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'Pathos' () is one of the three modes of persuasion in rhetoric (along with ethos and logos). Pathos appeals to the audience's emotions. It is a part of Aristotle's philosophies in rhetoric.
Emotional appeal can be accomplished in a multitude of ways:

★ by metaphor or story telling, common as a hook,

★ by a general passion in the delivery and an overall amount of emotional items in the text of the speech, or in writing.
In rhetoric, ''pathos'' is the use of emotional appeals to alter the audience's judgment. A common use of pathos in argument is creating a sense of rejection if the audience doesn't agree. Creating a fear of rejection is in essence, creating a pathos argument.
Over-emotionalism can be the result of an excess of pathos.
The term is commonly used by critics, especially in positive reference to the dramatic performances of actors.

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See also

★ Rhetoric