Ethos, logos, and pathos are types of persuasion used by authors. Ethos moves the reader by using ethics and convincing him or her of the writer’s credibility. Carolyn Forché in “The Colonel” uses ethos to start off her work. The speaker states, “What you have heard is true. I was in his house,” reiterating that she knows what she is talking about in regard to the situation. She elaborates further by including several details about the visit to suggest her expertise on this topic.

Logos is the use of logic or reasoning in a piece of literature. It is used sparingly in this piece, but is probably best displayed in the sentence, “There was some talk then of how difficult it had become to govern.” This sentence sets the stage for the later display and provides a reason for why the colonel would have a sack of ears.

Pathos is the use of emotional appeal in a work. In “The Colonel,” pathos is abundant at the end of the work. “My friend said to me with his eyes: say nothing” shows fear, which is justified when the colonel brings out a bag of ears and throws them onto the table. The work ends with disgust and horror.