Mortality By Logan Abernay Ethos

Logan Abernathy: Rough Draft of Paper 3 In his book, Mortality, Christopher Hitchens writes with a personal mixture of intellectual difficulty and a more personal vulnerability that is provided with a compelling exploration of his own experiences facing terminal illness. As a famous public author and a controversial journalist, Hitchens’ writing in Mortality is marked by his traits of sharp wit and incisive critique that is deeply personal and reflective. Pathos: One of the primary strategies Hitchens engages in Mortality is pathos, which is the appeal to emotions. He writes openly about his suffering and the physical and emotional aspects that put a toll on his illness. For example, he writes about the experience of dealing with cancer and the emotional aspects that put a toll on him:

Ethos Hitchens is also skilled when he uses ethos which is the appeal to be credible and character which reinforces his perspectives and arguments in Mortality. Throughout the book, he sources his extensive body of work and his reputation as a fierce advocate for atheism and rational belief. As he writes: "My chief consolation in this year of dying has been the presence of friends" (Chapter 4). By supporting his reflection in his established personality as a critical thinker and writer, he sustains his authority and lends weight to his meditations on the nature of life and death. Hitchens’ credibility is further improved by his goodwill to confront his own mortality with the same unrelated honesty that characterized his critiques of religion and politics. Tone and Voice Finally, Hitchen’s style and voice play a crucial role in shaping the readers experience of