Full Answer
What are the keywords of this is water by David Foster Wallace?
Main keywords of the essay: David Foster Wallace, commencement speech, analysis, two young fish, old fish, This is Water Essay characters: David Foster Wallace, old fish, two young fish Size: 959 words, 3 pages. Flash Kincaid readability index: 56.6
Who is David Foster Wallace?
David Foster Wallace was an American writer and a university professor in the disciplines of English and creative writing, and is now renowned all over the world for his highly acclaimed essays, novels and short stories.
Is David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech humorous?
The graduating audience appears to laugh at various times in the speech, but I don’t think David Foster Wallace intended for any of it to be humorous. He’s calling out the “default setting” of the unconscious human minds that are all too common in mainstream society.
What is the purpose of education according to David Foster Wallace?
In David Foster Wallace's “This Is Water,” he discusses what it means to live outside of your own default setting. He explains that the purpose of getting an education is to be able to consciously choose what you think about, and to have the ability to see life through someone else's “template.”
What is the message in This is Water?
It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over: 'This is water.
What is the purpose of This is Water by David Foster Wallace?
David Foster Wallace, in his essay “This is Water”, addresses the importance of awareness and perceptiveness of others. He believes this and proper education can help people become well-adjusted to the world around them. He adopts a humorous, personal, and important tone in order to accomplish his rhetorical purpose.
What is Wallace referring to when he uses water as a metaphor?
“This is water.” “This is water.” In David Foster Wallace's commencement speech at Kenyon College he used “This is Water” as a metaphor for the conscious awareness of others.May 27, 2014
What is the meaning of the fish story What is Wallace telling us about ourselves?
The message of the fish story is that the most obvious and important realities are the hardest to see. Often, this is because our natural setting is to be self-centered and to interpret everything through this lens of self.Aug 2, 2018
What is the main idea of Wallace's essay?
Wallace's speech talked about changing a person's perspective and attitude on others around them. The way a person thinks can have the biggest difference in their life. As a child, Steve Jobs was put up for adoption, then later in his life, dropped out of college, and even got fired from a company he started himself.Sep 5, 2013
What is water summary?
water, Inorganic compound composed of hydrogen and oxygen (H2O), existing in liquid, gas (steam, water vapour), and solid (ice) states. At room temperature, water is a colourless, odourless, tasteless liquid. One of the most abundant compounds, water covers about 75% of Earth's surface.
What is Wallace's tone in this is water?
Wallace attempts to create a humble, personal tone through the use of informal diction, ethical appeals, and personal encounters in order to connect with his audience and shift them to see that they are not alone in this struggle, and they must prevail in order to truly be “living.” Wallace's argument is successful due ...
What rhetorical devices are used in this is water?
Pathos, Ethos & LogosPathos.Bringing out emotional response from the audience.Wallace talks about realistic situations which happens to almost everyone after college.Ethos.Establishing credibility by demonstrating that he has experience in what he is talking about.Example: “ I tend to be automatically certain…. ... Logos.More items...
What is water fish story?
The speech opens with an anecdote about fish swimming in the ocean. Two young fish are asked by an older fish, “How's the water?” and one young fish turns to the other and says, “what the hell is water?” Wallace uses this story to point out that often, like fish in the ocean, we're not aware of what surrounds us.
Do fish know they are in water?
Fish don't know they're in water. If you tried to explain it, they'd say, “Water? What's water?” They're so surrounded by it that it's impossible to see. They can't see it until they jump outside of it.Jun 19, 2011
What is the point of Wallace's story example of the two men in the bar in Alaska?
There are these two guys sitting together in a bar in the remote Alaskan wilderness. One of the guys is religious, the other is an atheist, and the two are arguing about the existence of God with that special intensity that comes after about the fourth beer.Jul 13, 2016
What does Wallace mean by the anecdote about the fish at the beginning of This is Water?
The author of “This is Water”, David Foster Wallace, uses the anecdote of the wise old fish and the younger fish to show us the importance of being aware of our surroundings.
Background
This speech was originally delivered by David Foster Wallace as the 2005 commencement address at Kenyon College.
Speech Transcript
There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys, how’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”
Who gave the speech "This is water"?
The speech “This Is Water” was originally delivered by David Foster Wallace in 2005 at Kenyon College. Wallace was born on February 21st,1962, and finally died on September 12th, 2008. He was an American novelist who received his High School Diploma from Urbana High School and studied at the University of Arizona which is where he completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing, and later in his life attended Harvard University for philosophy but later left the program. Immediately into Wallace’s speech, you’re thrown the question of what is the meaning of liberal arts. Wallace suggests throughout his speech that the purpose of higher education isn’t for the material value, but instead to change how one thinks. Wallace argues that the ability gained from greater education helps one be more conscious of the decisions their making and from that greater consciousness they can decide what’s more important to think about and if there’s more options to choose from.
How effective is Wallace's speech?
Wallace’s speech is effective in regards that his arguments contain examples that have an emotional connection to the audience. The format of the speech and constantly redirecting the arguments back to the examples he used, to then successfully clarify why he used them and what it means is the most fruitful part of “This is Water”. Wallace argument is to always have perspective, even in very stressful and frustrating situations, there are people that have it worse, much worse. Don’t be blind sides enough to recognize that either. Your situation is never the worst and probably never will be, having this kind of perspective makes people feel like their not alone and if anything more open-minded to would could have happened or to what is happening.
How does Wallace use pathos?
Wallace uses mainly logos and pathos throughout his speech to connect with his audience and spark critical thinking. Wallace makes his argument starting with things like selfishness, self-centeredness and that constant frustration that the world is somehow out to get you. Wallace uses anecdotal experiences, but these experiences are something the listener can connect to because of the first-hand experience in similar situations. Foster also uses phrases like “you guys get the idea” and“you guys understand” to slowly bridge the gap between speaker and listener. This in a sense relaxes the audience and helps Wallace explain the point he’s trying to prove using the hypothetical scenario. Wallace uses logos in his hypotheticals or anecdotal situations to deduce that humans have the capability to change their perspectives logically. Wallace also went on an emotional rollercoaster when he talked about people at the grocery store and the negative emotional responses that are produced in those moments, for example, a regular college graduate who came home but realized him/her didn’t have enough groceries so they have to sit through long and frustrating traffic and miserable waiting lines in the grocery store can create an emotional response which in most cases would be a convincing emotional appeal.
Who is David Foster Wallace?
David Foster Wallace was an American writer and a university professor in the disciplines of English and creative writing , and is now renowned all over the world for his highly acclaimed essays, novels and short stories.
What does Wallace focus on?
In conclusion, Wallace focuses on showing empathy along with compassion towards other people. Regardless of the situation, one should have the opportunity to witness life and everything around from different angles. You have the power to not become stressed or anxious about anything.
What is the author's purpose in this is water?
The author of “This Is Water” uses the unique creation of persona through default setting, repetition of keywords, and ethos to get his message of the personal obligation our society needs in order to face “our lives, bodies, and minds.”. David Foster Wallace was an American writer and a university professor in the disciplines ...
How does Wallace establish his credibility?
He begins to establish his credibility through his use of ethos to make it clear that he does not want to preach or oversee the reader and their expectations. Wallace is simply trying to prevent the reader from thinking they’re listening to someone who holds a higher authority than the average person.
Why did Wallace use repetition throughout his graduation speech?
Wallace utilizes repetition throughout his graduation speech hoping to persuade the class to view the world as a whole instead of individually by stating, “If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life then you will never have enough.
What happens when you worship power?
Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid. Lastly if you worship your intellect as a consequence you will begin to feel stupid”. His point in repeating “worship” and the parallelism of his sentences mirror the daily routine that most people tend to live.
What is the lesson of Wallace?
According to the author, his main lesson concerns “default setting,” referring to the idea of daily tasks most of the audience happen to commit without acquiring the thought of if it’s the right thing to do or not. Wallace demonstrates how in mainstream society, people often forget about what they’re most passionate about.
1. Impress People With Your Work
The first day of Freshman year, I listened to a speech from this dude that worked at Google during their very first days as a company. Honestly, I was barely paying attention. But, for some odd reason, I remember his advice: impress people with your work. It means less talking and more action.
2. Take Control of Your World
I was a music major when I started college, studying percussion, music business, and music recording. My percussion instructor was strict, organized, insightful, and lively.
4. Everyone Is Interesting
I took a poetry class the next semester, which was pretty fucking terrifying because we had to read our poems to the class. So, the first lesson I learned in that class is that uncomfortable situations lead to growth. “Uncomfortable pleasantries,” because what’s necessary is rarely comfortable, and what’s comfortable rarely leads to growth.
5. Learn from Everything
Ryan Holiday probably doesn’t remember this at all, but it stuck with me when he told me “There is always something you can learn in every situation. It’s not all top down teaching though.” Learn from everyone and everything. Learn 30 things per year. I learned from my friend Liam that you should add one person to your network each day.
What was David Foster Wallace's famous address about?
David Foster Wallace’s famous 2005 address was about privilege. Almost 20 years ago, David Foster Wallace gave a widely circulated and highly praised commencement address at Kenyon College with the title “ This is Water ”. At the time, many took it as an eloquent statement about compassion.
What was Wallace talking about?
Wallace was talking about privilege. These days, I suppose we might label it “white privilege” or even “white supremacy culture”, words which to many ears are so jarring and sharp-edged that we immediately become defensive. That cannot possibly be true, we think. That has nothing to do with me. Sadly, I am here to tell you, it does have to do with us and it is incumbent on us to fix it.
