The Rhetorical Appeals, Research Paper Example

Abstract

The rhetorical triangle is fundamentally an active relationship that links the speaker, the audience, as well as the situation of a speech or presentation. It is the rhetorical triangle that determines the success or failure of a speech or presentation. The Rhetorical Triangle has three equivalent elements that construct the triangular depiction.

Introduction

A speaker’s aptitude to influence an audience is largely based his ability to appeal to the audience in three dissimilar attributes areas. These three areas are known as; logos, pathos, and ethos. Logos appeals to rationale ethos appeals to character, while pathos appeals to the sympathetic imagination and emotions. It also appeals to values and beliefs (Lucas, 2008). These appeals taken together are what create the rhetorical triangle. The Rhetorical Triangle has three equivalent elements that construct the triangular depiction.  The rhetorical triangle is fundamentally an active relationship that links the speaker, the audience, as well as the situation of a speech or presentation. It is the rhetorical triangle that determines the success or failure of a speech or presentation. When a speech accomplishes the three principal elements namely the speaker, the audience, as well as the situation in equilibrium, then the rhetorical triangle is successfully complete. It is imperative for a speaker to provide equal significance to all three elements in order for the speech or presentation to be successful (Lucas, 2008).
In order for the speaker to be successful, he must be confident and believe in his message. The speaker’s mental state at the time of delivering the message is always translated to the spectators. The speaker ought to have personal authority in order to achieve esteem from the viewers. The speaker’s characteristics also have an impact on the audience as well as the situation. The speaker’s, deliverance, enthusiasm, predispositions, and proficiency directly influence the manner in which the viewers perceive the message. It as well influences the environment (Corbett & Robert, 2006).

The audience element of the rhetoric triangle involves the audience who views the presentation or listens to the speech delivered.   It is vital for the speaker to consider this audience element as pertinent so that the recipients of the message will not experience disconnect from the message.   A speaker ought to develop a bond with the audience. To successfully generate a bond, the speaker ought to research who his audience is in relation to the motivating factors, biases, and enjoyments. Every audience is different, and therefore, the speaker ought to adjust the style of the message to fit each distinctive audience so that the audience may effectively relate to the delivered message (Corbett & Robert, 2006).

References

Stephen E. Lucas, (2008). The Art of Public Speaking, 9th ed., McGraw-Hill.

Corbett. P.J & Robert J. (2006). Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, 4th ed., ed. Connors Oxford University Press.