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Paradox
Definition of Pathos
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Chapter 51
Explanation and Analysis—Acting and Emoting:
In the following passage from Chapter 51, the narrator utilizes elaborate imagery to conjure up a sense of pathos in relation to Leonora, whom the narrator has thus far characterized as a cold and uncharitable maternal figure:
The varied transitions of tone with which this speech was delivered were as perfect as the most accomplished actress could have made them. The speech was in fact a piece of what may be called sincere acting; this woman’s nature was one in which all feeling—and all the more when it was tragic as well as real—immediately became matter of conscious representation: experience immediately passed into drama, and she acted her own emotions.
The narrator attempts to explain the emotional reasoning and performance behind what some may perceive as cruelty, meted out from Leonora against her son. Leonora grew up in a repressive environment, where she was often forced to place her own concerns and wishes to the side in service of her father's stringent, conservative Jewish values. As a result, she is used to performing her own emotions instead of feeling them genuinely. She delivers a performance now, to her son, unsure how to progress in an awkward scenario. Instead of stating outright her reasons for giving Daniel away, Leonora performs a picture of repression for him, seeking understanding from her son through pathos.
Related Themes:
