The point of an argument is to attempt to have your opposing side see reason
in your personal views on the situation. In George Saunders's 'Advice to Graduates,'
he uses aspects of argumentative devices to persuade his audience to consider his
suggestion to be more kind and respectful to others. Through kairos and stasis,
Saunders is able to convince the readers to understand his perspective.

In regards to the convention kairos, Saunders elaborates through the four
principles: timeliness, urgency, awareness, and venue. Although the speech is
supposedly given at a high school graduation, Saunders's proposition is perfect for
the age group of present day college students of all ages and even any other adult
age. The issue of respectfulness is always a current theme and should continuously
be addressed. All age ranges are able to benefit from Saunders's; therefore, it is an
appropriate argument for any time or fashion. In regard to the urgency of
portraying kindness, Saunders suggests, 'as you get older, your self will diminish
and you will grow in love. YOU will gradually be replaced by LOVE'.
If life eventually falls into a respectful nature, why wait? Saunders mentions that
merely waiting for yourself to age and morph your own personality into a more kind
and caring one is a waste of time, and there is no reason not to be reverent now as
young adults. Saunders encourages the urgency of his argument: 'Life is going to be
a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry up. Speed it along.
Start right now'.

As Saunders personally addresses the students, he maintains informal,
teenager slang; therefore, he keeps the targeted audience engaged and aware of the
direct message. Opening the speech, he relates back to many scenarios from his
own personal high school days. By relating to the students on an even and
understandable level, Saunders is able to convey his message in a more direct and
assertive way without seeming foreign to the students. Because his stories and
easy- 'going diction create a sense of level understanding, it is easier for the students
to recognize the importance of being kind and starting to do so at a young age. The
venue in which this speech is held only benefits Saunders in that he is speaking to a
group of high school seniors who are about to embark on a monumental transition
in life and can always use words of wisdom. Not only are there eighteen- 'year- 'old
students hearing Saunders' advice, but also parents, grandparents, siblings, and
cousins of various ages also present for the speech. The significant age range aids
his words of guidance because he is informing a diverse audience that they need to
begin at a young age to be respectful and kind. This fact exemplifies his argument:
each age is equivalent to a step in the direction of a fully respectful and selfless
personality. Saunders addresses the progression of achieving selflessness by
referencing the parents and how proud they are of their child or children and that
by having kids, it is a step into personal unselfishness: '[They] really won't care
what happens to [THEM], as long as [you] benefit'. By providing such
a personal and obvious example, Saunders is able to easily convey his point to both
the students and the entire audience. Through the values of kairos, Saunders
asserts his opinion of the importance of kindness in a clear and understandable
manner to the high school graduates.

Additional to the kairos, Saunders also uses the concept of the stasis theory.
Although he uses many points to prove his idea that kindness is an ideal virtue,
Saunders also acknowledges many situations to allow for a clear dispute. He admits
that 'kindess' is hard- '- ' starts our all rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to
include' well everything'. The metaphor relates that the value of
kindness is an obtainable goal; however, it can lead to difficult situations where
being respectful is the tougher choice. Through asking effective questions, Saunders
provokes thought into the developing minds of the young graduates as they are
about to embark on a journey that changes their lives. At this point in time, the
students have a chance to ponder the thoughts of how to evaluate their lives and
decide what choices they want to take for their next steps. Saunders forces the
graduates to use their minds in a creative, innovative and machine- 'like manner to
produce how they wish to spend their futures. Questions of conjecture, definition,
quality, and policy also aid Saunders in proving his notion that kindness is a vitally
necessary characteristic.

Kindness is a trait that is always included within a personality; however, it is
dependent upon the individual as to how much it is displayed. Saunders says, 'If
we're going to become kinder, that process has to include taking ourselves
seriously'. One must maintain a clear and selfless mind to become
fully respectful to others. Why should we even feel the need to be respectful in the
first place? Saunders remarks that 'as we get older, we come to see how useless it is
to be selfish'how illogical, really'. He approaches his argument
with the sense that all people should be respectful and kind because there is no
reason not to be. Kindness is acting in benevolence, wanting others to benefit and
acting in a compassionate, caring manner. The more kind people there are, the
more thoughtfulness that is promoted in the world, which is what Saunders
encourages. Kindness is a perfectly acceptable trait that should be sought after.
There is never a situation in which treating an individual with respect would result
in being looked down on in any way. Saunders advises the students to do other,
ambitious things including traveling, making money, earning fame, innovating or
leading any group; however, he wishes them to do so and to 'err in the direction of
kindness'. The quality of kindness as a personality trait is one of
upmost esteem and should be sought after by all. It is an honorable quality to
maintain compassion toward others and will ultimately result in a rewarding life.
The steps to becoming a kinder person involve releasing selfish thoughts and
merely placing others' needs before your own. Saunders informs the students to
'Avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial [, and] do those things
that incline you toward the big questions'. To maintain the kind and
respectful nature within oneself, one must 'clear everything that keeps you separate
from [your] secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture
it, share its fruits tirelessly'. According to Saunders, by taking his
recommended steps, one can uphold a respectable and kind, outreaching
personality. Due to his extensive use of the stasis theory, Saunders is able to
persuade his audience that kindness is an ideal trait to preserve.

Undoubtedly, Saunders's argument proves manifold points of advice.
Through the use of conventions such as kairos and the stases theory, Saunders is
able to persuade his audience to agree that kindness is a quality trait that should be
maintained. A compassionate and kind nature should always be a priority
throughout one's life.
5

