Pathos is important in persuasive communication because it helps speakers and writers:
Establish a strong emotional connection between the audience and themselves. By appealing to emotions like compassion or sorrow, communicators can build rapport and a sense of shared understanding with the audience. This, in turn, makes the audience more receptive to what they have to say.
Maintain the audience’s attention. When someone stirs up strong emotions in us, we are more likely to pay attention to what they have to say.
Humanize abstract issues. Pathos makes abstract or distant issues more relatable through the use of storytelling and personal anecdotes.