What does the term 'bathos' refer to in writing or speech?

Bathos refers to a sudden shift from the serious or elevated to the trivial or absurd, often creating a sense of insincerity or overly sentimental quality in writing or speech. This stylistic device is used to evoke pity, often through exaggerated emotion that can appear disingenuous or poorly executed. It typically occurs when a writer attempts to heighten the emotional stakes but instead ends up falling short, leading to a disconnect between the intended emotional impact and the audience's response. In literary contexts, bathos can result in unintended humor or a lack of seriousness, which is why it is most closely associated with insincerity in eliciting pity. This contrasts with other options, which describe different literary techniques or effects not aligned with the primary meaning of bathos.