In 'Advice to Graduates, ' George Saunders writes that the one thing he regrets in life is
not being kinder to a girl in the seventh grade. Saunders then implores his audience to just be
kinder to people in general'this advice to all of the graduates is very sound. Saunders's
argument is successful in many ways. First off, Saunders effectively uses the occasion of
graduation in crafting his argument. Secondly, he demonstrates awareness of his audience'
young adults'and he appeals to them by using humor, and just his relatable nature. Finally,
Saunders uses stasis theory'a stance or a stand on an issue--to convince his audience and the
reader to agree with his argument. The occasion of graduation, awareness of his audience, and
his use of the stasis theory all make the argument proposed in George Saunders's 'Advice to
Graduates' rhetorically sound.

George Saunders uses the emotions on graduation night'a sense of accomplishment,
hope, dreams of the future, and uncertainty'to fuel his argument. Graduation is viewed as a sort
of beginning, the start of something new, the journey into adulthood. Saunders uses this fresh
start to encourage his audience to start being kind''Since, according to me, your life is going to
be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry it up. Speed it along. Start right
now'. Saunders uses the students dreams of the future in to fuel his argument by
saying, 'And someday, in 80 years, when your 100, and I'm 134, and we are both so kind and
loving we're nearly unbearable, drop me a line, let me know how your life has been. I hope you
will say: It has been so wonderful'. Saunders also relies on the students'
uncertainty in life to empower his argument. Every young person looks up to someone older and
equates this age to wisdom. Saunders appears wise in his argument by talking about the things he
does not regret in life'swimming in the feces infested water, working dead end jobs, and being
poor. This wisdom Saunders has makes his argument more appealing and believable to the
audience, because these things would seem like things someone would regret, but Saunders does
not regret these things and instead regrets not being kinder to a girl in his childhood.

Throughout George Saunders, 'Advice to Graduates,' Saunders is very aware of his
audience; this knowledge of his audience greatly enhances his argument. Saunders uses humor in
his argument to seem relatable to the students''working terrible jobs like 'knuckle-puller' in a
slaughterhouse?' (And don't even ASK what that entails.)'. This humor engages
the audience on many more levels and ultimately makes the audience significantly more
interested in what Saunders has to say. Saunders also uses a story of a girl who was constantly
picked on; not being kind to her was the only thing he has ever regretted in life. This story is
important not only because it is the focal example in his argument, but also because it is
extremely relatable. Everyone at some point in their schooling remembers someone who always
received unwanted attention from the school bully, and because everyone has seen it, the
audience can sympathize and really try to be more kind to people in that situation. Saunders also
uses the audience's lack of experience in the real world to his advantage. Throughout the speech,
Saunders constantly says 'as you get older, when you get older, or when you have kids.'
Saunders uses these phrases and examples that relate to them because he has experienced this,
and the audience has not (except maybe the having kids part) therefore his audience can have no
contrary viewpoint to what he is saying.

Saunders uses stasis theory to create a successful argument. As stated above, Saunders'
argument in 'Advice to Graduates' is to always be kind to everyone in life, this is very easy to
argue using the stasis theory because virtually no one will take the opposing side'being mean to
people in life makes one happier. Saunders also evaluates how to achieve kindness in life''your
self will diminish and you will grow in love. YOU will gradually be replaced by love'. This evalutation of kindness gives the students a starting point for being kind, which is to
become more loving. Saunders also analyzes the subliminal way of thinking to make sense of the
fact, that in general people are not nice to other people. Saunders simply asks, 'why aren't we
kinder'? He then answers this question by saying that subliminally whether
humans mean too or not, humans always put the of the individual above the needs of others'
selfishness. As humans, ones innate sense of selfishness, makes one have to go out of his or her
way to be kind to someone. Saunders in his argument implores his audience to take this step.

To conclude, George Saunders creates an incredibly air tight argument for becoming kinder
to people in life. Far to many times people have skipped over an opportunity for a simple act of
kindness because it is out of their way, or would not be easy. Many people just fail to realize that
the happiness everyone strives for in their life is right in front of them and all they have to do is
show compassion. Saunders uses the feelings, emotions, the thought of a new beginning, and the
fear of the unknown, to create a strong argument. Saunders also uses, his knowledge of his
audience through conventional means of humor, relatable nature, and the ignorance of young
people, to craft his argument. Lastly, Saunders uses the stasis theory to see all sides of the
argument, and to come up with many different points inside his argument. The venue, knowledge
of his audience, and the stasis theory are used by Saunders to prove that kindness really is
important to happiness.

