Frederick Douglass Use Of Ethos Pathos Logos

Douglass establishes ethos by presenting himself as a credible and reliable narrator. He provides detailed descriptions of the brutal conditions of slavery, such as the physical and emotional abuse he endured. For example, he writes, "I have often been awakened at the dawn of day by the most heart-rending shrieks of an own aunt of mine, whom he used to tie up to a joist, and whip upon her naked back till she was literally covered with blood" (Chapter 1). This vivid description of his aunt's abuse establishes Douglass's credibility as a witness to the atrocities of slavery.

Douglass also employs pathos to evoke an emotional response from his readers. He describes the anguish and pain of being separated from family members, such as when he is taken away from his mother as a young child. For instance, he writes, "I never saw my mother, to know her as such, more than four or five times in my life; and each of these times was very short in duration, and at night" (Chapter 1). This emotional appeal is particularly effective in eliciting sympathy and anger from readers.

He uses statistics and factual evidence to support his arguments for the abolition of slavery. For example, he cites the hypocrisy of slaveholders who claim to be religious while engaging in immoral behavior. He writes, "I have often been reproached with the supposed sin of being a young man and a votary of pleasure; but those that reproached me were those who practiced the same vices without reproach" (Chapter 5). By using logic and reason, Douglass effectively argues for the immorality of slavery and the need for its