How does a person make themselves more persuasive and trustworthy? The answer is rhetorical appeals. There are three main appeals that allow a person to be more persuasive and active in a speech or writing including pathos, logos, and ethos. LeBron James uses all three of these appeals in his “I’m Coming Home” announcement. At the time, LeBron was playing for another team, the Miami Heat, and wanted to return to his old team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. In order to do it effectively he had to gain the trust of Northeast Ohio once again. He had previously left in such a way that he had lost a lot of fans’ trust in him. To save is career and return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, James used the rhetorical appeals logos, pathos, and ethos. In James’ announcement, he explores the many reasons why he left and what he can do for the team now that he is coming back. He explains that he belongs in Cleveland and establishes a lot of creditability to …show more content…
Because James was trying to gain back trust in basketball fans in Northeast Ohio, he used a lot of ethos appeals. One example is the format of his announcement. He, instead of holding a press conference as he had when he chose to leave Cleveland, reported his feelings towards Lee Jenkins, a Sports Illustrated author. An essay was then written and posted on the Sports Illustrated cite where fans could access it from anywhere, instantly, even if they were not subscribed to the Sports Illustrated company. He also stated that “he is doing this essay because he wants an opportunity to explain himself uninterrupted” (par. 3). Right after LeBron James adds, “After this, it’s time to get to work” (par. 4). This creates a sense of responsibility and that this time, James is in it for the work and not the play. He is serious about coming back to Cleveland. This makes James more trustworthy and adds