Monday, February 25, 2008
to (blog or essay) or not to (blog or essay)...
It would appear that blogs would be chosen over essays almost any time and every time, because it would seem like a person would have a lot more freedom with what they write about and how they write it. Of course it would seem that way when the only essays that a person has ever written has had the same restrictions, guidelines, and boundaries every single time. I have always been taught and heard, that essays are to be informative and as far as the structure you are to have your thesis and at least three reasons supporting your thesis in the opening paragraph of your essay. Then the following paragraphs should support your thesis and the last paragraph should be your essay’s conclusion. When it came to blogs I had no restrictions, guidelines, or boundaries; I wrote it the way I wanted to. The topics I chose could be any thing I wanted it to be and it do not have to be informative, it could just be my opinion and or thoughts. And I did not have to meet any ones standers but my own, it was not like I was going to turn them in. Then I realized that essays had just as many unlimited possibilities as blogs did. Just as Annie Dillard said about essays, “There is nothing that you can not do with it; no subject matter is forbidden, no structure is proscribed.” Boy did I have that wrong. But even though I realized that essays had the same freedoms as blogs, why do I still feel the same way about essays. Perhaps it is because with essays they still should be some what informative, which means there is still a little more work needed when it came to essay than with blogs. Although that does not mean that while writing essays I can not put my own opinions and thought in the paper.
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2 comments:
You assert early on that "blogs would be chosen over essays almost any time and every time, because it would seem like a person would have a lot more freedom with what they write about and how they write it."
I would concede that blogs--in their present iteration--have opportunities for embedded video and audio files that may enrich the experience for the reader. Certainly if there is movement or sound, current readers are likely to at least linger a few moments before clicking away.
On the other hand, I would encourage you to consider what the history of the essay is. Before "ET's" (I use this expression on purpose because it refers to "English teachers," but it also alludes to aliens who are out of touch with our world) got their hands on essays, the form allowed a great deal of flexibility for the writer.
If nothing else, consider the etymology of the term: in French, "essai" means "an attempt." And that was what an essay was for much of its pre-ET history: writers choosing to make "an attempt" on a subject.
What was "the attempt" these writers wanted to make? Part of the answer lies in the pure cognitive process of writing. We often do not know what we think or what we believe until we write it. Thus, the early essayists were simply making an attempt to understand themselves, their thoughts, their motivations, their beliefs, and their dreams.
Also, these early essayists were seeking discussions/input on the "attempts" they were setting forth. Writing was still relatively rare in the 16th century and writers and their readers were often a very small group--much like your friends on myspace.com. Thus, the sharing of essays was "an attempt" to find validation or encourage clarification on one's thoughts and beliefs. So, the "attempt" was an "attempt" for input on an idea!
Lastly, the early essays were attempts to define one's "writerly voice" (a phrase I borrow from Steve Kapica) or the "ethos." Just like you all have "identifiers" on your blogs or one social networking sites to begin to shape your identity, so the early essayists "attempted" to define themselves as unique voices. Look at your web presence and see what you've placed there and why? I would bet that you are "attempting" to define who you are. Read the early essays by Montaigne or Bacon, and you will see the same thing: an attempt to define their individual presence.
So before you throw the essay out with an idea that it is too restrictive, keep in mind what it came from and what its potential still is!
I agree with you – that blogs seem to give a person a lot more freedom and how they write and what they write. Even if it is true that when you really think about it… essays have a lot of freedom, too, I would still choose to do a blog over an essay any day. But, I found the other person’s comments very interesting.
Yay for learning new stuff about things I previously thought sucked. (:
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