"To discover who I am. Writing the personal essay celebrates my difference, authenticates who I am, justifies my existence"
This quote really resonated with me. When I write I find myself figuring out how I actually feel about a topic. It forces the writer to evaluate how they feel, but not only how. The personal essay makes the reader ask why they do. It could be for any number of reasons, perhaps an event or a person. I like that it makes one self reflect. So many times things happen without given a thought, a simple game of catch everyday with dad or a family vacation, these seemingly insignificant events have the power to influence the writer and give him/her particular views. When a reader then reads these events and experiences it allows them to identify with the writer and possibly conjure up their own thoughts and emotions, which may be very similar. It provides a way for not only the writer to discover themselves, but also the readers. A simple personal narrative has the ability to allow for self reflection in both parties. Even though the personal essay allows for others to identify with each other, it does a more significant job, it points out our differences. The thing that makes us all unique is our own individual differences. The personal essay points out those differences and can give a reader an entirely new perspective on something. This new perspective then allows the reader to discover something different and possibly identify with that view. I enjoyed the advice given on providing more voice, I think this allows the essay to be more interesting and also adds to the trust between the reader and writer (also adding to Murray's suggestion of building that trust). The personal essay has many functions to it then just sharing a story.
For starters, I really enjoyed the quote you chose as the one that resonated with you. I agreed with everything you had to say. I feel like when I'm writing about a personal issue, I'm doing so, in part to come to terms with it. I often find myself writing about things for clarity.I really liked the part of your response where you talk about how the newly aspired perspective can allow a reader to discover something; I too feel as though reading is more often than not, a learning experience. I think you're entirely right when you talk about the voice of a paper establishing a sort of trust between the reader and the author because I know from personal experience, that when I'm reading something where the author is talking to me rather than lecturing me, I feel more intrigued to what they have to say and I feel like it's easier to connect to.
ReplyDeleteI liked what you said about writing helping people see things from a new perspective. That has been the case with me many times before. I will have a certain opinion about something, and though research and reading, I often find that I am often left thinking an analyzing things. This is why I gravitate so often to opinion papers, to see things from other people's eyes, to understand their voicing and opinions. It also exercises having an open mind. If you disagree with something wholeheartedly, and have not made an effort to see or understand the other side, that is not being fair to you, or the other person.
ReplyDelete