Atticus Finch Rhetorical Analysis

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Defending a black man accused of a crime-no matter how innocent he was, is a nearly impossible task in a small town of 1950’s Southern Alabama. Despite this Atticus Finch-the main character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird authored by Harper Lee, took up the said task as a lawyer defending a black man accused of rape. Knowing it is the jury who decides the fate of Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch tries to appeal to their favor by utilizing noteworthy rhetorical devices: logos, ethos and pathos. By using rationalization, credibility and emotion Atticus Finch showed even the’ indefensible’ can be defended. The most prominent examples of rhetorical devices in Atticus’s speech were logos. Atticus was able to build a strong foundation of his …show more content…

He was able to achieve this by referencing historic infamous American heroes who are admired in Maycomb such as Thomas Jefferson, ‘’ Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal. We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe-But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal...our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.’’ (Lee 233) Atticus acknowledges the fact that what Thomas Jefferson is not true but in terms of legal fulfillment, all men should be treated the same no matter the race until their rightful conviction. Essentially, Atticus is boosting his credibility by saying that Tom Robinson should not be convicted because he is black and rather, he should be treated like any other falsely accused white man. Additionally, he was able to boost his reliability by applying God to his closing argument fully knowing that the jury was of Christian faith,,’’I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty’’ (Lee

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