George Saunders and David Foster Wallace Speeches’ Theses

Reading between the lines of Saunders’ and Wallace’s speeches, it is clear that the speeches are spiritual bits of guidance to the graduates emphasizing the value of goodness. In his message, for example, Saunders encourages the audience not to live a life of remorse by cultivating the character of exercise and displaying Kindness in all of their life endeavors. Similarly, Wallace emphasizes to the graduates the value of living a life free of selfishness in his voice. George Saunders’ speech which has stood the test of time unlike other commencement speeches that are forgotten days later after the graduation ceremonies, is entirely a piece of advice to the graduates on how to live a life of no regrets when they finally get old. The 2013 speech captures a bit of Saunders life moments including work life and relations to his neighborhood. Therefore, the speech features a story that highlights the people’s actions towards others and what they do when they have options. Nonetheless, the speech informs the audience of the risks of focusing too much on work in order to achieve success. In this view, Saunders compares work and success to a growing mountain which has no end and can eventually cut and exclude an individual from interacting with the environment. Above all, the speech is centered on the theme of kindness which he urges the graduates to inculcate within their actions and poses as a character so as not to regret at an old age like he did.
Interpretation of Sounders Speech
Understanding and conceptualizing the intention of the speech reveals that it is an advisory note to the graduating students. Saunders is already exposed to the dangers of working hard in order to be successful in life to the level that one forgets about certain simple life aspects that can result into living a happy life that every graduate student aspire and works towards achieving. Saunders, thus, creates awareness that to access the benefits that come with hard work and social interactions, everyone has to develop the character of being kind. Notable for taking into account is that by being kind and exercises kindness to others, doors open and many opportunities come along to grant persons a happy life that everyone desires. He compares kindness actions to be the driving force among parents that they even feel accomplished when they face all dangers and sorts of risks for their children.
Correspondingly, David Foster Wallace Speech is another weighty speech that is integral to offering moral values and worth an audience time. Like George Sounders speech, Wallace speech has stood the test of time. For example, it is through his magnificent and moving speech that he is remembered approximately seven years later after his death. Though he never regarded his speech as an advisory note to the students and an inspirational source and urged them to regard it as they deemed necessary, the contents of his speech can change lives.
Summary of David Foster Wallace Speech
Wallace’s speech commences with a story of two young fish swimming in water and not aware of what they are swimming in. The story of two young fish told by Wallace informs the audience signified the certain normal and obvious life aspects that surround the human environment yet they are as preoccupied and busy with work and concerned about themselves. His speech highlights the concept of individuals seeing themselves as the center of the universe and the most important being in existence. The speech notes that people are more concerned about them and consider their needs so urgent and immediate at the expenses of others whom may be in intensive danger. The speech is entirely summarized by urging the individuals to desist from the default –setting that regards selfishness and individual preference at the expense of others.
Interpretation of Wallace Speech
Wallace through the speech informs the target audience that it is high time that each of them steered away from the individual default setup of identifying themselves as the only beings at the center of the universe. Through stories told within the speech, an understanding that many people are intensely preoccupied with work that they forget to be informed of their environment and the problems that exist with the society. For example, when caught in a traffic jam while coming from work, individuals only see themselves as being stuck in the traffic at the expense of others who are also stuck in the same traffic while coming from work. Hence, his piece of advice to the graduating students who are yet to face the real life facts is that they are should not be so much concerned with work in order to be successful at the expense of their lives, the environment, and the neighbors. Nonetheless, he urges the audience to consider the interests of other in order to achieve certain life objectives such as happiness, accomplishment, and success which is an abstract and defined in the context of individual virtues and values.
Comparison and Contrast
The speeches have a common purpose and same message to deliver to the audience. For instance, both of them are purposed to inspire the graduates and the message is that they find it necessary to develop the culture of being kind towards others and stop putting themselves at the center of the universe it all the expects to live happy lives and not regret when it is too late. Similarly, the orators use inside stories at the beginning of the speeches to illustrate to the audience the moral concepts and benefits that come with being kind towards others. However, Saunders speech is quite simple in contrast the Wallace speech that is quite complex based on the word diction in order to send the message home.
Synthesis of the original Idea
The original idea is to understand the pillars that make good speeches outstanding and be used for educational purposes. For example, in the context of commencement speeches, it is expected that the speeches serve to inspire the graduates on certain life by giving them relevant examples and what to expect from putting the pieces of advice into practice.
Conclusion
Concisely, the speeches are exemplary in the case of educational purposes and understanding of what to expect from well-constructed speeches. For example, the language use should be understandable to the target audience and the speech is formal besides being persuasive. Above all, speeches should contain messages that are informative to the audiences and prepares them on how to react and counter real life situations which have been depicted in the Saunders and Wallace speeches.
 
Work Cited
Lovell, Joel. “George Saunders’s Advice to Graduates.” New York Times 31 (2013).
Wallace, David F. This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, About Living a Compassionate Life. New York, NY: Little, Brown & Co, 2009. Internet resource.