How can something be both a banal platitude and have life-or-death importance? Pick a concept from “This Is Water” that has a cliché tied to it and expand on its deeper truths. Why has this cliché lost meaning, and how is it relevant to today’s society?

Wallace approaches the act of giving a speech from a metafiction angle. What effects does this have? How might it empower or detract from the points he makes in “This Is Water”? Can you cite parallels between metafiction and his speech’s lessons?

Pathos appeals to an audience’s emotions, ethos to their ethics, and logos to their reason. Citing examples, how does Wallace use these rhetorical techniques to convey his messages? Do you find his approaches successful, or does he fall short? How so, and why?