Attorney Atticus Finch relies on ethos persuasion in the closing argument containing the intention to connect with the jury by highlighting the code of society along with the trustworthiness of the courtroom. Recently, Mayella Ewell is on trial prosecuting Tom Robinson on charges of rape. Atticus Finch (Tom’s Lawyer) is currently summing up his cross examination of Mayella in his closing statement. “She has committed no crime, she has merely broken a rigid and time-honored code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with… she tempted a Negro.” (272) Atticus Finch connects the Jury to the code of society, which is the long-lived and unbroken belief in which any white woman with a negro …show more content…
Moreover, this strengthens the case because the Jury can now see that Atticus is fighting for the good of the county, which assures his credibility of judgement. Additionally, Atticus highlights his trustworthiness in the court system. The brilliant lawyer is nearing the end of his closing statement and strives to drive his point home. He shatters the barriers between color and white by mentioning the one place where all Americans are treated equal, the courtroom. To finally win over the jury in favor of his case Atticus uses ethos when he claims, “Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up.” (274) Here is an excellent example of Mr. Finch and how he marries sweet talk with ethos. He relates the jury the honorable and trustworthy trait of the court. He states a court is only as good as the members of the jury. In essence, Atticus hints the jury is excellent because they fulfill a code of honor and trust. Deeper than the surface, Atticus not only acquires credibility to himself but also offers it to the jury as he trusts the jury in hope that they trust him as