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Examples Of Ethos In This Is Water

Decent Essays

Identifying Ethos, Pathos and Logos in “This is Water” Look back over the speech in order to complete the following. How does David Foster Wallace build his ETHOS in the speech? Give 5 SPECIFIC examples. After each example, explain how it builds his ethos. “I tend to be automatically sure of: everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe; the realest, most vivid and important person in the universe.” Page 3 This example builds his ethos because he is trying to be relatable to others when they forget that they are not the only ones in the universe. David Wallace creates a sense of honesty when he is explaining how he feels in the grocery store. He describes how long the line …show more content…

“Please don’t worry that I’m getting ready to lecture you about compassion or other-directedness or all the so called virtues.” This quote assures the readers that he will not bore them. Wallace shows that he has studied the genre which makes him seem more experienced and genuine. How does Wallace use LOGOS in the speech? Provide 8 SPECIFIC examples. After each example, explain how it is an example of logos. Wallace begins his speech by talking about how education can determine what you do the rest of your life. This is an example of logos because he is talking about education and logic. On page three Wallace begins to say choosing to get upset and annoyed with the person is not the right way to think. He begins to use logic and says that you never know what people are going through so do not be too quick to respond. “Because a huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded.” This quote is an example of logos because it uses statistics, bias, and reasoning. From both of Wallace’s stories readers can logically infer that the characters suffer from …show more content…

How does Wallace use PATHOS in the speech? Provide 8 SPECIFIC examples. After each example, explain how it is an example of pathos. “The point of the fish sort is merely that the most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about. Stated as an English sentence, of course, this just a banal platitude, but the fact is that in the day to day trenches of adult existence, banal platitudes can have a life or death importance, or so I wish to suggest to you on this dry and lovely morning.” Page 1 This is an example of pathos because David Wallace is explaining the story he just told in a more logic and formal way to the audience. Wallace talks about religious beliefs, evil, sin, and worshiping material goods. Then he begins to talk about how adults shoot themselves in the head which makes the readers have a sad, pity, or sympathetic, emotional response. “Maybe she’s not usually like this. Maybe she’s been up three straight nights holding the hand of a husband who is dying of bone cancer.” This quote creates sympathetic, sorrow, and a wave of sadness of emotion for the

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