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Rhetorical Strategies In To Kill A Mockingbird And 12 Angry Men

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Rhetorical strategies are potent tools speakers use to convey their messages to their audience. In "12 Angry Men" and "To Kill a Mockingbird," the characters use rhetorical strategies to persuade their audience. One character that stands out for using a particular rhetorical strategy in both movies is Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is a prominent character in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "12 Angry Men." In "To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus is a respected lawyer who defends an African-American man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a white woman. In "12 Angry Men," Atticus is not a character in the movie. Still, his presence is felt through the character of Juror #8, who uses similar rhetorical strategies in his attempt to convince the other …show more content…

Ethos refers to the credibility and trustworthiness of the speaker. Atticus and Juror #8 both establish their ethos in different ways. Atticus does it by being a respected lawyer and a member of the community, while Juror #8 does it by being a thoughtful and rational person willing to consider all the evidence before making a decision. In "To Kill a Mockingbird," Atticus uses ethos to appeal to the jury's sense of justice. He establishes his credibility by presenting himself as an honest and trustworthy lawyer who is not afraid to speak the truth. He argues that the evidence against Tom Robinson is circumstantial, and there is no proof that Tom committed the crime. Atticus's credibility is further strengthened when he cross-examines the witnesses and exposes their biases and inconsistencies. Similarly, in "12 Angry Men," Juror #8 uses ethos to convince the other jurors to change their verdict. He establishes his credibility by presenting himself as a reasonable and logical person willing to consider all the evidence. He argues that there is reasonable doubt in the case and that the accused might not be guilty. Juror #8's credibility is further strengthened when he produces a similar knife that the accused used to kill the victim and shows that the knife is not as unique as the prosecution claimed it to

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