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Use of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos in Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night

Introduction

Makenna Goodman’s article titled Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night is about how killing the animals that people eat make them feel. The speaker notes that after watching farming animals get slaughtered in front of his eyes, he did not feel the urge to pat himself on his back. The article insists on the need to offer animals a good life even if humans facilitate their death in one way or another. This essay probes the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in the afore-mentioned article. Without a doubt, the article successfully employs ethos, pathos, and logos throughout the text.

Use of Pathos

To begin with, there is a successful use of pathos in Goodman’s article Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night. On several occasions, the author has evoked the readers’ emotions to appeal to them. The author has connected to the emotions and senses of the readers. The main reason why the author does this is that she wants the readers to see beyond the food that they have. She wants them to wonder about the life the animals lived before it was killed and turned into a meal. For instance, the author talks about chicken killing at home in the third paragraph. She writes that “chicken killing at home is deep.” This way, she is appealing to the emotions of the reader and pushes into thinking whether it is ethical. The text notes that when it comes to the idea of taking away life at the homestead, people do not do it to show power other the animal. This prompts the readers into thinking beyond the chunk of meat they purchase at the supermarket. Goodman wants the readers to know that the meat does fall from the sky but rather comes from breathing and living being. In essence, although chicken killing is deep, it is necessary. Additionally, the author mentions Joel Salatin, at the front of the farming movement. Salatin is a supporter of home processing food methods (Goodman 03). To him, at-home food processing is the ultimate foundation of showing respect for animals. This shows that he has a deep connection for animals and in this manner, he urges the readers to buy-in to his ideologies. Goodman employs emotions to appeal to his readers.

Use of Ethos

Secondly, the author successfully employs ethos as a persuasive technique to appeal to the readers. Readers tend to associate the author’s character with their content. Readers will trust the content if the writer demonstrates that they are reliable. The article successfully employs ethos leaving the readers in a position to trust the content of the article. Worth noting, Makenna has had a successful career as an author over the years and is well-renowned for her writing prowess. Goodman has written essays, short fiction and literary criticism for international publication. These include the Harvard Review, New York Review of Books, Electric Literarture, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Catapult, and the Bomb. Additionally, she has appeared on interviews in various shows, including the Millions, Paris Review, the Rumpus, Guernica, Commonplace Podcast by Rachel Zucker, and EcoTheo. Worth noting, she is the brains behind the Shame, which was voted Harvard Review Favorite Book of 2020. The book was also named Literary Hub Recommended Read, a White Review Recommended Read, a Boston.com Book Club Pick, and Bustle Most Anticipated Book. The successful author is also an educator of literature and writing and has taught at graduate and high school levels in various institutions including the Center for Fiction based in Brooklyn, New York. Being this successful means that she is not only good at what she does but also a reliable professional. Throughout her career, she has never had any ethical issue which means that the readers can trust her works as reliable. Another reason why ethos are employed successfully in this article is that the publisher; Chelsea Green Publishing is also a reknowned American publishing organization. The fact that it specializes in publishing texts to do with organic farming, sustainable living, integrative health, and progressive politics means that they work with reliable professionals that can be trusted. Publishing Goodman’s content means that they have conducted research and find her thoughts valuable which speaks to her ethics. This shows those ethos are used successfully in the article.

Use of Logos

Thirdly, the author of the article also employs logos as a persuasive tool to push her agenda. Logos have to do with logic, and Goodman uses facts and figures to persuade the readers. For instance, in the first paragraph, Goodman narrates that she had fourteen people for dinner the previous night who all wanted chicken. In this context, the number of people is an indication of the emotional joy and turmoil that comes with having family around. Goodman says that there was plenty of activity with people running around, enjoying farm life and looking forward to balanced meals. It shows people’s thoughts as far as killing what we eat is concerned. It was an opportunity for Goodman to understand other people’s thoughts on at-home processing foods. The author also uses logos when she says that the joy of having many people around is that no one sits around without pitching in. This is true because people always help with tasks around. The use of logos is effective in showing the need to know the backstory of animals.

Conclusion

In closing, Goodman employs various tools of persuasion including, pathos, logos, and ethos, in her article Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night. Pathos are effective in appealing to the readers’ emotions. It makes them want to know a backstory of the animal’s life. The ethos speaks to the credibility and reliability of the author and logos use facts and figures to push across their message. Without a doubt, the author is successful in employing them as tools of persuasion throughout the text.

Works Cited

Goodman, M. “Ever Wonder if You Could Kill What You Eat? We Did the Other Night.” Alternet.org, 28 Aug. 2009, www.alternet.org/2009/08/ever_wonder_if_you_could_kill_what_you_eat_we_did_the_other_night/.