57 pages • 1 hour read
Jeffrey Zaslow, Randy PauschA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Summary
Section 1, Chapters 1-3
Section 2, Chapters 4-5
Section 2, Chapters 6-7
Section 2, Chapters 8-11
Section 3, Chapters 12-15
Section 3, Chapters 16-19
Section 3, Chapters 20-22
Section 4, Chapters 23-24
Section 4, Chapters 25-27
Section 5, Chapters 28-31
Section 5, Chapters 32-34
Section 5, Chapters 35-37
Section 5, Chapters 38-40
Section 5, Chapters 41-45
Section 5, Chapters 46-50
Section 5, Chapters 51-55
Section 5, Chapters 56-58
Section 6, Chapters 59-61
Key Figures
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
This section describes Pausch’s early relationship with his wife, Jai. Even though he believed he “was always pretty adept at charging through the brick walls in [his] academic and professional life” (73), the same sort of tenacity didn’t work out as planned with Jai. He was known as a bit of a player who would never settle into monogamy or domesticity. They hit it off, but being in a long-distance relationship turned out to be too difficult, and Pausch asked Jai to move to Pittsburgh so they could be together. At the last minute, Jai backed out, saying she didn’t love Pausch. To Pausch, this apparent rejection felt like hitting a brick wall and not knowing what to do. His parents told him to give Jai the space she wanted and to support her, as they assumed she was very scared. They were right, and because Pausch gave her that space, Jai came around on her own time, and they were married.
Their wedding was small but special. Their wedding-day getaway involved lifting off in a hot air balloon, but several things made it difficult—hitting tree branches, leaving later than scheduled, and shifting wind. Landing the balloon became very dangerous, and it seemed likely they would land too near a train, where the balloon’s envelope would get caught on the speeding train.