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On Nonviolent Resistance by Gandhi (Methods of Appeal (Ethos ("There…
On Nonviolent Resistance by Gandhi
Methods of Appeal
Ethos
"There are two ways of countering justice. One method is satyagraha. One who resorts to it does not have to break another's head; he may merely have his own head broken." (278-279)
Throughout
On Nonviolent Resistance
, Gandhi builds credibility through his ethical and moral standards. When discussing the two methods in which one can counter justice, he brings up the method of smashing someone else's head and smashing one's own head in the process. In order to make this method sound worse than it already does, Gandhi refers to the death and war that is causing nations to decline. Later, he describes satyagraha as the preferred method because it does not hurt other people in the process. Gandhi leads his audience to believe that he is highly moral and ethical because he can see the difference between right and wrong.
"Shower what sufferings you like upon us; we will calm endure all and not hurt a hurt of your body. We will gladly die and will not so much as touch you." (279)
Gandhi is proving that he is an ethical leader who realizes that fighting back will only lead to a greater oppression of Indians. He builds morality and ethicality in his speech by stating that no matter what punishments his people are forced to endure, they will never succumb to fighting back with violence. They would not even amount to hurting a hair on the British' bodies.
Pathos
''All strong people in the world adopt this course. Everywhere wars are fought and millions of people are killed. This consequence is not the progress of a nation but its decline..." (278)
In the beginning of
On Nonviolent Resistance
, Gandhi appeals to the emotional side of his audience. He tugs at the heart strings of the sufferers he is speaking to when he explains that wars are constantly being fought and as a result of that, millions of people suffer and die. A reader who is prideful of their country would be distraught to know that their nation is declining, not increasing. Gandhi perfectly evokes emotion out of his readers which makes them want to make a change in the dangerously declining world.
"If you make laws to keep us suppressed in a wrongful manner and without taking us into confidence, these laws will merely adorn the statue books. We will never obey them." (279)
In this excerpt taken from Gandhi's
On Nonviolent Resistance
, Gandhi elicits feelings of unity and need for peaceful rebellion in the hearts of his audience. The line "we will never obey them" encourages the reader to not stand for the injustice that binds them to abuse and inequality. Gandhi's passion for peacefully protesting is seen in this quote and leaves the reader craving rebellion and disobedience.
Logos
"The other method is satyagraha... You our are sovereign, our Government, only so long as we consider ourselves your subjects." (279)
Gandhi pleads to go with the second method of countering justice and backs up that reasoning with why the Indians should revert to the second method. His reasoning appeals to the logical side of his audience because it is logically obvious that Britain can only be a sovereign if India and its inhabitants are the subjects.
"No country has ever become, or ever will become, happy through victory and war." (278)
Once again, Gandhi appeals to the logical aspect of his audience through his evidence-based reasoning. He states matter-of-fact statement that no country has ever come out of war a happy and better country. This statement supports his claim that India should not go into war against Britain, yet instead they should peacefully resist.
Purpose
The purpose of
On Nonviolent Resistance
is to make his listeners band together in unity to peacefully fight against the oppression that bound them to abuse and inequality. He encourages his beloved people to solve their problems without the help of violence and to resist from fighting with anger. According to Gandhi, people should value themselves and have self-respect.
Langauge
In his speech titled
On Nonviolent Resistance
, Gandhi repeatedly refers to the people that should peacefully resist as "we." By directly including himself in the people that should be resisting and not obeying, Gandhi is able to build credibility with the crowd. The enlightened listeners are able to put their trust in a leader who wants to unify the people and peacefully stand against the British.
Interestingly enough, Gandhi refers to the government of Britain in capital letters. He repeatedly writes "Government" with a capital G. By writing this way about the British government, Gandhi is proving that he still has respect and hope for a future with Britain. He does not necessarily want to continue to be oppressed by British politicians and individuals but he makes the connection that respect is what can unify his nation.
Despite the fact that his speech is very thought-provoking and crowd-pleasing, Gandhi not once loses his calming aura. He remains peaceful as he lists all that he and his people will endure even though his list is only full of dangerous threats. The calmness of his being and voice places reverence in the hearts of his listeners.