One of the largest rhetorical strategies in the passage was the use of diction. Diction was used throughout in order to draw out more emotion from the audience and draw them more to the side of the author. The use of diction throughout the text causes the text to be more appealing and engaging to the audience, which causes them to be more intently focused on the opinions and ideas presented to them. Imagine if, “In the labyrinth of drug policy, amidst the shadows of punitive measures, a beacon of hope shines brightly” (Para. 1) was replaced with, “Drug policy is a confusing subject but there is still hope”. Both of these quotes mean the same thing, yet the first draws far more of the audience's attention due to the expressive language used when compared to the second. Detailed language like this makes the audience pay more attention to the speaker as they continue to lay out their ideas. Varied diction plays into the speaker's use of pathos and heightens its effects with vivid descriptions that allow the audience to see exactly what the speaker is …show more content…
It’s about tearing down walls, not building barriers. It’s about recognizing that every person, regardless of their background, deserves a fair chance at a better life.” (Para. 3) As seen in the previous quote, the distribution of emotional words throughout makes the audience connect more with the speaker as they envision themselves possibly in this position. This makes the audience fall more into the speaker's rhetoric and ideas as they begin to form a deeper connection. Pathos in the passages enhances the speaker's claims via both the use of emotional language but also high level descriptors. Descriptors and a high level of diction are easily seen in the quote, “But decriminalization offers a way out – a path to fiscal responsibility and economic revitalization. It’s about investing in people, not prisons. It’s about recognizing that our resources are finite and must be allocated wisely.” (Para. 4) Intertwining the claim with some emotion allows the audience to connect to the claims both from a logical point of view but also