
In the article, "Media Images Are Unrealistic" by Hilary Rowland, ethos plays a big part in relaying the argument that the media promotes unrealistic images of women. Rowland argues that thinness is a "domino effect," where actresses compete to please the media with their thinness (Rowland). This race for obtaining a thin body hurts women and even men, due to the media advertising the perfect body. Society is fed by the media images of women who are praised for their thinness and beauty. This has a negative impact on the way women and young girls see themselves, which demotes self-confidence. Rowland is arguing that the media portrays unrealistic images of beauty, strategically altering models and actresses to look "perfect." She argues that this fake body image circulating in society is hurting women, making them feel insecure about their own bodies. Rowland uses quotes from models and actresses as evidence to help support her argument and give it credibility. The author also incorporates logos and pathos along with ethos to affectively get her message across to the reader; however, the author could have used more of the pathos appeal to support her argument more efficiently. The author uses personal experiences of models to effectively support that women should not focus on the images in the media because they are fake and enhanced.  

Rowland crafts her ethos by providing examples and support for her argument, which is effective because she is reassuring readers that she is knowledgeable on the subject of media and body image. Rowland argues that images of models and actresses are touched up, and uses Elizabeth Hurley, a model, as support for this claim. Elizabeth Hurley admits that her breasts on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine were enlarged electronically (Rowland). This is false advertisement for young women who read these magazines and Rowland uses Hurley's claim to provide evidence that technology is used to produce false images. This is an effective way to support Rowland's claim and boost her credibility because the model's experience with photo shop persuades readers that magazines are involved in digital manipulation. Rowland continues to use ethos because it appeals to her readers that she is a reliable source. She quotes Christy Turlington, a model, as she explains to Elle magazine, " ... when women see pictures of models in fashion magazines and say 'I can never look like that,' what they don't realize is that no one can look that good without the help of a computer" (Rowland). This is another example of a model admitting that the pictures are unrealistic, which adds credibility to Rowland's argument because she is providing reader's with an honest experience from an actual model. 

Invented ethos is created in this article because Rowland proves to the audience that she is a credible source by backing up her argument with evidence and examples, such as models being photo shopped. By providing information and experiences throughout the article, Rowland shows she has done her research on the advertisement of unrealistic body images. She uses the situated ethos of models and actresses in society to build up her invented ethos for her readers. Therefore, in using the credibility and experience of the women who are portrayed in the media, Rowland invents her own credibility by proving her knowledge of the subject to the audience. This is a good technique to show the reader that Rowland has reliable sources to back up her argument, and then adds to her situated ethos. The author is effective using the ethos appeal because she uses credible sources to back up her argument, which gives the article evidence and convinces the readers that she is a reliable source.

Rowland also incorporates logos and pathos into her argument. She uses Hurley's experience as logos to show women that it is a logistic fact that breasts and other details of the body can be enlarged. She persuades the audience that the media digitally alters their advertisements by providing a reliable example of this actually happening. Therefore, the model admitting to having her breasts enlarged for a magazine logically proves that this is happening in the media. Rowland uses an emotional appeal within the argument to reason with women to try and stop comparing themselves to the false images in magazines and in the media. She is directing her argument to a female audience, and therefore uses pathos to show that women should not allow the media to diminish their self-esteem, when technology removes flaws such as bulges, pimples, and stretch marks. Emotion is evoked when Rowland shares that " ... there are about 100 to 300 professional photographs taken for each published image you see. They are taken from the absolute best angle in the perfect lighting with the clothes pinned just so" (Rowland). This statement creates an emotional awakening in women readers because they understand advertisements portray an unnatural beauty that has been created. Women come to realize that regular people do not have professionals come into their home and do their makeup and hair each day, and lay out the perfect outfit. Rowland provides a connection with women and their normalcy by explaining that models get elaborately made up before a shoot, whereas normal people use their IPhone to capture a picture in the spur of the moment. By using the pathos appeal, Rowland distinguishes between models and normal people, where the word "normal" should not have a negative connotation but a positive one because normal beauty is natural. The addition of the two other appeals is an effective way for the author to continue to support her argument.

 Rowland could have incorporated more of the pathos appeal in her article, because her main audience is women she could have pulled more of an emotional side to her argument. Rowland could have persuaded through an emotional response because women understand the pressures to constantly look good and be skinny therefore they can relate to other stories on a personal level. To allow the readers to connect personally with the article, she could have incorporated more experiences from models who understand the unrealistic advertisements the media portray. Also, using stories and examples from young women who have succumbed to the pressures of looking perfect and how that drastically changed their life. These stories would connect to the readers and allow them to understand what is really going on behind closed doors of magazines and advertisements, and that there is no such thing as a perfect body. This connects better to the reader than Rowland trying to boost her credibility or trying to list facts, it creates an emotional connection to form from women in society who all struggle with the way they perceive their body. 

Rowland has used the appeal of ethos to effectively argue that the images of beauty advertised by the media are diminishing women's self esteem. She uses ethos through including quotes and experiences from models and actresses to add to her credibility as a magazine writer. This is an effective way to show the reader that the author is knowledgeable about the subject she is arguing. However, she also incorporates the logos and pathos appeals in her argument. The logos effectively provide readers with factual information about a healthy weight and how magazines create enhanced images through technology. The pathos appeal creates an emotional connection with the women audience, however, Rowland could use this appeal more in her argument because the readers have their own experiences with body image and can benefit from this article. Rowland has effectively stated her argument by using the ethos appeal, and incorporating logos and pathos.

