Luis Bernal 08 September 2017 Dr. Maya Alvarez-Galvan English 1A Outline Essay #1: “Pay It Forward” Film (Ethos/Pathos/Logos) 1. Introduction: a. Describe connection between essay and title: “Peace, Love, and Positivity”: The Keys to Changing the World b. Donald Trump Reference: “Make America Great Again” 2. Body #1 a. Trevor: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos b. Connect to Theme: “Peace, Love, and Positivity” c. Support main points with supporting details 3. Body #2 a. Angela: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos b. Connect to Theme: “Peace, Love, and Positivity” c. Support main points with supporting details d. Quote Mr. Simonet in disagreement with Ms. McKinney 4. Body #3 a. Eugene: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos b. Connect to Theme: “Peace, Love, and Positivity” …show more content…
When we combine and demonstrate peace, love, and positivity to others, we can truly change the world for the better and achieve a semi-utopian society in which we always “Pay It Forward.” Although many people believe they are doing something to change the world, in the end, they are truly making it harder to get ahead for most people. Heading into the presidency, Donald Trump believed he had something to help each group of people in the U.S.A.; and, if he were to get elected, he would once again “make America great again.” As we have all witnessed, he has only caused more divides of greater magnitude and has honestly caused this country to take a step backwards. In the film, “Pay It Forward” by Mimi Leder, there are multiple characters that demonstrate that we have our own ways of changing the world that can be classified through the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos. We, as individuals can change the world one step at a time and Leder is correct in selecting such a young character to demonstrate that in her film; and, the other characters, alongside Trevor McKinney, that demonstrate that small steps can change the world are Trevor’s mother, Arlene McKinney, and Trevor’s Social Studies teacher, Eugene …show more content…
Trevor thought of a complex, yet simple, way to reach out to the world. Logos was demonstrated here because he appealed to the audience’s logic when he proposed his idea on how to change the world. For him, helping a group of three people would allow those three to help nine other people and they would help 27 people and so on. This would have been a great plan in an Utopian society; but, unfortunately, he could only realistically help one person and only hope he would “Pay It Forward.” As Morgan Freeman says “How do we change the world? One single act of random kindness at a time.” In addition, Trevor’s appeal through pathos came later in the film when he was persistent on creating a date for his mother and Mr. Simonet to allow him to feel safe from his abusive and alcoholic father. Since he did not want to have his father’s company because of the terrible lifestyle he had chosen to live, Trevor attempted to have Mr. Simonet fill the void his father left in his family to feel secure and complete again having a father-figure around the house. An appeal that established Trevor’s credibility in the film was when he had a conversation with Mr. Simonet on the bleachers at their school. Here, Trevor established his credibility about the situation regarding his father’s absence in the household. Trevor opened to Mr. Simonet and