Forms of appeal
The extract “Family Matters” from Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian’s biography Tiger Woods uses ethos and pathos. Pathos is the form most widely used.
Ethos
When writing a biography, it is important to seem reliable on the topic. The authors borrow ethos by quoting from sources such as Tiger Woods’ “Authorized DVD Collection” (l. 34) and mentioning Earl Woods’ memoir (l. 95). This shows the authors are willing to present Tiger and Earl Woods’ sides, even though their statements are contradicted.
The authors also borrow ethos from the people who were interviewed for the biography, making use of their expertise to address particular topics. For instance, Tiger’s teachers at school are reliable sources for reporting on Tiger’s social isolation and his lack of participation in after-school activities.
The former Kansas State baseball coach, Ray Wauthier, is a reliable witness for reporting on Earl’s baseball achievements, si...