Rhetorical Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands

In everyday life, we apply rhetorical devices for many situations. We apply them most when trying to persuade others, such as advertisements on television. Rhetorical devices have been used for a really long time. Rhetorical devices go as far back as the Great Awakening. Unconverted men were persuaded through rhetorical devices. Unconverted men are people who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. In 1741, the unconverted were persuaded to accept God and to live a holy life. They were always told about the effects of sinning and were told what would happen after their life ended. Around that time, a pastor—Jonathan Edwards—gave a sermon about what would happen if they did not convert into a child of God. In “Sinners in the Hands

According to the article “Using the Persuasive Appeals,” pathos “…appeals to the audience’s emotions. An emotional appeal evokes anger, laughter, sadness, fear…” (13). In this case, Edwards is appealing to fear. He does this by trying to convert men with the fear of God. For example, “God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them [unconverted men]” (Edwards 41). This example, allows his audience to be frightened about God’s anger towards them. Edwards basically states that God grows angry at men who are not converted. God is not just a little angry at them; he has a great deal of anger. Another example of pathos would be “…to destroy any wicked man, at any moment…so that, thus it is natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell..." (Edwards 41). Edwards again uses fear to make his audience realize that if they do not become born again God will throw them into Hell. They are being held over Hell and God can easily throw them into the pit. Edwards uses pathos more than any other rhetorical device. Edwards also applies another rhetorical device to persuade his

Ethos, pathos, and logos assist Jonathan Edward in “Sinners of the Hands of an Angry God” gain the trust of his audience. These rhetorical devices helped Edwards persuade the unconverted to become a child of Christ. Edwards employed ethos to allow his audience to see he understands their situation. Pathos assisted Edwards frighten his audience into thinking about God 's wrath. Pathos also let the audience understand what they would go through if they did not commit to being converted. Edwards executed logos to make his audience want to change themselves. Edwards exerted rhetorical devices to try and convert members of his sermon to accept Jesus Christ. Persuading Edwards’ congregation was much easier with the manipulation of rhetorical devices. That is why rhetorical appeals are so successful. Jonathan Edwards successfully persuaded the unconverted into believing him. Rhetorical devices helped him create the audience to understand Heaven is better than Hell. This informed his audience on the effects of their sinning. Edwards had an outstanding outcome and if he would not have employed many different rhetorical devices his outcome would not be as