Forms of appeal

In his Commencement Address at Stanford University, Steve Jobs mainly uses pathos to add an emotional component to his speech. He also uses ethos to make himself appear skilled and knowledgeable. 

Pathos

Throughout his speech, Jobs mainly appeals to pathos through the use of personal stories. Two of his examples are deeply personal events from his life, such as being diagnosed with a terminal illness or being fired from his own company. By discussing his personal heartbreak, loss, and failure, Jobs appeals to the audience’s emotions. An example of an emotionally charged section of his speech is that in which he discusses telling his family about his terminal diagnosis and preparing to die:

My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doct...