Rhetorical Analysis of Cabeza de Vaca written by Alvar Nunez (focusing on ethos, pathos, and logos in chapter 34 of the book)

In Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca's Relacion, Cabeza de Vaca writes an account of his disastrous expedition to the New World, as well as providing a legal document in which the rhetoric of his narrative transforms his story of failure into a story of success. In chapter thirty-four, Cabeza de Vaca uses the three elements of rhetoric; ethos, logos, and pathos, to express that Spanish law is unsuitable for the circumstances encountered in the New …

…to persuade him that he can't be held responsible for the failure of the expedition. Within chapter thirty-four, Cabeza de Vaca presents the Indians as mistreated civilized people, who would be willing to convert to Christianity if it wasn't for the Christians terrorizing the lands. Subsequently, living through the expedition has allowed Cabeza de Vaca to return to Spain with knowledge the King could put to use when creating a new system of Spanish law.