This is Water by
David Foster
Wallace
The text originates from a
commencement speech given by
Wallace at Kenyon College on
May 21, 2005.
Today
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You need computers and handout I give you (Don’t lose
it)
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Blank Document and Copy of Wallace’s “This is Water”
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We will begin first part of argument essay - responding
to David Foster Wallace’s speech
Summary
Element 1. Good summaries only include the main ideas of the original text; they
leave out the details.
Skill involved - Being able to distinguish between the main ideas and the supporting
details.
Element 2. Good summaries are neutral and unbiased.
Skill involved - Basic reading comprehension and the ability to remain fair-minded.
Element 3. Good summaries only include information that is relevant to what you
(the writer) want to discuss.
Skill involved - Being able to see the relationship between the main ideas and the
focus of your own argument.
Element 4. Good summaries are in your words rather than the author’s words.
Skill involved - Reverse the sentence structure, use synonyms, indicate any direct
quotes with quotation marks.
Use for essay
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Use for essay - Summary of each and a relevant quote
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Banal platitudes
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Solipsism and Loneliness
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Education, Humility, and Critical Awareness
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Natural Default Setting and Empathy
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Routine, Monotony, Zen Outlook, and Intentional Choice
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Unconscious Meaning and Modes of Worship
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Awareness and Consciousness
Today
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Go to AP Language Website and open This is Water.
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Save a copy in your documents and open it.
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Open the Comments Section in the PDF.
Banal Platitudes
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Unoriginal (banal) moral statements (platitudes); cliches
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Explain what Wallace means by banal platitudes.
Solipsism
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Philosophical idea that only one’s mind is sure to exist.
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Knowledge outside of one’s own mind is unsure
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All experiences of a given person is private to that
person.
Solipsistic Journey
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In every conceivable state of mind (extreme agony and
extreme elation) and every possible emotion (sadness,
happiness, etc.), a person is and will always be
imperially alone.
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This, according to Wallace, is our default setting.
Education, Humility, and Critical
Awareness
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Real/True Education involves awareness, discipline and
attentiveness, and has less to do with factual knowledge
and rote learning.
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A real education is the reduction of one’s arrogance.
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Once must understand their own limitations of thoughts
and perceptions in order to be humble.
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It involves constructing meaning from experience.
Natural Default Setting and
Empathy
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Cacophonous strands of thoughts in our own mind forms
the background monologue of our consciousness.
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Empathy, then, is an alien concept to the human mind.
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We can’t experience others’ pain and pleasure.
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The challenge of human existence is to overcome the
Self and to actively sense and respond to others.
Routine, Monotony, Zen, and Intentional
Choice
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Adult existence is deeply entrenched in routine, structure, and
responsibility - and all the monotony that comes with it.
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Leaves us impatient for results and the lust for instant glory.
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Which in turn leaves us restless and bitter with angst and
disappointment.
We must reign or tame our sense of entitlement, expectation,
and gratification.
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Zen outlook - intentionally choosing to be freed from the
natural default setting of self-centeredness.
Unconscious Meaning and Mode of
Worship
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We allow our minds to unconsciously derive meaning on our
behalf, gradually becoming more and more selective and
choosy about what we aspire to or what excites us (and
conversely what we despise and what depresses us).
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No such thing as “Atheism”.
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Everyone subjugates themselves to something.
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Usually it’s an inflated sense of importance (arrogance).
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We therefore tend to worship those things that give us
self-importance.
Awareness and
Consciousness
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Purpose of an ideal education has got very little to do
with how much you know or how large of an intellect
you’ve developed.
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Education, real education, deals with simple awareness,
self-discipline, and the constant striving for attentive
consciousness.
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Letting go of one’s arrogance is the greatest challenge
for every human being.