Logan Frey

2nd Summary Response: The Last Lecture

Professor Andrew Brown

UWRT 1104-19

February 12th, 2017

2nd Summary Response: The Last Lecture

After proceeding to read another thick section of The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch, I have

gained a new aspect and understanding to Randy Pauschs life. Reflecting on the most recent section I

read, I believe that the authors main point was to inform readers that regardless of the obstacles an

individual faces, they are only there to prove how willing that individual is to overcome those obstacles.

Like Randy Pausch stated, The brick walls are there for a reason. Theyre not there to keep us out. The

brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something (Page 52). In the most

recent section I read, Randy Pausch talked about how he faced his pancreatic cancer with an optimistic

approach, his adventure to Disneyland and his opportunity to work with an imagineer team leader,

meeting his childhood hero known as James T. Kirk from Star Trek, and his background into virtual

reality. Through these endless life stories, I believe that Pausch had a recurring main point presenting

readers the idea that obstacles are there to allow individuals to prove how willing they are to work past

the obstacles and achieve their main goal. The author continued to tell stories about his childhood and his

favorite memories such as how it was a constant competition between Randy and his family members to

see who could win the biggest stuffed animal at the carnival or local fair. Another example of one of his

childhood memories was when he introduced the idea of drawing all over his bedroom walls to his

parents and went on to talk about how his sister and friend then helped him to put their imaginations into

drawings on his bedroom walls.

Reflecting on the most recent section I read, I believe that I can relate to several stories and pieces

of advice that Randy Pausch stated in his writing. When Randy Pausch stated, The brick walls are there
for a reason. Theyre not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how

badly we want something (Page 52), it opened my eyes to the reality and relatable struggle that

numerous individuals face. One of the struggles that Pausch faced, which serves as a supporting detail to

the main point, is presented when Pausch described his opportunity to construct experiments on NASA

space crafts, which quickly presented in obstacle in one of his personal dreams. When Pausch was

informed that faculty advisors were unable to fly with their students, Pausch quickly overcome the brick

wall and adjusted to the obstacle that presented itself in his life. I find Randy Pausch to be an incredibly

interesting and respectable individual that comes from an extremely fascinating background, and it is a

background that I can relate to with the struggles I have faced as a growing individual. I believe that

throughout Pauschs writing I will gain a vast amount of advice and insight into life and the opportunities

and possibilities that are available to individuals such as myself if I am willing to search for them and

partake in the process towards reaching and achieving those personal goals.