“This Is Water” by David Foster Wallace is a commencement speech addressed to the 2005 Kenyon College graduating class, that is slightly unexpected compared to the traditional commencement speech that one is used to hearing. However, the overall mechanics of the speech do not differ. One point that stands out in particular in this speech is the use of the terms “death” and “suicide”. Typically, one would not expect those terms to be used in a commencement speech, but Wallace succeeds with incorporating the verbiage into his speech. Through this speech, repetition, descriptive paragraphs, and parables all contribute to the overall theme of making new discoveries in one’s life after college.  

Many instances of repetition occur in this speech, in particular the terms “death” and “suicide”. These terms add a different meaning to the speech in a sense that they are not as inspiring as a typical commencement speech. An instance in which Wallace uses suicide occurs when he states, “And the truth is that most of these suicides are actually dead long before they pull the trigger.” (XIII) The significance of this passage and use of suicide is significant because the author contemplates suicide a few months before writing this speech and later on commits suicide. Wallace speaks metaphorically in this passage by discussing death whilst he is still alive. “The Capital-T Truth is about life before death.”  (XVII) This instance and use of death is relevant because it is important to appreciate what occurs and goes on prior to one’s death. One should never take their life for granted as life is too short and one may never know when the end may be for them. It is also important to appreciate the simple things that life brings for one to enjoy. The author moves back toward physical death in this instance and the word “death” is wrapped up in a sense because all of the ideas are brought together about the speech. As the speech progresses, the term “death” developed a more personal meaning to the reader and becomes more involved with the speech itself.

Another instance of using the term “suicide” in “This is Water” is used when the author states “It is not the least bit coincidental that adults who commit suicide with firearms almost always shoot themselves in: the head.” (XIII) The significance of suicide in this passage is to establish truth and realization of statistics of suicide in the real world. This statistic could have been mentioned as a preventative and or warning measure. He uses the term in this passage to catch the attention of the students and to make them consider that suicide is something that individuals battle day to day. He also mentions suicide to foreshadow the suicide that he commits later on that is unexpected and no one knows about. After college, one may become stressed with the process of finding a job to correspond with one’s degree hence stress may be one reason one may commit suicide although suicide is never the answer.

In “This Is Water”, descriptions and descriptive paragraphs easily stick out to the reader.  Many descriptions of the supermarket are mentioned including, “Over lit store’s confusing aisles”, “maneuver your junky cart”, and “incredibly long check-out line” to name a few (XIII) Just by hearing a few descriptions, one can conclude the type of situation that Wallace is describing is negative and that he is tired of the continuous routine that he is dealing with on a normal basis. He feels as if the routine is habitual and tedious as well as a task in which he does not wish to partake in on a week to week basis. However, as life after college progresses, one will experience these types of activities in which such tedium and annoyance persist. One discovers, as this example states, how much of a pain grocery shopping can be after a long day at one’s job. Wallace describes one’s job after college as “Your challenging, white collar, college graduate job” (XIII). Occasionally right after college, one does not receive the ideal job that they wish to pursue for the rest of their life. Therefore, they must move up in their field of work to continue to be successful.

The parable about the fish in “This Is Water” can be interpreted several ways. The story is told to show how the fish grow and become more intellectual as they progress through life just as student’s progress in their life after college. One fish learns from the wiser fish as one student may learn from a wiser mentor or leader like figure in their lives. The parable also states that “The most obvious, important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see and talk about” meaning that its often hard to interpret what is most valued to one personally (X) It could be interpreted to ask for advice when reality is conflicting one’s mind and is confusing. In order to be successful, one must have a clear understanding as to what is occurring to them. The fish in the parable are representing of growing up and the knowledge one gains from over the course of college and furthering through to the conclusion of college.

Through the use of repetition, descriptive paragraphs, and parables, the theme of making new discoveries after college can be depicted through David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech, “This Is Water”. Each aspect affects the meaning in its own way and has its own effect. The aspects that Wallace uses in his commencement address makes it unique and makes it personal to himself. Overall he delivers a clear meaning to the students of Kenyon College and wants them to be successful.
