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The verb appeal has two quite distinct definitions and it seems that both could fit in my sentence.

1 : to arouse a sympathetic response
an idea that appeals to him

2 : to make an earnest request
We appealed to them for help.

Merriam-webster

Am I wrong to think that both meanings are possible in:

John appealed to Mary to be brave.

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With the sentence as given, only the second meaning is possible, i.e. John made an earnest request to Mary that she be brave.

"John appealed to Mary" is indeed ambiguous, and may mean that John aroused a sympathetic response in Mary, or that he made an (unspecified) earnest appeal to her. Adding "to be brave" specifies the nature of the earnest request, but cannot be understood in the context of the sympathetic response.

If John's bravery is an important part of his attractiveness to Mary, you could use "John appealed to Mary as being brave". If Mary wanted to be brave because of John, then "appealed" is the wrong verb. "Inspired" would be a better choice.

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It's good to check in various quality dictionaries. Cambridge Dictionary (here re-organised, otherwise slightly amended, and used very selectively) shows the usage (along with others):

appeal [verb] [no direct object] ...

{C1} to make a serious or formal request, especially to the public, for money, information, or help:

...

[+ to infinitive]: appeal to someone to do something

  • Church leaders have appealed to the government to halt the war. ...
  • Both sets of parents appealed to the kidnappers to release their son and daughter.

Compare

  • John appealed to Mary to be brave.

The dictionary focuses on 'dynamic verbs' ('to do something'), but stative verbs are quite acceptable:

  • Aberdeenshire education chief asks parents to be patient as ...

[Pat Scott; Grampian Online; March 2021]

The 'arouse interest in a person' sense is not listed as licensing the to-infinitive after the transitivising 'to' + complement:

appeal [verb] [no direct object] ...

to interest or attract someone: ...

appeal to someone

  • The new phone is designed to appeal to consumers who find normal phone tariffs confusing.

(Cambridge Dictionary; lower in article)

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