Structure

Because this piece was originally given as a commencement speech at a college graduation ceremony, it is structured as a direct address to a specific audience. However, due to the largely universal nature of the ideas and wisdom contained within the speech, any person or group may fulfill the role of audience. Wallace begins by establishing his goal to speak to trenchant and ubiquitous truths; he states that such ubiquitous truths often become obscure and seem trite due to the very fact of their constancy. In this way, Wallace primes his audience to consider his following points as they apply universally to everyday life.

Much of the speech is dominated by Wallace’s examination of personal experience and one’s own role in interpreting and drawing meaning from personal experiences. Wallace operates on the idea that adult life is generally dominated by drudgery and routine, and that...