Crowther's Ethos Pathos Logos After 9/11

Fifteen years after the fateful date of September 11, 2001, this school year marks the first year that almost no American high school freshman was alive for the day forever engrained in America's past. Anyone old enough to remember that clear Tuesday morning can pinpoint what he or she was doing when the press released the astounding news: a plane had crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. No matter how routine their day may have been, most witnesses can at least recall their feelings, as the American sense of safety would forever be tainted. As the world watched in dismay from their televisions, the state inside the World Trade Center was declared an emergency. Those on floors 78 through 84, where the first plane ripped

To specifically appeal to the reader's emotions, Noonan paints the picture of a beloved, family-oriented, and relatable character, making Crowther's demise all the more tragic. For example, Noonan uses Crowther's idolization of his father to appeal to pathos. She mentions that when Crowther was a young boy, he admired his father's job as a volunteer fireman. He also mimicked his father's handkerchief in his pocket, which soon became Crowther's talisman that kept him connected to his father. This account reminds the reader of himself or herself, as this paternal connection is generally relatable. The red bandanna becomes a symbol that Noonan uses to portray Crowther's altruistic and compassionate nature, so when she writes, "A mysterious man appeared at one point, his mouth and nose covered with a red handkerchief," the reader immediately recognizes the person being described as Welles Crowther. It then becomes a heart-wrenching realization of his death. Noonan's strong appeal to pathos by using relatable characterization and subtle symbolism allows her to create an emotional and poignant