "we shall fight" builds emotional intensity through rhythm, transforming fear into resolve
• Collective identity uses "we" throughout to create shared emotional investment in national survival
• Controlled escalation moves from beaches to landing grounds to fields to streets, each location more intimate and desperate, amplifying emotional stakes

Ronald Reagan's Challenger Disaster Address

• Grief acknowledgment—Reagan validates national sorrow before pivoting to meaning, demonstrating emotional intelligence
• Poetic closure quotes John Gillespie Magee's "High Flight" to transform tragedy into transcendence, giving audiences an emotional framework for processing loss
• Intimate tone addresses the nation as a comforter rather than commander, adapting presidential ethos to the moment's emotional needs

Malala Yousafzai's United Nations Speech

• Survivor testimony creates immediate emotional impact; her presence at the podium embodies resilience
• Youth perspective amplifies pathos by contrasting her age with the gravity of her experiences and advocacy
• Hope over victimhood—Malala channels potential sympathy into inspiration by focusing on empowerment rather than trauma

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Logos: Logical Structure and Evidence

Logos appeals to the audience's reason through clear arguments, credible evidence, and logical structure. Effective logical appeals don't just present facts—they organize information so conclusions feel inevitable.

John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

• Antithesis as logic—"Ask not what your country can do for you" presents a logical reframing of civic responsibility through parallel structure
• Global reasoning builds arguments for international cooperation by establishing mutual self-interest, not just idealism
• Call-to-action logic moves from premise (new generation, new challenges) to conclusion (collective action required) with clear progression

Greta Thunberg's UN Climate Action Summit Speech

• Scientific evidence anchors emotional urgency in IPCC data and carbon budgets, giving logos foundation to pathos
• Logical accountability uses direct cause-and-effect reasoning: leaders knew, leaders failed to act, consequences follow
• Mathematical framing—references to specific percentages and timelines transform abstract climate concepts into concrete logical claims

Aristotle's Original Framework

• Systematic categorization—Aristotle's division of appeals into ethos, pathos, and logos provides the logical structure for all rhetorical analysis
• Situational logic recognizes that different audiences and contexts require different balances of appeals
• Proof hierarchy establishes that logos alone rarely persuades; credibility and emotion are equally necessary components of effective argument

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Integrated Appeals: The Full Rhetorical Toolkit

The most memorable speeches don't excel at one appeal—they demonstrate mastery of all three working together. Integration means each appeal reinforces the others rather than competing for attention.

Oprah Winfrey's Golden Globes Acceptance Speech

• Ethos through narrative—Winfrey's credibility comes from her journey from poverty to influence, making her advocacy for marginalized voices authentic
• Pathos through specificity—naming Recy Taylor personalizes systemic injustice, transforming statistics into human stories
• Logos through historical pattern—connects past civil rights struggles to present #MeToo movement, arguing that speaking truth creates change

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech (Integrated Analysis)

• Triple appeal mastery—King's speech remains the gold standard because ethos (moral authority), pathos (dream imagery), and logos (constitutional argument) reinforce each other seamlessly
• Strategic sequencing opens with logical claims about America's "promissory note," builds emotional intensity through repetition, and concludes with visionary pathos grounded in earned credibility
• Audience adaptation balances appeals for multiple audiences: logical arguments for skeptics, emotional appeals for supporters, ethical positioning for history

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Quick Reference Table

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Self-Check Questions

1. Which two speeches most effectively use personal vulnerability to establish ethos, and how do their strategies differ based on speaker context?

2. Compare Churchill's "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" and Reagan's Challenger address: both respond to national crises, but what different emotional outcomes does each speaker pursue, and why?

3. If asked to analyze how a speaker builds credibility without traditional credentials, which examples would you choose and what techniques would you highlight?

4. Greta Thunberg and Martin Luther King Jr. both advocate for systemic change. How does each speaker balance logos and pathos, and what does their balance reveal about their audiences?

5. Choose any speech from this guide and explain how removing one of the three appeals would weaken its persuasive power. What specific elements would be lost?