The rhetorical triangle: is it effective or not? The rhetorical triangle is a technique used to use and compose thoughts in a way that attracts and persuades the audience. The three components underlying these beliefs are pathos (emotions), ethos (creditability) and logos (reasoning). Many respectable people have used the rhetorical triangle in their speeches proving that this technique is effective. Abraham Lincoln, the nation's sixteenth president, is a perfect example that shows that, when used effectively, the power and application of the rhetorical triangle can positively alter the thoughts and feelings of the audience. Abraham Lincoln is an educated man who uses powerful and inspirational words in his speech the Gettysburg Address and has had great success using emotion or pathos in his speech. Pathos means emotionally appealing to the hearts and minds of the audience. For a speech to be successful, the audience must embrace the emotions found within the speech. The speaker must not only appeal to the heart but also to the mind of the audience and if the audience does not grasp these feelings, the result will be unsuccessful. However, in Lincoln's case, the use of intense emotions persuades the audience to empathize with him over the painful and heartbreaking loss of many lives on the battlefield during the Civil War. Lincoln expresses greater concern for the victims by using words such as “hallowed,” “brave,” “unfinished work,” and “that these dead shall not die in vain” (Lincoln, 1635). Lincoln's use of pathos shows compassion for the lives lost and shows that he is not only speaking on behalf of those who sacrificed themselves for a better future "...which those who fought here have thus far advanced so nobly ", but also... .middle of paper......ent, Abraham Lincoln is one of the most influential presidents who ever lived and the inspirational speech of the Gettysburg Address, brought together by the powerful logos used, helped put end slavery in the United States.The rhetorical triangle is an active interaction between the person who is speaking, the audience, and the direction in which the presentation is going. Without equal relevance of the three elements pathos, ethos and logos, a speech can end with an unsuccessful outcome. However, if all elements are interrelated in the speech, as in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, then the result will prove effective. Work cited Lincoln, Abraham. Speech delivered at the dedication of Gettysburg Cemetery, November 19, 1863. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature: 1820 to 1865_Vol B. 7th ed. Gen. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2007. 1635. Print.