PERSUASIVE SPEAKING
Types of Appeal and
Persuasive Techniques
Sauron’s Speech
I Lead in. Discuss the
questions with other students.
a) What do you think is the most effective way to influence someone and make
them change their beliefs or attitudes?
b)
What are
some common barriers to changing someone's beliefs or attitudes, and how can
you overcome them?
c)
You are
going to watch a video clip from the TV series Rings of Power(Season1). What do
you know about the characters i the series, namely Galadriel and Sauron?
II Watch the video and choose the
correct option to complete the sentences.
1.
What
is the general purpose of the speech Sauron gives in the video?
a)
to inform b) to entertain c) to persuade
2.
Which
appeal (mode of persuasion) does Sauron use saying: "You know who I am. I
am your friend"? The appeal is reinforced by mentally transporting Galadriel
to the moment on a raft when she first encountered Sauron (who was using a
different name at the time).
a)
logos
(convincing through the power of reason)
b)
ethos
(appeal to character or authority)
c)
pathos
(appeal to values and emotions)
3.
Which
audience involvement strategy does Sauron use saying: “When Morgoth was defeated, it was
as if great, clenched fist had released its grasp on my neck. And in the
stillness of that first sunrise, at last, I felt the light of the One again.
And I knew if ever I was to be forgiven… That I had to heal everything that I
had helped ruin.”?
a)
sharing a personal story
b) using inclusive pronouns: we, us, our
c)
asking a question
4.
Which
emotions might Sauron be appealing to saying: “When Morgoth was defeated, it was as if great,
clenched fist had released its grasp on my neck. And in the stillness of that
first sunrise, at last, I felt the light of the One again. And I knew if ever I
was to be forgiven… That I had to heal everything that I had helped ruin.”?
a) pride b) guilt c) pity
5. Sauron presents
his version of Galadriel’s beliefs and summarises them in the form of an
argument. What kind of reasoning does Sauron use in his statement: “This is not
what you believe. ...You told me. After our victory, you said that whatever I’d done before I
could be free of it now… I told you that I had done evil, and you did not care.
Because you knew that our past meant nothing, weighed against our future.”?
a)
deductive
reasoning (the speaker moves from general principle to specific example)
b)
analogical
reasoning (the speaker compares two similar cases)
c)
inductive
reasoning (the speaker moves from specific example to general conclusion)
6. Which audience
involvement strategy does Sauron use in his statement: “This is not what you
believe. ...You told me. After our victory, you said that whatever I’d done before I
could be free of it now… I told you that I had done evil, and you did not care.
Because you knew that our past meant nothing, weighed against our future.”?
a) telling a story
b)
using inclusive pronouns: we, us, our
c)
rhetorical question
7. Galadriel rejects Sauron’s argument
caliming: “There is no such future”. However, Sauron proceeds with the speech
and responds: “Isn’t there?” Which audience involvement strategy does Sauron use?
a) telling a story
b) using inclusive pronouns: we, us, our
c)
rhetorical question
8. Which appeals
does Sauron combine in his statement: “I alone can see your greatness. I alone
can see your light.”?
a)
ethos
(appeal to his character and competence)
b)
logos
(appeal to Galadriel’s logic and reason)
c)
pathos
(appeal to Galadriel’s emotions)
9. Sauron tells
Galadriel: “You bind me to the light. And I bind you to power. Together we can
save this Middle-earth.” Which appeal
does Sauron use in his statement?
b)
logos
(appeal to Galadriel’s logic and reason)
c)
pathos
(appeal to shared values)
10.
Sauron
tells Galadriel: “You have no choice. Without me your people will fade. And the
shadow will spread and darken to cover all the world. You need me”. What error in
reasoning/logical fallacy is exemplified by the Sauron's statement?
a)
false
cause (presuming that a relationship
between two things means that one is the
cause of the other)
b)
invalid
analogy (claiming that some items which have only a few minor similarities are practically the same in almost everything else)
c)
appeal to popularity (assuming that because something is popular, it is therefore good, correct, or desirable)
d)
either-or/false dilemma (asserting that the audience must choose between two
things, when in fact they may have
more alternatives)
11.
Sauron
tells Galadriel: “You have no choice. Without me your people will fade. And the
shadow will spread and darken to cover all the world. You need me”. What appeal is
implied but not explored or developed further in Sauron’s statement?
a)
pathos
(appeal to Galadriel’s emotions, trying to win her over with flattery)
b)
logos
(appeal to Galadriel’s logic and reason, presenting evidence and arguments)
c)
ethos
(appeal to speaker’s character and
competence, trying to establish his own moral authority)
12.
Sauron
states: “A sea you were on because the Elves cast you out. They cast you out
for deigning to beg them for a few petty soldiers.” How does Sauron appeal to
pathos in his statement?
a)
by
using his personal example
b)
by
using emotional language
c)
by
using shocking facts
13.
Sauron
asks Galadriel: “What will they do if you tell them that you were my ally? When
you tell them that Sauron lives because of you?” What appeal is used in Sauron’s questions?
a)
pathos
(appeal to Galadriel’s emotions)
b)
logos
(appeal to Galadriel’s logic and reason)
c)
ethos
(appeal to speaker’s character and
competence)
III OVER TO YOU. Get ready to
discuss the characteristics of Sauron’s persuasive speech with other students.
Use the questions below to organize your ideas:
a)
Which
appeals or modes of persuasion does Sauron build his speech on?
b)
Which
of the appeals are used more often than others?
c)
Sauron fails to persuade Galadriel. Why
do you think his speech was not successful?
IV Follow-up.
Choose a short video of a character giving a persuasive speech in a popular TV
series or film. Analyse the types of appeal (ethos, logos, pathos) and the persuasive
strengths of arguments used in the speech. Did the speech achieve the goal of
changing the audience’s beliefs or attitudes? Why or why not? Share your
findings with other students.
