Forms of appeal

By forms of appeal, we understand modes of persuasion, the way a speaker/writer chooses to develop his arguments. Generally, the appeal can be made through logos, ethos or pathos. Logos is the use of logical arguments, ethos is the use of references to authority, culture and community, and pathos means appealing to the receivers’ feelings through the use of emotional language.

In, “Freedom of Speech and Right to Offend”, Brendan O’Neil mainly relies on ethos to convey his message, but he occasionally employs logos and pathos as well.

Pathos

Pathos is used when the speaker talks about Christians being hurt by the idea that the earth is not at the centre of the universe (ll. 33-34) or about the idea of vulnerability (ll. 54-55) in connection with women.

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Logos

Logos, or logical line of reasoning is noticeable when the speaker draws parallels between the past and the present with regards to the right to offend and freedom of speech.

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Ethos

Ethos, however, remains the dominant form of appeal in the speech. Firstly, the speaker resorts to the authority of past historical figures who were considered offensive at their time, but are now seen as forerunners in civil rights (freedom of speech) or science. Furthermore, the first examples are also historical figures which were students at Oxford where the speech is delivered, which makes the audience connect with them due to the shared experience of attending the same university:

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