The commencement speech "This is water"'s profound and meaningful tone as well as it's back story to the speaker made it my favorite speech to this day.
Upon reading this speech aloud, i noticed that my voice would gain more aggressiveness or calming tones depending on what part I was reading. I would stop and think after every paragraph, compiling my thoughts as the diction made it compulsive. The literary and rhetorical devices added to it's interesting premise. Yet, it was the speaker, David Foster Wallace, and his own personal struggle that made this speech the most unrivaled I have ever taken the time to read.
The meaning behind the speech that Wallace wishes to convey is to live a meaningful life. In which, he definitely did. Yet, he struggled with depression and suicidal tendencies. His natural inclination was to focus on self. With this personal struggle of his he determined that everyone struggles with it at some degree. "Selfishness is the root of all kinds of evil." In my opinion, his personal story gave this speech more depth and meaning even though I already loved his piece without knowing much about him this added a type of vigor. Thank you, David Foster Wallace, for your speech has definitely changed my outlook on many things.
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