Euthanasia Speech tehcniques and modes

In my Euthanasia speech I have attempted to use all of Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion. My speech mainly revolves around the Pathos mode and I think I have used it fairly well. I ask a few questions like “This thought is painful isn't it?” trying to get the listener to think about how they would feel if they were in that position. When I ‘put the scenario in the audiences arms’ I talk about having a relative very close to them that has a life of stillness and cannot move. Their life is dull and boring and not having any communication with the outside world. I then ask a very strong question, “Would you want this life?” This is also Pathos but I do believe that it is also a Rhetorical question
(technique) as obviously no one would want a life like this. A rhetorical question is also used at the end of my speech “Should this veteran of life and war not be allowed a good death?”

Almost at the end of the speech I use strong Pathos as I give a powerful reason as to why some terminally ill patients want to be euthanized, “It is not a cause that only affects the patient with the disease; no it affects the whole family. This is one of the reasons that some people decide they want to be euthanized. The simply do not want to put their family through so much pain and suffering.” This makes the audience think and hopefully makes them cringe as they would not like to be in such a situation.

I have also used a fair amount of repetition in my speech (another technique) when I am talking about how euthanasia means “a good death”. I use this frequently because I believe that it is unusual that something that has a name like ‘a good death’ is thought of as a sin and should be illegal. I use it in such cases as “the Greek word ‘Euthanatos’ comes to a literal meaning of ‘a good death’. So now in the 21st century what has changed?” and “When Pro- Life activists say that Euthanasia is bad, are they therefore saying that a ‘good death’ is bad or evil? So now I ask you, what is a good death?”, making reference to the expression ‘a good death’ in my introduction to the speech as I feel this misunderstanding of the original Greek translation is ironic.

Another mode of persuasion used is Logos which is used by using dates when I talk about the time Euthanasia was legalised in different countries and also used this mode by stating when and by whom Euthanasia was first used.

The final mode of persuasion used is Ethos when I have referred to the unfortunate position of my beloved grandfather was in and his family. “Well I’ve just introduced you to my great grandad. Should this veteran of life and war not be allowed a good death?”

Bold= quotes