ethos meaning characters or who has authority figure in the passage, pathos that means the emotional connection, and then logos the logic behind the passage. Walkers, usage of all three concepts pathos, ethos, and logos are clearly used well in he known human suffering throughout history and makes the argument that humanity has the ability to empathize and understand these emotions if only enough attention were paid. Walker focuses on the eyes of the horse, claiming "…I had forgotten the depth of feeling one could see in horses' eyes" (380), and tries to explain to her readers that animals wear their emotions in their eyes to be easily read, "They are in fact completed creations…; it is in their nature to express themselves. And…they are ignored," (380). This statement from Walker indicates a sense of frustration with humanity's outlook and treatment of horses and other animals. Walker feels that instead of viewing animals as heartless creatures, perhaps human beings should make more of an attempt to empathize with them by viewing animals as having the same suffering capabilities as human beings.
Walker points out that humanity is perhaps not so different than animals, which is indicated in the actual title of her piece "Am I Blue?" This title, which on the surface can be interpreted as "Am I Sad?", becomes much clearer as one reads the piece. "Blue" is the name of the lonely horse that she interacts with everyday
Walker's comparison to the former mistreatment of Africans or Native Americans also calls to light a remarkable similarity. In essence, these tragedies were the embodiment of misguided power and the destruction of innocence and purity which is also the case for Blue. Walker noted that his eyes began to say something different, something tragic to watch, "…a new look, more painful than the look of despair: the look of disgust with human beings, with life…It gave him, for the first time, the look of a beast" (382). In the piece, it is remarked that a white horse is the "very image of freedom", which is quite ironic. Walker remarks that "…the animals are forced to become for us merely 'images' of what they once so beautifully expressed." With the use of compare/contrast techniques, Walker points out the irony in humanity's view of animals. Walker is trying to show that humanity never looks any deeper than the surface and that things are much more complicated than most individuals are prepared to accept. As in the case of slavery, Walker points out that our treatment of animals is what makes them "beasts".
Walker's intended audience is a broad one. This piece seems to be directed towards those who do not take animal suffering as a significantly tragic event. Walker is no doubt an animal enthusiast, but instead of taking an angry or even accusing approach, she attempts to instead evoke a sense of