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Motifs
Definition of Pathos
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Pathos is... read full definition
Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Chapter 23
Explanation and Analysis—Sloppy Moods:
In a scene saturated with pathos, Mr. McCob acknowledges the shame and embarrassment that he feels as a result of his inability to support his family financially:
He felt like a loser, not providing for his family. He said it almost killed him to take my money and then get yelled at in front of his kids. He’d go all sorry, and the dog would look up at him with the whites of her eyes showing, and I’d feel like it was me that should apologize. Shame was a shithole I knew. He’d get in these sloppy moods of giving me life advice, like I was his real son [...] He’d look at me with those dark, sad eyes and lay this on me.
Earlier, Demon learned from from Haillie, the McCobs' daughter, that her parents planned to dip into the funds that Demon earned from his job working for an operation that he suspects is a meth lab. Furious, he berates the McCobs and recovers his money, which he plans to use to find his grandmother in Tennessee. Later, Mr. McCob speaks with Demon, using pathos in his apology and acknowledging his own deep sense of shame. Mr. McCob feels "like a loser" as a result of his financial difficulties, claiming that it "almost killed him" to steal from Demon.
His highly emotional response to Demon emphasizes his own feelings of guilt and embarrassment, and even the family dog appears remorseful. In some regards, Mr. McCob's use of pathos is successful, as Demon feels, ironically, like he, rather than Mr. McCob, should offer an apology for his outburst. The novel presents Mr. McCob as an unscrupulous man whose plight nevertheless warrants sympathy, as he has few legitimate avenues for supporting his family despite his eagerness for employment.
Related Themes:
