APPROACHING THE BOSS  

When I came across a situation at work where I had to cut my hours drastically, I soon realized 1 would have to persuade my boss to let me do it. I am considered a shift manager, which means I have to maintain at least a thirty-hour workweek. With my new schedule I could only work twenty of those hours and only on the weekends.  My manager was very apprehensive about letting me do this. He was not convinced I could juggle my work responsibilities, school, and my new job at the paper.   However, looking back now, I see where my  rhetoric came into play. I stated, "I will be dedicated to you every weekend, every Friday and Saturday night." "I am a team player: I will help out where Ican and in other areas if need be." "I have been with the company for five years and have never called in more than twice."  These sentences were said with the intention of convincing my boss to work around my schedule. To give me the opportunity I know I needed to advance in other areas without cracking.
(Emilie Tuminella)

Consider why the student chose to establish a compelling ethos rather than employ direct appeals to pathos.    

Consider how this experience illustrates the point that ethos and pathos are often closely allied.

In his book Rhetoric, Aristotle
identifies testimony (and, by extension, testimonials) and example as two
kinds of rhetorical reasoning.  In what contexts (in other words, in what kinds of
rhetorical situations) do you think
these strategies are most effective?
. . . least effective?

In the experience described
here, what particular emotions
are the speaker and the
team-leader appealing to?

In the U.S., motivational
speaking is a huge business.  What do you think would make you receptive to
someone who has been introduced
as a motivational speaker? 
What might turn you off?
Can you imagine a situation in
which a motivational speaker
might actually prove to be
harmful to an organization?

     I often use rhetoric in my work. I work with a team of people, and it is one of my responsibilities to motivate them to work harder. I find that pep-talks work really well to get my team excited and will help push them to take the action needed to further production.

          I recently attended a training that featured a speaker, Kyle Maynard, who, due to a genetic disorder, was born with no arms or legs. He got out of his wheelchair and climbed fifteen stairs and crossed the stage to then get into a chair to deliver his speech unassisted. He went on to tell us that he had worked hard to become a wrestler, winning his first match after losing 35 consecutive matches. He was a top Georgia wrestler his senior year of high school, and now wrestles for the University of Georgia. He wrote a book called No Excuses, and I relayed his speech to my team.

            I used rhetoric to appeal to their emotion. I said things like, "we all have our own personal excuses that get in the way of achieving our goals, but if Kyle Maynard can push on despite his physical condition and losing 35 times, we have no excuses." I asked the rhetorical question knowing everyone would answer no, "How many of you have failed 35 times in a row?"
(Mary Gulp)

             A LIFE OF RHETORIC 

           I care about what people think of me. As far back as I can remember my life has unknowingly been an exercise in rhetoric. I can now recognize that I have spent my entire life selling myself, not for money or things, but for approval, praise and acceptance. I have always desired that people like me. In high school I tried to be a part of every social group. I was a band geek, a chorus singer, a popular cheerleader, student government president, and in the National Honor society. I wanted to be accepted but at the same time admired by the "geeks," the "Goths," the "athletes," and the "in crowd," and I was. 

            I have a gift for rhetoric. On a daily basis I attempt to convince my professors that I am striving for and worth that A in their class. I want to convince my supervisors that because of my strong work ethic and great rapport with the customers, I am worth that $1.00 raise. I want to convince others that I am a professional young lady that they should give their business card to and consider for that open position at their firms. 

            When I am approached by a man, which is usually on a daily basis, I try to present myself as wife material. I usually dread the hated question, "Do you have kids and if so how is your relationship with the father?" I usually go on a tirade about how I am 23 with only one child, a one-year-old girl. I am not with her father but we have a working arrangement to raise our daughter. I add that I work hard, go to school, and do not receive any form of government assistance, something that is usually assumed about young single black mothers. I try to break down every stereotype that he has ever assumed about a girl like me in about five minutes. I want this man to be interested in me, in my great personality, intelligent conversation, and beautiful smile, even if I am not the least bit interested and have no intentions of ever speaking with him again. I want him to remember that he met a girl named Kia Cooper and she was the kind of girl he needs. I have a fervent desire for acceptance and advancement in life, and on a daily basis I sell my skills, my intelligence, and my appearance to achieve these goals.
(Kia Cooper)

Here we have another instance of someone crafting an ethical appeal--quite effectively, it appears.   Going for a job interview and encountering an ex are two highly charged rhetorical situations: it's not often that the two are combined.

At this point, I encourage you to read Dr. Karen Austin's concise and insightful "Lecture on Ethos" (Shepherd College).  Consider in particular her observations about the contextual nature of ethos. 

Now that we've looked at a few examples of rhetorical situations in everyday life, consider how similar rhetorical transactions occur in writing as well.