Activity Two: Identifying Modes of Persuasion

Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify and describe two distinct moments of ethos.
2. Identify and describe two distinct moments of logos.
3. Identify and describe two distinct moments of pathos.
4. Identify and describe two distinct moments of kairos.

Preparation:
Students will need to read and listen to the speech in its entirety, and have a sense of the historical context. They would also need to have a lesson on ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos.

Activity:

Ethos
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is well known as a civil right leader who, in contemporary discussions, is often described as having a positive ethos. Identify two moments in the speech where Dr. King is demonstrating positive ethos. For now, only consider how it is written in the text.

For each moment:
 quote the passage you are discussing
 describe what is happening in the passage, including making reference to any relevant historical context
 clearly explain how this moment contributes to positive ethos
 clearly explain how, if at all, this moment detracts from positive ethos.

Now listen to the moments you have identified as moments of positive ethos. Consider how hearing the speech impacts you experience of ethos. For each moment discuss:
 the impact of listening to the words as compared to reading the words
 whether or not it matters to you that the speaker is a voice actor
 whether you prefer listening or reading to assess ethos and why.

Pathos
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated that pathos is a powerful tool of persuasion. Identify two moments in the speech where Dr. King is deploying pathos in order to persuade the audience. For now, only consider how it is written in the text.

For each moment:
 quote the passage you are discussing

 describe what is happening in the passage, including making reference to any
relevant historical context
 clearly explain how this moment contributes to pathos
 clearly explain how, if at all, this moment detracts from the persuasive power of this passage because of the emotional appeal.

Now listen to the moments you have identified as moments of pathos. Consider how
hearing the speech impacts you experience of pathos. For each moment discuss:
 the impact of listening to the words as compared to reading the words
 whether or not it matters to you that the speaker is a voice actor
 whether you prefer listening or reading to assess pathos and why.

Logos
Statement about his way of producing logic here? Identify two moments in the speech where Dr. King using logos in order to persuade the audience. For now, only consider how it is written in the text.

For each moment:
 quote the passage you are discussing
 describe what is happening in the passage, including making reference to any relevant historical context
 clearly explain how this moment contributes to logos
 clearly explain how, if at all, the logos present in this moment detracts from the persuasive power of this passage.

Now listen to the moments you have identified as moments of logos. Consider how hearing
the speech impacts you experience of logos. For each moment discuss:
 the impact of listening to the words as compared to reading the words
 whether or not it matters to you that the speaker is a voice actor
 whether you prefer listening or reading to assess logos and why.

Kairos
Dr. King begins this speech with a powerful quote from Victor Hugo that frames this speech in a kairotic moment. He uses concepts of time persuasively throughout the speech. Identify two moments in the speech other than the opening quote where Dr. King using kairos in order to persuade the audience. For now, only consider how it is written in the text.

For each moment:
 quote the passage you are discussing
 describe what is happening in the passage, including making reference to any relevant historical context

 clearly explain how this moment contributes to kairos
 clearly explain how, if at all, the kairos present in this moment detracts from the persuasive power of this passage.

Now listen to the moments you have identified as moments of kairos. Consider how hearing
the speech impacts you experience of kairos. For each moment discuss:
 the impact of listening to the words as compared to reading the words
 whether or not it matters to you that the speaker is a voice actor
 whether you prefer listening or reading to assess kairos and why.