The Essay

 The essay is most often associated with and thought of as that mandatory-to-master five-paragraph written composition that contains an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.  However, the essay is a far more versatile composition.  It varies in length – five paragraphs or thirty or more.  It varies in subject matter – personal to impersonal.  It varies in writing style – academic or scholarly to casual.

The Essay Originated in the sixteenth century in the hands of Michel de Montaigne, who, experimenting with prose forms distinct from the formal, philosophical or academic writing, developed the essay as an informal genre of personal reflection and meditation. It is derived from the French word essais or attempts, as in trying something out. Originated in the sixteenth century in the hands of Michel de Montaigne, who, experimenting with prose forms distinct from the formal, philosophical or academic writing, developed the essay as an informal genre of personal reflection and meditation. It is derived from the French word essais or attempts, as in trying something out.

The Essay cont’d  Montaigne had in mind the personal, informal essay as compared to the formal essay such as:  Philosophical and ethical arguments  Historical and scientific papers  Dissertations  Critical articles

The Article vs. the Essay  Today, the personal essay is representative of informal essay, and the article is representative of the more formal essay.  The main differences between an article and an essay: –Article: reportage, interviews, feature stories –Essay: personal memoir or reflection

The Article vs. the Essay cont’d  The subject of articles is specific and current and the content is largely factual, staying away from the personal reflections and thoughts of the writer.  Many writers of articles seek the “hook” or angle that will lure the reader in, attracting attention by tying the subject to a current issue, trend, or public concern.  The article reader looks for news, advice, or interviews/profiles of up-to-the-minute personalities and public figures.  Once the article is read, the reader is not likely to re-visit the article at a later date as one would to a literary work.

The Article vs. the Essay, cont’d  The subject of essays can be anything since current news or timeliness is not as much a concern as is the human or universal in what it is to be human.  Essays tend to reflect on abstract ideas such as love, friendship, nature, and other matters of daily life experiences and emotions.  Contrary to the brisk pace of the article, the essay tends to be reflective and leisurely, meandering over personal experience and thoughts.

The Article vs. the Essay, cont’d Sometimes the distinction between the essay and the article is not easily made. Some personal essays rely upon research and reporting, while some articles tap into the personal voice to report an incident or issue. Sometimes the distinction between the essay and the article is not easily made. Some personal essays rely upon research and reporting, while some articles tap into the personal voice to report an incident or issue.

Fact or Fiction “The wisdom of my lesson is wholly in truth, in freedom, in reality (Atwan 4)” Montaigne.  The essay is used to explore and discover the writer and the self: cultural identity and heritage, personal relationships and familial ties.  It is usually a first person account, written in the “I” perspective.  Does that mean that the essay is always a truthful, sincere telling of someone’s thoughts and ideas?

The Craft of the Essay To make a point, the essayist must be credible, the story believable. However, to keep reader interest, the essayist must also be a crafter of aesthetically pleasing writing and narrative or story. Since much in life does not have a neat ending, the essayist must craft that satisfying or poignant conclusion to his/her writing. To make a point, the essayist must be credible, the story believable. However, to keep reader interest, the essayist must also be a crafter of aesthetically pleasing writing and narrative or story. Since much in life does not have a neat ending, the essayist must craft that satisfying or poignant conclusion to his/her writing.

Writing as Discovery  The traditional five paragraph essay-- introduction, three body paragraphs that support and elaborate upon a thesis, and conclusion—presupposes that writing contains thought, does not produce it.  Making a point is the entire aim with this type of essay, not displaying the thought process that comes into play when arriving at the opinion.

Writing as Discovery  However, writing is a process of thinking, writing, drafting, revising, and editing that is not only recursive, but productive of more thinking and writing.  Writing begets more writing because thoughts are born as one writes, thoughts never suspected or planned.  Sometimes a writer does not know what she will write until she begins writing.

Writing as Discovery It helps to think of the essay in Montaigne’s terms as an attempt, a ruminating and turning things over in the mind, not a dull trail to making a point that is set out in the beginning. It helps to think of the essay in Montaigne’s terms as an attempt, a ruminating and turning things over in the mind, not a dull trail to making a point that is set out in the beginning.

Risking the Personal Since the essay is a personal writing and a creative endeavor, it often delves into the territory of the risky and challenging. To reveal and communicate effectively what is personal takes skillful attention to writing style, techniques, and tools—the craft of writing. Since the essay is a personal writing and a creative endeavor, it often delves into the territory of the risky and challenging. To reveal and communicate effectively what is personal takes skillful attention to writing style, techniques, and tools—the craft of writing.

The Essay Today  The contemporary essay has many of the same flourishes and techniques of fiction and poetry— storytelling and figurative language--though the form is none of those recognized in either of those categories of writing.  Though historically the essay has been viewed as a limited vehicle of the memoir or personal reflection and/or account, it is today recognized as an imaginative display of the most varied mixtures of journalism, short story, poetry, non-fiction, polemic, autobiography, literary criticism, and all shades and degrees in between.

Essayists on Essays  Take a look at the “Prologue” to Best American Essays to see what essayists have written about the essay.