At the beginning of the speech, how does Saunders establish his relationship to his audience? How do the characteristics of this relationship preface the remainder of the speech?

This question encourages students to consider writer-audience relationship as a fundamental aspect of direct address. In specific reference to this speech, this question directs students’ attention to the personal attributes that Saunders finds relevant to his role as writer/speaker.

Discuss Saunders’s anecdote regarding the figure of Ellen. What are the primary impacts of this anecdote, and how does it relate to Saunders’ larger points?

This question directs students’ attention to Saunders’ anecdote about Ellen as a crucial rhetorical basis for the larger points that Saunders makes about kindness. Saunders emphasizes his regret at not being more actively kind to Ellen, who was generally either ignored or teased.

What does Saunders mean when he says that the most important people in a person’s life are the people “who were the kindest to you” (8)? How does this statement help to establish his main thesis?