The Use Of Pathos In Bill Clinton's Speech

The term pathos originates from the greek word ‘pathe’ meaning emotions. The use of pathos in a speech involves evoking emotions in the audience members. In her speech, Clinton uses strong words and descriptions to paint a picture of the reality of the horrors women face. “Women also are dying from diseases that should have been prevented or treated. They are watching their children succumb to malnutrition caused by poverty and economic deprivation. They are being denied the right to go to school by their own fathers and brothers. They are being forced into prostitution, and they are being barred from the bank lending offices and banned from the ballot box.” The images invoked by her words resonate within us. There is a familial element to her words. She describes women as being held back by their fathers and brothers.

I used to teach at a school for underprivileged children back home in India. It was not uncommon for girls to just stop attending. The reason given was that their fathers thought that they did not need to go to school. Their only goal in life was to get married and look after their family. Clinton’s use of strong words such as ‘barred’ and ‘banned’ increases the seriousness of the topic. She also uses the rhetorical device of anaphora to get her point across. She starts a series of sentences with “It is a violation of human rights when…” and then goes on to describe a number of horrifying situations. She does not shy away but instead describes them in graphic detail, invoking in the audience a sense of sympathy. Additionally, Clinton describes a number of varying scenarios which the women, who comprised the audience, could relate to. In her speech, Clinton tugs on the heartstrings of the audience and becomes a representative of the