As we continued our analysis of texts using ethos, logos, and pathos, and prepared for developing further rhetorical analysis skills, my AP juniors spent part of class watching campaign videos. My personal favorite is Lyndon B Johnson’s 1964 “Daisy” ad (I love watching their faces at the explosion), but we also watched Ronald Reagan’s 1984 “It’s Morning Again in America,” George H.W. Bush’s “Willie Horton” ad against Michael Dukakis, and more recently Bernie Sanders’ “America,” Hillary’s “Fighting for You,” Trump’s anti-Cruz Pro-Amnesty from the primaries, and of course, SNL’s “Racists for Trump.”
Actual conversation from 7th period:
Me: So which did this ad most appeal to, ethos, logos, or pathos?
Student: I saw a lot of logos in this ad.
Me: Well, they had a lot of pictures…not sure about logos.
Student: [Looks at me bewildered]
Class: [Same bewilderment]
Me: Oh, logos – yes. It had plenty of logical appeal.
This word, logos, an appeal to logic, was literally pronounced the exact same way each time. My prego brain actually skipped a beat and missed the answer to the question I had just asked. Three seconds earlier.
We had a sophomore student council meeting after school (I’m a sponsor with the AP chem teacher) and I told him he will unfortunately be taking over a lot of the sponsoring because my brain has quit working…
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