Ethos, Pathos & Logos

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Ethos: In this closing argument, the attorney decides to use a couple of his own personal opinions to back up his debate. By describing to the courtroom how he knows that there is good in all people, he helps plead his cause and contribute his own viewpoints and experiences to the jury. He even says that he "attend[s] the candlelight service...on Christmas Eve...[and] the last hymn they sing is 'Silent Night'...[which] contains the phrase 'with the dawn of redeeming grace'." He uses this to his advantage, stating how the grace of this young man could sontinue if his life is allowed to continue on. Pathos: Throughout this argument, the defendent uses alot of emotional ties to win over the jurys decision. He states that we all have children, or grandchildren, or are around children in any way, and we've all been concerned at one point with who they associate themselves with. He also points out that "Lee's childhood was one of abandonment-ripped from the father that he loved...[and that] Lee's mother was abusive." Coming from this type of backround, Lee had no one to actually care for him, so when he associated himself with a bad guy, all he saw was someone who was there for him; he ignored all the evil. This attorney uses these and many other statements to back up his argument, which shows how Lee was basically brainwashed, without him having any idea of what was going on. Logos: These particular parts of the argument are all facts that help back up his statements on this subject. He says how 'Intelligence does not equate to judgement...[and] maturity... It's hard science. That shows that the juvenile brain is different." He explains how a younger brain functions very differently and since its less developed, its more vulnerable to any 'intruders'. He also says how our "society...force feeds violence upon our children-[o]n TV, in movies, and in video games.
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