Sojourner Truth: Logos, Ethos, Pathos

In the beginning of her speech, Truth uses ethos to establish common ground with the white women in her audience because she needed credibility because she wa a black woman. For example, she says, “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches, and to have the best places everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?” This quote also is an example of pathos because it appeals to the emotions of the white women in the audience. In addition, Truth’s speech is filled with logos to give her speech a logical and reasonable flow. For example, she says, “ Then they talk about this thing in the head; [Intellect] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or Negro’s rights?” This is a clear example of logos because she gives a clear logical statement of how intellect has nothing to do with descrimination. Overall, Truth’s speech uses logos, ethos, and pathos in order to get her message of equality across.