Modes of persuasion

The dominant modes of persuasion in Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2020 are ethos and pathos. The modes of persuasion are also called the forms of appeal.

Ethos 

Michelle Obama appeals to ethos by describing her own background to the audience: “You know that I tell you exactly what I'm feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children” (ll. 91-93). She appears caring and trustworthy. By saying that she does not like politics, she indirectly says that she is not a part of the political elite.

Obama also uses ethos when she describes the legacy of her husband, Barack Obama, as former President of the US. When she talks about his successful legacy, she shows that she is proud of his accomplishments:

When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side, we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation. We'd secured the right to health care for 20,000,000 people. We were respected around the world, rallying our allies to confront climate change. And our leaders had worked hand-in-hand with scientists to help prevent an E...