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Dialect
Definition of Ethos
Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Ethos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Ethos is... read full definition
Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Scene 6
Explanation and Analysis—Tom's Nicknames:
In order to support his family, Tom works at a warehouse. He finds the work unfulfilling, as his true passions lie in writing and reading. Jim O’Connor, who Tom eventually invites home for dinner, notices Tom’s unusual habits at work and begins addressing him by the nickname “Shakespeare,” as described in Scene 6:
He knew of my secret practice of retiring to a cabinet of the washroom to work on poems when business was slack in the warehouse. He called me Shakespeare.
Later, in Scene 7, while he is at the Wingfields’ home for dinner, Jim states that the other warehouse workers have also noticed Jim’s writing habits:
They call you Romeo and stuff like that.
These allusions to Shakespeare help characterize Tom’s personality and interests. The fact that Jim and the other warehouse workers refer to Tom with the nicknames “Shakespeare” and “Romeo” (an allusion to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) reveals how noticeable Tom’s interests in writing and literature are to the outside world. This information makes it easier to understand and empathize with Tom’s decision to abandon his family just like his father.
It is also important to remember that the play is a projection of Tom’s memory—he is presenting these facts to the audience. Thus, these allusions to Shakespeare, one of the most renowned writers in the world, can be understood as Tom using ethos to appeal to the audience’s respect for authority. By making a comparison of himself to Shakespeare, Tom underhandedly legitimizes his abandoning his family to pursue his literary dreams.
Related Themes:
Scene 7
Explanation and Analysis—Tom's Nicknames:
In order to support his family, Tom works at a warehouse. He finds the work unfulfilling, as his true passions lie in writing and reading. Jim O’Connor, who Tom eventually invites home for dinner, notices Tom’s unusual habits at work and begins addressing him by the nickname “Shakespeare,” as described in Scene 6:
He knew of my secret practice of retiring to a cabinet of the washroom to work on poems when business was slack in the warehouse. He called me Shakespeare.
Later, in Scene 7, while he is at the Wingfields’ home for dinner, Jim states that the other warehouse workers have also noticed Jim’s writing habits:
They call you Romeo and stuff like that.
These allusions to Shakespeare help characterize Tom’s personality and interests. The fact that Jim and the other warehouse workers refer to Tom with the nicknames “Shakespeare” and “Romeo” (an allusion to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) reveals how noticeable Tom’s interests in writing and literature are to the outside world. This information makes it easier to understand and empathize with Tom’s decision to abandon his family just like his father.
It is also important to remember that the play is a projection of Tom’s memory—he is presenting these facts to the audience. Thus, these allusions to Shakespeare, one of the most renowned writers in the world, can be understood as Tom using ethos to appeal to the audience’s respect for authority. By making a comparison of himself to Shakespeare, Tom underhandedly legitimizes his abandoning his family to pursue his literary dreams.
Related Themes:
