Essay Questions

What drives Pausch to give his “Last Lecture” despite his impending demise?

Pausch writes, “Given Jai’s reticence, I knew I had to look honestly at my motivations. Why was this talk so important to me? Was it a way to remind me and everyone else that I was still very much alive? To prove I still had the fortitude to perform. Was it a lime-light lover’s urge to show off one last time? The answer was yes on all fronts. An injured lion wants to know if it can still roar…it is about dignity and self-esteem, which isn’t quite the same as vanity.” Pancreatic cancer does not kill Pausch's resolution to inspire his children and the audience positively. He is conscious that his demise is near, but he elects to offer a lecture that will leave positive impressions on his listeners. He is determined to leave everyone on a high note rather than a somber mood through his lecture.

Explain the irony of Pausch’s thematic focus in the lecture.

Pausch writes, “How could I turn this academic talk into something that would resonate with our kids a decade or more up the road? I knew for sure that I didn’t want the lecture to focus on my cancer. My medical saga was what it was, and I’d already been over it and over it. I had little interest in giving a discourse on, say my insights into how I coped with the disease, or how it gave me new perspectives. Many people might expect the talk to be about dying. But it had to be about living.” Ordinarily, Pausch would be expected to offer a lecture on cancer considering that he is about to succumb to it. However, he contravenes the popular expectation by talking about life. Pausch's ironic focus underlines that he is an optimistic individual who focus on the positive side of living. He does not lament about his upcoming death for it will elicit sadness in the listeners. Pausch demonstrates that lecturing about existence is more significant than death.