The Rhetorical Triangle

Once, I invited a friend to give a brief presentation to my Freshman composition students. I had attended his presentation at a conference; I had attended for moral support. He presented on an engineering topic. It took about three minutes for me to be lost.

After my friend presented to my students, he repeated it in layman’s terms. He refrained from his complex formulas and terminology, and simplified his methodology. My friend didn't adapt his subject or findings, but rather his rhetoric.

Rhetoric refers to the forms and techniques writers and speakers use, and helps us better understand who is writing, for whom it is being written, and what is being written. This concept dates back to Aristotle, from whom we have the corresponding terms Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, which make up what is commonly called the Rhetorical Triangle. By identifying and focusing on each of these individually and in relationship to one another, it is possible to make sure our writing has a purpose and, rather than simply being an amalgamation of words, it can achieve that purpose.

Ethos – Who does the writing; authority. This refers to the author and, by extension, their authority. 

This is not as simple as the author identifying their credentials, but is done by their handling of the information and their research. It would be awkward in most pieces for an author to flaunt their training, experience, degrees, certifications, etc. Instead, a stronger use of Ethos comes from demonstrating an understanding of what is going on in the field. A surgeon who brags about how many lives they've saved, but is unfamiliar with recent advances in surgical practice isn't the best surgeon. It would be better to go to someone who stays on top of their field and deftly uses current and reasonable information.

Pathos – The writing is written for whom; audience awareness: how the piece is written for its audience.

Using Pathos involves appealing to the interests and concerns of the target audience, as well as considering their own level of expertise. This can range from the language used to the amount of detail: the more expert the audience, the more technical the language and the more detailed the information. Good Pathos will consider, and even involve researching, the intended audience so their specific concerns are addressed. Bad Pathos will either make something too complicated, too simple, or not make it relevant enough for the audience; it can alienate your audience, or worse, disrespect them.

Logos – What is written; logic. Refers to the logic of the piece of writing – the arguments and ideas being put forward in the writing. 

In its purest sense, logic is If A, then B, or If A and B, then C. Therefore, logos is how well the essay itself articulates the important aspects of its topic and draws them together into a conclusion. Logos will manifest itself primarily in the content, thesis, and organization of an essay; and in how all three interact. An essay with weak transitions (an organization issue) likely has a weak thesis as well, because the arguments presented in the essay are not clearly going from topic to topic and building towards a solid conclusion. The essay may say if A and B then C, but if the essay does not make it clear how the combination of A and B yield C, then the audience will be lost and confused.

Conclusion

Different situations and genres will call for different approaches to the rhetorical appeals, but this does not mean they are never present. Each genre and situation will require a different approach. A research essay will employ Ethos differently than a personal essay, and a piece intended for amateurs will need to present its logic differently than one for experts. Rhetoric helps writers assess their entire situation by considering knowledge, the communication itself, and the intended recipients. Different situations will require different appeals, even if Ethos, Pathos, and Logos will always be used. While it is important to consider each of these rhetorical appeals, it is more important to keep them appropriate for your context and purposes.