Authors use repetition of certain words or phrases in writing in order to enhance their writing and to help convey the message they intend to display. This repetition shows importance or even a deeper meaning in the writing. In each instance the word is used, it can have the same meaning as it was previously used or it can also mean something completely different. It is up to not only the writer, but also the reader on how this message is comprehended. In David Foster Wallace’s ““This is Water”,” the repetition of the word ‘worship' means the same thing as one would expect based on a dictionary definition. This means that worship is what one must do throughout their life regardless of the situation. Worship stands for something between people that do think about something greater than themselves, but do not believe something that does not connect themselves to something greater than their individual belief. Worship is used often and is a theme in Wallace’s speech.

In this first of many instances, Wallace talks about how there is no such thing as atheism. He does not believe in it and says, “There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships” (Wallace 10). This sentence is the start to Wallace’s rant on the importance of worship. In this instance, Wallace is trying to say that no matter what people  think they do or they believe in, they still always worship. There is no way that a human can live without worshipping something and it is one of the most important human qualities. There is no way around worshipping. Worship is not just the first definition that pops up in someone’s head. In short, worship is just devotion. For example, maybe you are devoted to brushing your teeth in the morning. Wallace goes on to reiterate this point for the next couple sentences, showing proof that everyone must worship something. Not only does Wallace talk about how atheism does not exist, he goes on to explain the different things that can be worshipped.

We do not have a choice as a human to not worship. Everyone at some point in their life will worship something, but we can control what we want to worship. Having this control is very important and gives every single person their own choice. Wallace explains how there are so many different things someone could worship, but people default to a type of god as almost a safety net.  I believe that he says this and reiterates it because it shows a sense of choice to the audience. He then goes on to show the readers that there could be a problem if anything else is worshipped. The problem is that you cannot get enough of it. Take money as an example. If nothing but money is worshipped, no matter how much money someone has, it will never be enough. Another example could be a person. If someone is extremely devoted to a person, which in some cases they should be, then they’ll never get enough of them. Usually when this happens, marriage is the result. Exchange money or a person for anything desirable and the same principles will apply. What people worship is solely a personal decision, but they still have a decision to worship what they believe. 

In more instances, Wallace explains how worship can turn unconscious and that it is a default setting of our brains. Our brains act in very interesting ways so people need to be careful not to let their brain slide into these types of worship. Usually the decisions they make on a day to day basis are unconscious decisions. People do not even know what they’re doing because they are acting out of habit or natural instinct. At times, there is nothing wrong with these actions, but sometimes they can be dangerous. The brain will develop bad habits and force people to make wrong decisions. The danger with this is that the brain makes the wrong decisions so many times that eventually the decisions it’s making will start to seem like it’s the right decision. These are the types of worship that people need to watch out for. Worshipping things that should not be worshipped will soon become an unconscious decision. Not only does every human worship something and get to pick what they worship, they also have to be very careful when they make those decisions. 

The repetition of the word worship in David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water’ shows the importance of one single word. Wallace is trying to convey a message by using this type of repetition, as many authors do as well. Not only does repetition convey a message, but it mostly shows importance, as well as a deep meaning form the text. Wallace gives the text meaning, but it is totally up to the reader as to how the message is interpreted. Worship stands for more than just the dictionary definition, even though most people only look at it as that. As previously stated, each time the word ‘worship’ is used in the text, it can have the same meaning as previously used or something completely different. That is up to the interpretation of the reader, but Wallace has a certain direction in mind in which he wants readers to think. Wallace wants to explain that worship is a very important human quality and does this by coming about it from multiple different angles. Wallace shows that not only does every person have to worship something, but explains how and what options people have to worship. Each person has their own choice as to what it is that is important to them and should be incorporated in their lives. As one of the main themes in David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water”, the word ‘worship’ connects reader’s individual belief and the speech in unity. Now, it’s only up to the reader as to how they will interpret Wallace’s work. 
