Emily Paige Essick

UWRT 1103
Intawiwat
03 September 2014
The ast ect!re by Ran"y Pa!sch
I# y$! knew y$! were g$ing t$ "ie in the ne%t si% m$nths& what kin" $# legacy w$!l" y$!
want t$ lea'e behin"( That is the e%act )!esti$n that Ran"y Pa!sch& a pr$#ess$r at *arnegie
+ell$n Uni'ersity& was #ace" with, Pa!sch was "iagn$se" with pancreatic cancer in 200- an"
was in#$rme" in .!g!st $# 200/ that he sh$!l" $nly e%pect three t$ si% m$re m$nths $# g$$"
health, .t this p$int& Pa!sch began planning h$w he was g$ing t$ spen" the ne%t #ew m$nths $#
his li#e, 0!ring his planning& Pa!sch began t$ reali1e that he w$!l" nee" t$ en" his teaching
career at *arnegie +ell$n, 2$r his last lect!re& Pa!sch ga'e a speech an" wr$te a b$$k ab$!t his
li#e st$ry& with the main theme $# achie'ing y$!r chil"h$$" "reams, Within his last lect!re&
Pa!sch als$ makes it clear& that his lect!re is n$t ab$!t "ying b!t ab$!t li'ing li#e t$ its #!llest
p$tential,
Thr$!gh$!t the b$$k& Pa!sch talks ab$!t the 3imp$rtance $# $'erc$ming $bstacles&
enabling the "reams $# $thers& an" sei1ing e'ery m$ment4& with the !se $# sh$rt& t$!ching& an"
e%tremely h!m$r$!s st$ries #r$m his $wn li#e, The b$$k is br$ken int$ si% secti$ns5 The ast
ect!re& Really .chie'ing y$!r *hil"h$$" 0reams& ."'ent!res6an" ess$ns earne"&
Enabling the 0reams $# 7thers& It8s .b$!t 9$w t$ i'e :$!r i#e& an" 2inal Remarks, Within
each $# th$se secti$ns there are se'eral sh$rt s!bsecti$ns& each with its $wn pers$nal an" )!irky
title, 2$r e%ample& my #a'$rite secti$n $# this b$$k is calle"& 3;e the 2irst Peng!in,4 These sh$rt
s!bsecti$ns make this b$$k interesting an" easy t$ rea",
Pa!sch "i" an e%cellent <$b at keeping this b$$k light=hearte" en$!gh that y$! "$ n$t
#$c!s $n his ine'itable "eath& b!t he still manage" t$ keep se'eral seri$!s t$nes in this b$$k that
any rea"er w$!l" e%pect, In this b$$k& Pa!sch "escribes all $# the !ps an" "$wns thr$!gh$!t his
li#e with an ama1ing passi$n& as i# alm$st e'ery w$r" in his bi$graphy has a special meaning
behin" it, This b$$k is s$ bea!ti#!lly written that y$! #eel like y$! kn$w him pers$nally& like y$!
are there with him& li'ing thr$!gh e'ery m$ment, Each s!bsecti$ns $r chapter $# this bi$graphy
has tw$ p!rp$ses, In e'ery chapter& Pa!sch shares a m$ment with the rea"er& a st$ry #r$m his li#e&
whether that be st$ries ab$!t his #a'$rite #$$tball c$ach #r$m his chil"h$$" t$ the st$ry $# h$w
he met his wi#e, Within each $# th$se st$ries& he als$ shares a 'al!able li#e less$n with the rea"er,
9is st$ries an" wise=tells gi'e y$! that #eeling like& 3e'erything is g$ing t$ be $kay4,
7ne $# my #a'$rite )!$tes #r$m 3The ast ect!re4 is& 3We cann$t change the car"s& we
are "ealt& <!st h$w we play the han",4 Pa!sch ma"e s!re he stresse" the imp$rtance $# li'ing li#e
t$ its #!llest p$tential, >$w& e'en th$!gh this )!$te can be applie" t$ any$ne8s li#e& I pers$nally
#eel like this )!$te was a special message t$ Pa!sch8s three chil"ren5 $gan& 0ylan& an" *hl$e,
Pa!sch talks ab$!t his wi#e an" chil"ren a l$t in this b$$k& as is t$ be e%pecte", 9e shares his
h$pes an" "reams that he has #$r them an" "isc!sses the preparati$ns he ma"e t$ prepare his
#amily #$r a li#e with$!t him, I #eel like that )!$te was a secret message #r$m him t$ his #amily
letting them kn$w t$ n$t "well $n the sa"ness an" l$ss an" t$ li'e li#e an" en<$y it,
7'erall& 3The ast ect!re4 is my all time #a'$rite b$$k, I l$'e" it #r$m the m$ment I
starte" rea"ing it, It is intrig!ing& wise& #!nny& an" heart=#elt, It is sa" in the en"& beca!se Pa!sch
"i" "ie sh$rtly a#ter the c$mpleti$n $# this b$$k5 b!t it is still a w$n"er#!l st$ry ab$!t a
pr$#ess$r& a #ather& an" a man plag!e" by cancer& wh$ knew h$w t$ li'e his li#e an" en<$y e'ery
sec$n" $# it,