Analysis of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos on Three Poems and Three Short Stories

Introduction

Ethos, pathos, and logos are a common persuasion in novels and poems. The essay focuses on each of the indicated aspects reflecting how it is used in various short stories and poems as outlined below. Ethos refers to the author's ethical appeal about the character in the novel (Marcel, Jules, and Giseli Barreto da Cruz 3). A role can have negative or positive behavior and inclination which the author represents through ethos.

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On the other hand, the pathos means the emotional appeal to the audience. Psychological aspects are some of the most useful tools for engaging and influencing the audience (Marcel, Jules, and Giseli Barreto da Cruz 2). Logos emerges from the word logic and thus means the appeal to the power of reason. Logos indicate the logical or illogical character by the leading players in a short story or poem. Ethos, pathos, and logos are the used in various ways in the poems and the stories as outlined below.

How David Updike’s “Summer” Applies Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in His Book “Summer”

David largely uses the emotional appeal in the "Summer" effectively. The author narrates Homer's happiness in the summer mornings (Updike, 359). Additionally, Homer feels regrets about not having time with Sandra. It reflects the emotional contact between the two characters. The pathos in the book revolves between Homer and Sandra.

Homer has fallen in love with Sandra (Updike 359). However, Sandra is not interested in the relationship at the inception. Though the two spend a lot of time together, Homer has not had the sign that Sandra loves him. Homer struggles to cope with the fact, and it takes an emotional toll on him. The reader identifies with Homer and sympathizes with his unfortunate circumstances. The feeling of loving one and not receiving affection in return portrays a common sad theme across the entire population.

Updike engages in more pathos at the end of the story. Homer and Sandra sleep in the adjacent couches (Updike 362). Homer has struggled with the feeling of unreciprocated love from Sandra. He does not even consider it wise to touch Sandra or place his hand on her. However, the author indicates that at this time, Homer spreads his hand and touches Sandra. Her reaction makes Homer realize that she loves him. The reader identifies with the happiness and the satisfaction of requited love which forms one of the sweetest feelings in one's lifetime.

Logic represents another significant theme in the story. The urge of sex influences Homer. However, he is determined to prove to Sandra that he is a man of good reputation. Thus, he exercises self-control on various occasions (Updike 360). However, it is only logical that Homer's character is bound to change as he does not have significant moral support from the people around him. He gradually starts losing the self-control that he has had for a long time. He tries to use his abilities and talent as a way of attracting Sandra. It is unusual for him to express such behavior.

Homer undergoes a variety of stages throughout the story and ends up as a mature man who rationally controls his emotions. It is evident that he controls his happiness and reaction when he realizes that Homer loves him (Updike 362). Homer exhibits maturity and composure. He would have behaved without maturity if Sandra had loved him with the character that he had at the start of the story. It appears as the right time for Sandra to reciprocate her love for Homer.

The author uses ethos to reflect the nature of the main character and other characters in the short story. Updike uses logos as a way of indicating Homer's development through the ages. At one point, he had a crush on Sandra. However, Homer realizes that Sandra is not attracted to him. He makes a rational decision of passing by Sandra without talking to her (Updike 381). However, it is evident that Homer loves Sandra and thus consistently struggles with the feeling that he loves her.

There is more irrational behavior among the boys. One is jealous of other persons who are attracted to Sandra (Updike 382). Though Fred is Homer's friend, he does not oppose the relationship between the two. Thus, it is only logical that Homer remains as the only impediment between himself and the relationship with Sandra.

The “Popular Mechanics” Analysis on Pathos, Logos, and Ethos

The short story discusses the conflict between a husband and a wife. The man wants to leave the house and packs his clothes in anticipation of his imminent departure (Carver 68). Though the actual cause of the difference between the two remains unclear, it is evident that the woman is overly emotional. She keeps on insulting the husband. However, the husband does not reply which makes the wife even more passionate as she starts crying.

Suddenly, the wife realizes that the husband is just about to pick the photo of their child and leave with it (Carver 69). The husband is ethical and composed. He does not engage in insults with his wife. It is evident that the wife allows emotional to run over which does not help the reconciliation between the two. She does not take the rational decision of trying to interrogate the cause of the departure of her husband. It is only reasonable that such a man should leave the wife to allow her tempers to cool down.

The woman challenges the man to look at her on the face (Carver 68). However, the husband does not appear interested in her antics. The woman tries to use an emotional appeal to influence the character of the man through the man is disinterested. Her emotional overtures are inefficient. The author depicts the husband as a person of great composure.

The author indicates that the struggle takes place in the kitchen. The kitchen's window does not let in light and the scuffle where the man and the woman struggle to get the child takes place in the darkness. It is a symbolic representation of the unfortunate future awaiting the woman (Jensen 7). Fate appears fixed to give her the worst results despite her efforts. It is a sad time for her.

At the same time, the audience easily notices the terrible and symbolic start of the short story. The author indicates that the outside had already experienced frost and cold rain. He further notes the losses emerging from the rain and the frost (Carver 68). Moreover, it was already getting dark. All these aspects paint a gloomy picture of the status of the climate outside the house. The fact that the author indicates that it was getting dark inside too creates a negative expectation for the reader. The audience sadly anticipates the sad state of affairs from the inside of the house also.

The woman loses the baby to the man. It is not evident in the short story whether the man is the husband or a boyfriend. However, it is evident that their relationship has come to a bitter end (Carver 69). The sad part of the story is that the lady loses the child to the man at the end. It is unfortunate that she is losing her man and her child at the same time. She had tried all that is within her powers to at least remain with the child but she could not. The audience cannot help but sympathize with her upon the loss.

The "Boys" By Rich Moody: An Assessment On Logos, Pathos, And Ethos In The Short Story

The story revolves around two twin boys who engage in all sorts of evil and mischief. Moody depicts the boys as having the evil character. The entire story represents a negative ethos about the boys. On the one hand, the boys entice the girl by exposing their shriveled penises to her (Moody 351). At another stage, they try to induce her into the bedroom though she refuses. It is evident that they had preserved the occasion to prey on her sexually.

At yet another instance, the boys engage in public masturbation. They participate in masturbation in the bush, at the train station's bathrooms, and in the wild among other locations (Moody 352). At the same time, they engage in fights, and they do not want to expose their report cards to the parents. It is evident that they perform poorly in school which comes as no surprise considering their behavior (Moody 352). The boys reflect poor morality and other numerous instances. At another stage, they set their sister's house of fire (Moody 354).

It is evident that the boys expose their moral decay throughout and the parents do not discipline the boys. Moody shows the rational connection between poor child upbringing and immoral character (355). The fact that the parents do not punish the boys causes the great moral decadence on their children. Thus, the reader can derive the irrationality of the decision of failing to discipline the boys.

Pathos emerges in the story when the boys turn into despair (Ting 2). One cannot help to sympathize with them when they suddenly start realizing that they are in the wrong (Moody 352). Unfortunately, their mother does not understand anything wrong with them. They are eager to reconcile with their sister. At one point, they unsuccessfully try to find the doll which they took away from their sister and buried in a secret place (Moody 352). They have realized their wrongs and wanted to transform. However, they revert to their immoral behavior. One cannot help but only foretell that they will have a dim future with their current habits.

Additionally, there is growing irrationality among the boys as they continue growing up. When one boy brings home a lover, the other feels jealous since he does not have a girlfriend (Moody 353). The boy who brought the girlfriend is livid only for the reason that the girl is going to spend her night on the folding bed in the basement. It is evident that the boy is highly irrational and inconsiderate.

Moreover, the boys only engage in planning but have no plans of implementing their programs to realizable goals. At one stage, the boys draw up their preferred professional career choices and draw up manifestos (Moody 353). However, it is evident that they are not putting in any effort in realizing their objectives. It is only rational that they grow old without accomplishing any of their dream professions or even having a trial. Moody indicates that they end up as "Shadows of the former selves" (353). The author reflects the irrational and unethical behavior that the boys took and the subsequent results which emerge to reflect the boy's

“The Road Not Taken” Assessment on the Exercise of Pathos, Logos, and Ethos to Influence the Audience

The poem revolves around a traveler who reached a crossroad (Batool et al. 53). He argues that it is only rational that he could alone travel one path. Nevertheless, he indicates that he took the road less moved rather than choosing the route that has a consistent use. It is evident that he made a risky decision though he wanted uniqueness on the one hand. However, he indicates that the originality in the choice made all the difference for him (Frost).

The dangers of taking a road less traveled represent chances that he might end up lost (Frost). Moreover, he might end up in threat of wild attack in the way less traveled. The fact that he has doubts about whether he will ever go back indicates that making the wrong choice represents an illogical option which might lead to death.

The author metaphorically represents the irrationality of the human choices (Batool et al. 54). The narration that he took the road less traveled indicated the people's illogical decision-making practices. Such decision exposes them to unexplained dangers and challenges.

Evidence of logos appears all over the poem (Jensen 3). At one instance, the poet indicates that he can only travel one road at the expense of the other which is an underlying logic to the reader. The humans weigh the options that they have before making a decision. The poet considered...