The Last Lecture is a novel about a boy/man named Randy Pausch who grew up in Pittsburgh, but then had to move to Virginia because he found out he had pancreatic cancer. When Randy discovered that he had cancer his decisions no longer were only for him, but were also for his family. In this novel the readers learn really what Randy was about and what he lived for. Rather than Randy just making this novel because he wanted people to mourn over him having cancer, Randy made this novel because he wanted his kids and others to grow up achieving their childhood dreams and to not waste anytime doing so. Randy’s techniques for writing this novel is unique because the readers weren't sorry for Randy when reading this novel, they actually were inspired
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One rhetorical device that Randy Pausch uses to change his novel from being a “I’m dying from cancer” type of book to a book about how to live your life and how to achieve your childhood dreams is comic relief. Comic relief is when you bring humor into a serious situation. As all the readers besides the “elephants in the room” know that Randy has cancer and he doesn't want his novel to be just about that, but rather how to live your life and achieve your goals before something terrible like cancer comes into your path. In the beginning of Randy's lecture when he first lets his audience know that he has cancer he tells them “If i don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to …show more content…
Cause and effect relationships are when an author tells the readers reasons for an event. In Randy’s situation he explains to the readers why he is doing his last lecture. The reason Randy is doing his last lecture is because he wants his kids to “find their own path to fulfillment. And given that I won't be there, I want to make this clear: Kids, don't try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become” (Pausch 306). Randy's cause and effect relationship didn't revolve around the fact that he had cancer and was dying, but rather his cause was about him not being able to be the parent his kids need so he made this in order for his kids and his younger audience to follow their dreams, whatever they dream of, but he wanted them to achieve
One rhetorical device that Randy Pausch uses to change his novel from being a “I’m dying from cancer” type of book to a book about how to live your life and how to achieve your childhood dreams is comic relief. Comic relief is when you bring humor into a serious situation. As all the readers besides the “elephants in the room” know that Randy has cancer and he doesn't want his novel to be just about that, but rather how to live your life and achieve your goals before something terrible like cancer comes into your path. In the beginning of Randy's lecture when he first lets his audience know that he has cancer he tells them “If i don't seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to …show more content…
Cause and effect relationships are when an author tells the readers reasons for an event. In Randy’s situation he explains to the readers why he is doing his last lecture. The reason Randy is doing his last lecture is because he wants his kids to “find their own path to fulfillment. And given that I won't be there, I want to make this clear: Kids, don't try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become” (Pausch 306). Randy's cause and effect relationship didn't revolve around the fact that he had cancer and was dying, but rather his cause was about him not being able to be the parent his kids need so he made this in order for his kids and his younger audience to follow their dreams, whatever they dream of, but he wanted them to achieve