Read the fictional speech (below) set on the senate floor of the California State Senate. Senator Willis is arguing against the construction of a controversial proposed factory. The Napa Manufacturing Company wishes to build this factory. In the table below, identify the rhetorical devices, the appeal to ethos and pathos used to persuade the audience of the conclusion that the factory should not be built.
“The other senators from California in the other political party have told you the construction of this factory is a good idea—that it will bring thousands of jobs to the city of Fictoria—that it will help the local economy. They have repeated these things so many times that if I hear the same thing again, I am going to die of laughter. This factory will only give the city of Fictoria a few hundred jobs. The Napa Manufacturing Company will be using material made in a foreign country with cheap labor rather than using American-made material. But most importantly, the factory is expected to increase the pollution in a suburban residential area of Fictoria. Those of you who know me know that I have been a fighter when it comes to environmental issues.
I have never misled anyone when it comes to the environment. You can go to my website and fact check all my claims about the environment and about the bills that are likely to increase pollution. This bill proposing to construct the factory in Fictoria will, my friends, increase pollution for sure! Do we want a factory that will increase pollution and contribute to the destruction of our environment?
Think of all the children who will have to breathe the polluted air. Imagine their innocent little faces. Imagine what devastation this will bring to the parents who may have to take their children to hospitals or emergency rooms. Imagine their little lungs polluted by the smoke coming out of this factory.
Imagine the devastated parents with huge hospital bills. Is this something that we want? It is true that the economy of Fictoria has had a slowdown, but there are several other bills with environment-friendly options which will create new jobs if passed. Fellow senators, I urge you to look at those bills instead of this one. The factory will be a catastrophe for Fictoria. I yield the floor to Senator Harris. I am looking forward to hearing opposing arguments.”
| Conclusion: | Rhetorical devices | Ethos | Pathos |
| The city of Fictoria should not build the factory. |
Now consider how a logical argument devoid of rhetoric can be built. In order to do so, consider the relevant information below. Some of this information was omitted in Senator Willis’s speech.
Relevant information (facts). Some of which was omitted in the speech:
1. It is a well-known fact that the factory will significantly increase pollution in Fictoria. Scientists have predicted an exact percentage level of pollution based on estimates from similar factories in similar suburban areas with similar air levels. All the senators know this, and it has been widely published in the local newspapers.
2. A few local newspapers reported a story that the factory owners will bring in more than half of the employees from an existing factory owned by Napa Manufacturing Corporation. The existing factory is half an hour away. This story was confirmed by credible media sources. The head public relations representative of Napa Manufacturing Corporation did not contest these claims when asked to comment. This means that only about 25% of the jobs created by the project will be open to the citizens of Fictoria.
3. Senator Willis is telling the truth about other proposed bills. There are five other bills which, if passed, will increase jobs in Fictoria. Those job numbers surpass the job numbers projected from building the factory.