Logos, ethos and pathos

Forms of appeal are rhetorical strategies through which the speaker seeks to gain a favorable reaction to his argumentation. These strategies are appealing to reason (logos), appealing to trust and authority (ethos), and appealing to emotions (pathos).

In Barack Obama's inaugural address from 2013, the speaker’s preferred form of appeal is ethos, but there are also a few instances of logos and pathos.

Logos

The speaker appeals to reason by using logical arguments and presenting facts and evidence to support his case. For example, he appeals to reason when he discusses economic inequality: “For we, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it.” (ll. 82-84). Asking people to understand that economic inequality has negative effects on the whole country is an appeal to people to use their judgment or reason.

In another instance, ...