Reflection On The Last Lecture By Randy Pausch

What would you do if your life had an expiration date? For Randy Pausch, the question was not so hypothetical; his answer was, in essence, his novel titled The Last Lecture. Through his book, Randy explored which values and philosophies were most important to him. In effect, he bestowed his audience with valuable life lessons (both generalized and specific) via recollections of various events from his past. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he made it his sole objective to write a comprehensive account of what he learned from his 47 years of life, and to impart his wisdom to his children, wife, extended family, students, and anyone else who was lucky enough to pick up the book. The Last Lecture was overall an excellent novel, with regards to the overarching themes, his writing style/flow, and the characters involved.
These ideas remain consistent throughout the entirety of the work, and come full circle when Randy reveals his true intentions of delivering his speech at Carnegie Mellon. In one of the final chapters of his novel, Randy specifically refers to what he wishes for his children: “So my dreams for my kids are very exact: I want them to find their own path to fulfillment. And given that I won’t be there, I want to make this clear: Kids, don’t try to figure out what I wanted you to become. I want you to become what you want to become” (Pausch 198). Even when considering the dreams of others who are dear to him, Randy’s own dreams are being demonstrated. As a result, it is evident that even in areas that are seemingly unrelated, the central themes persist. Alluding to the themes established in the beginning of the work throughout the work, especially at the end of the work, is one of many characteristics of an exemplary