When speakers appeal to one's sense of emotion, they are using pathos. 'Why should I care about what you have to say?' This is the kind of question on an audience's mind when listening to a speech or reading a persuasive text. You can find the same semantic root of pathos in similar, related words such as 'sympathy' or 'pathetic'. Rhetorical questions, emotive language and sensationalism appeal to our sense of pathos. 

Pathos is one of three rhetorical appeals, traditionally studied in speech writing. This tradition, founded by Aristotle, also includes ethos and logos, as appeals to one's sense of authority and logic respectfully. 

This spoof ad, or pastiche, by Micah Wright plays on one's sense of pathos. Words like 'terrorist agitators', 'glorious war', and 'traitors' are emotionally laden. We are meant to laugh at the obvious appeal to emotions such as anger and hate that the target audience is assumed to have.

Related lessons

• Speech
• Biased headlines