Throughout John Edwards "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and Plato's allegory of the cave (Republic, Book 7), many similarities can be identified. Both John Edwards and Plato use similar rhetorical strategies to make their audience think, and persuade them to share in their beliefs. John Edwards uses pathos, and more specifically fear, to convey his message to his listeners. He tells them that they will be forced the face the wrath of an angry god if they do not live the life he intends them to on Earth. Edwards uses analogies, metaphors and similes to strike fear into his listeners, forcing them to question themselves and consider the opinion of the rhetor. Plato used very similar strategies in his allegory of the cave. Plato presents the argument that the everyday things that we were "trained" to see and understand, may not be as they seem at all. This perplexing concept by Plato sends his audience shooting into a world of confusion. There, they begin to think about the legitimacy of Plato's ideas. By appealing to the emotions of his listeners, Plato is able to achieve his goal of forcing them into considering his argument. Both authors use similar rhetorical strategies to achieve the similar goal of making their audience think about and hopefully accept their argument.