The Last Lecture

The concept of the “head fake,” a football tactic for throwing defense off, appears several times throughout the lecture and becomes a major feature of the conclusion when Pausch explains that his last lecture was not about how to achieve your dreams, but about how living a good life puts people into positions where they can pursue and achieve their dreams. How much do you agree with this outlook, and how does Pausch build his case throughout his last lecture?

• In what ways is the advice he imparts in his lecture about “the fundamentals” of life?
• What evidence does Pausch provide for his claim that living a good life sets a person up for success? Is his evidence rhetorically balanced? Why or why not?
• Why would he mislead the audience by titling his last lecture “How to Achieve Your Childhood Dreams,” and what point about life does this “head fake” support?
• What counterclaims or arguments could you pose to Pausch’s claims?
• Does living a good life set a person up to achieve their dreams? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Consider giving students the opportunity to preview questions in advance to prepare in-depth answers and refer more directly to the text. Group or personal notetaking may increase information retention, while having access to written copies of the questions for reference during the discussion may promote student engagement.