Question
Excerpt 2 from Atticus's Closing Argument in Tom Robinson's Trial - Chapter 20 of 'To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
“One more thing, gentlemen, before I quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the distaff side of the Executive branch in Washington are fond of hurling at us. There is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935, for certain people to use this phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions. The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious—because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority. We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe—some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they’re born with it, some men make more money than others, some ladies make better cakes than others—some people are born gifted beyond the normal scope of most men.
“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. 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.
“I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. 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.”
Which rhetorical appeal does Atticus use the most here, and how do does his appeal support his overall purpose?
Responses
Pathos – He expresses frustration with hypocrisy and uses emotional appeals to challenge the jury’s conscience. This serves his purpose by encouraging the jury to see the disconnect between their values and their actions.
Pathos – He expresses frustration with hypocrisy and uses emotional appeals to challenge the jury’s conscience. StartFragment This serves his purpose by encouraging the jury to see the disconnect between their values and their actions. EndFragment EndFragment
Ethos – Atticus draws on national ideals and legal reasoning to reinforce the court’s responsibility to uphold true equality under the law. This serves his purpose by reminding the jury of their duty to uphold justice as a foundational American principle.
Ethos – Atticus draws on national ideals and legal reasoning to reinforce the court’s responsibility to uphold true equality under the law. StartFragment This serves his purpose by reminding the jury of their duty to uphold justice as a foundational American principle. EndFragment EndFragment
Logos – He appeals to reason by referencing public institutions and appeals to emotion by stressing the consequences of inequality. This serves his purpose by encouraging the jury to recognize both the flaws in the educational system and the human cost of injustice.
“One more thing, gentlemen, before I quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the distaff side of the Executive branch in Washington are fond of hurling at us. There is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935, for certain people to use this phrase out of context, to satisfy all conditions. The most ridiculous example I can think of is that the people who run public education promote the stupid and idle along with the industrious—because all men are created equal, educators will gravely tell you, the children left behind suffer terrible feelings of inferiority. We know all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe—some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity because they’re born with it, some men make more money than others, some ladies make better cakes than others—some people are born gifted beyond the normal scope of most men.
“But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. 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.
“I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. 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.”
Which rhetorical appeal does Atticus use the most here, and how do does his appeal support his overall purpose?
Responses
Pathos – He expresses frustration with hypocrisy and uses emotional appeals to challenge the jury’s conscience. This serves his purpose by encouraging the jury to see the disconnect between their values and their actions.
Pathos – He expresses frustration with hypocrisy and uses emotional appeals to challenge the jury’s conscience. StartFragment This serves his purpose by encouraging the jury to see the disconnect between their values and their actions. EndFragment EndFragment
Ethos – Atticus draws on national ideals and legal reasoning to reinforce the court’s responsibility to uphold true equality under the law. This serves his purpose by reminding the jury of their duty to uphold justice as a foundational American principle.
Ethos – Atticus draws on national ideals and legal reasoning to reinforce the court’s responsibility to uphold true equality under the law. StartFragment This serves his purpose by reminding the jury of their duty to uphold justice as a foundational American principle. EndFragment EndFragment
Logos – He appeals to reason by referencing public institutions and appeals to emotion by stressing the consequences of inequality. This serves his purpose by encouraging the jury to recognize both the flaws in the educational system and the human cost of injustice.
Answers
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GPT-4o mini
In the excerpt from Atticus's closing argument, the rhetorical appeal he employs most effectively is **Ethos**.
Atticus draws on the foundational American ideals expressed by Thomas Jefferson, specifically the phrase "all men are created equal." He contrasts this idea with societal inequalities to emphasize that while not all men may be equal in abilities or opportunities, the legal system provides a vital equalizing force. By invoking the integrity of the court and the jury system as essential to justice, he reminds the jurors of their responsibility to uphold these principles. This appeal to the jury’s sense of duty underscores the importance of justice as a core value in American society.
By focusing on the court's role in achieving equality, Atticus aims to inspire the jury to rise above societal biases and fulfill their moral obligation to deliver a fair verdict. This strategy supports his overall purpose, which is to challenge the jury to act justly and restore Tom Robinson to his family.
Atticus draws on the foundational American ideals expressed by Thomas Jefferson, specifically the phrase "all men are created equal." He contrasts this idea with societal inequalities to emphasize that while not all men may be equal in abilities or opportunities, the legal system provides a vital equalizing force. By invoking the integrity of the court and the jury system as essential to justice, he reminds the jurors of their responsibility to uphold these principles. This appeal to the jury’s sense of duty underscores the importance of justice as a core value in American society.
By focusing on the court's role in achieving equality, Atticus aims to inspire the jury to rise above societal biases and fulfill their moral obligation to deliver a fair verdict. This strategy supports his overall purpose, which is to challenge the jury to act justly and restore Tom Robinson to his family.