An effective advertisement will seamlessly integrate abstract concepts and concrete emotions. TV shows such as The Flash and Arrow rely on the use of pathos to ground the audience in reality. By appealing to pathos, the audience is more likely to concede to the ethos, logos, and kairos of a character. To take a case in point, if the individual becomes emotionally invested in a character, then the character’s actions seem more credible, ethical, and logical. This hypothesis functions on the idea that individuals believe that they themselves would not act unjustly. Consequently, when audiences attribute their moral reasoning to the characters, it seems they, the character, can do no wrong. It is only when the character …show more content…
In reality, common sense dictates that the police are the law. However, within the context of both shows, retributive justice is not enough to stop crime from occurring. Vigilantes and superhero are traditionally seen as criminals but due to the use of pathos you emotionally side with them. This is coupled with the use of backstories for both Arrow and The Flash. Both shows constantly refer to the main character’s backstory, which creates logos. It creates logos in the sense that the audience is given reason for why the characters act the way they do. For example, the Arrow killing people for survival and the Flash saving people because of his ethical code. Traditionally, killing is seen as immoral (as emphasized by Willa Holland’s character in the season 5 trailer), but the audience is forced to accept the idea that the Green Arrow has to kill for survival. They are forced to accept this idea because there is a perception that the Arrow was forced to act the way he does because of his past. To an extent, there is an enculturation for the audience into this new reality where survival trumps morality. The Green Arrow says statements like “the dead don’t want anything” to reflect his view that humans are inherently greedy and therefore deserving of punishment. By saying, “the dead don’t want anything” there is a use of ethos to …show more content…
For the Green Arrow, the color green is blatantly prevalent in all advertising for the show. The use of the color green is to suggest to the audience that the Green Arrows actions are justified. In our society, green means go. When the Green Arrow is hurting and or killing someone, the color green is present. This acts as a subconscious reminder that his actions should morally be “good to go”. The constant use of green in the advertisement is used to symbolize the constant presence of the Green Arrow. In contrast, the Flash uses mostly red and yellow colors. Colloquially, the colors yellow and red are associated with caution and stopping. This is ironic is considering that the superpowers of the hero and villain are super speed. Figuratively, the use of color suggests that red represent The Flash’s strict moral reservations. This is coupled with the theory that the yellow colors of the villain would suggest ambiguous moral reservations. If you have accepted these premises, then it is not nonsensical to draw the conclusion that the color green is indicative of the Arrow’s lack of moral