Lauren Painter Mehler BC SPCA VS.

RHETORIC

I.

INTRODUCTION A. Introduce SPCA commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc 1. Animal cruelty commercial 2. Sarah McLachlan 3. Angel by McLachlan as background music 4. Pictures/videos of abused animals 5. Utilizes pathos in order to get donations from viewers

B. Thesis statement 1. There is a negative relationship between rhetoric, persuasion, and emotion. 2. Aristotle, Plato, and Burke all argue against pathos, stating it can be manipulative, and prefer the use of logos and fact-based arguments in rhetoric. II. BODY A. Rhetorician 1Aristotle 1. Aristotles idea of pathos ability to be manipulative stands true towards the SCPA commercial, as they lack logic and use emotion to persuade the audience. 2. Theory concepts a. Aristotle preferred logic and fact-based presentations in order to provide the audience with a clear understanding; Logos = more ethical b. Pathos sways the minds of the audience based on feelings c. States that pathos can use the emotions of "anger and mildness; friendship and enmity; fear and boldness; shame and

shamelessness; gratitude; pity and indignation; envy and emulation." 3. Aristotles theories relating to commercial a. Shows pictures of sad-looking animals b. Every day, innocent animals are abused, beaten and neglected c. Sad music = emotions d. More likely to donate after feeling emotional/sad for the animals 4. Aristotles theories directly relate to this commercial, emphasizing how our feelings get in the way of logical decision-making.

B. Rhetorician 2Plato 1. Plato makes the argument that there are two types of persuasion, one aimed at belief and one aimed at knowledge, and that the superior one is the one based on logic and knowledge, as it provides something substantial to argue. 2. Theory concepts a. In Platos Gorgias, Gorgias concedes that those who are ignorant are inferior and can be persuaded simply through impressive language b. Through the character of Socrates, Plato says that this would allow a rhetorician to trick his students into using rhetoric for unjust matters in order to get what they want c. Criticizes persuasion through pathos because rhetoricians exploit the ignore of others to their advantage so that they can win the argument 3. Platos theories relating to commercial a. The language and words that are presented make the viewer feel sad and incite an emotional response b. Her tone through delivery seems passionate and sensitive c. Manipulates the viewer to donating by using images to make them feel bad or sorry for the animals

4. Plato creates a clear distinction between persuasion aimed at knowledge and persuasion aimed at belief in Gorgias.

C. Rhetorician 3Burke 1. Burkes modern theories take on a role in the commercial, as it dramatizes what is happening with animals and allows viewers to identify with them. 2. Theory concepts a. Felt that the study of rhetoric would help human beings understand what is involved when we say what people are doing and why they are doing it. b. Focused primarily on dramatism, but a key concepts are identification and terministic screens: i. Terministic screens are the filters that we apply to understanding any sort of situation; looking at circumstances from different perspectives ii. Identification suggests that whenever someone attempts to persuade someone else, this occurs, because in order to persuade, the audience must identify with the speaker/topic 3. Burkes theories relating to commercial a. Audience relates to the commercial because they identify these animals as if they are their own petsthis works to persuade us (also relying on emotions via identifying) b. Terministic screens allow viewers to look at it from a different perspectivethe audience helping by donating and saving animals vs. not donating and them allow more animals to be abused/die 4. Burkes concepts are essential to this commercial because if it wasnt relatable through identification, viewers would not be likely to continue watching, much less donate money to the SPCA.

III.

CONCLUSION A. Summarize/Review key points B. Concluding thought

IV.

REFERENCES (MLA [2009] format)