It's Almost State Patty's Day

I am sure that if you are a Penn State student, you are well aware that next weekend marks State Patty’s Day. Though I have not experienced this festivity, I have the impression that it is chaotic and wild. Regardless, from the email warnings and word on the street, it is clear that the administration and police are not so psyched about what may happen. Therefore, I would like to take a closer look at one of the warnings the community has given to students discouraging a following for State Patty’s Day. This is a letter a friend of mine received from the local police, which he uploaded to Facebook.

I would like to start off looking at the top of the letter, which is ornamented, with the letterhead of the State College Police and two seals. It is clear that they mean business, and this is an instant appeal to the reader’s ethos. Surely, this letter is actually from the police, and the Chief of Police’s name and contact information are at the top as well. The overall arrangement of the letter adds to the appeal to ethos too. It is written as a business letter with bullet points and is a generic, noting that the greeting is just “Dear Resident.”

The arrangement of the letter also works to appeal to the recipient’s logos. Seeing it, the person knows it is from the police, creating the instinct to abide by the law and authority. The clarity of the bullet points helps to make the desired actions of the recipient clear. The specific arrangement of ideas works to create a sequence that helps the reader understand the concerns of the police and perspective they have. First, the police say that they “seek your assistance” as opposed to demand, an appeal to pathos through the gentler tone and use of first person, then appeal to pathos again by validating the reader’s knowledge by saying, “as you are probably aware,” then following with a brief summary of what State Patty’s day is, followed by examples of what happened in the past, and drawing the conclusion that it is dangerous, not only for the reader, but the community. Presenting the reader the facts and relating it personally to him/her appeals to logos and makes obedience easier and not forced.

There is also an appeal to pathos in the way that the letter compares State Patty’s Day to home football weekends and the Arts Festival. Allowing the reader to fill in the facts about these events and what they consist of validates his opinion and makes him feel knowledgeable. Explaining all of these events could come off as condescending to the reader, creating anger and bitterness, possibly resulting in disobedience and rebellion.

Giving specific actions to take against the potential dangers of State Patty’s Day leaves the reader with the feeling that he can be influential, again appealing to pathos.

With the intent of preventing a ruckus on State Patty’s Day weekend, the police’s letter appeals to pathos, logos, and ethos, but will it work? I guess time will tell.