The Personal Essay

Catalog description

Whether we realize it or not, we encounter unique characters, settings, circumstances, and situations nearly every day in almost every way we interact in the world. These encounters are filled with meaning that can only be unlocked through deep processing of the events and an evaluation of their effects on our lives. In ENGL322, we learn how to process our encounters and interactions. In order to become compelling first-person narrators, then, we will study what forms a personal essay can take. We will read a wide variety of essays that will act as models of good writing and choose from among them those that resonate with us. Then, we will write our own personal accounts, using the components of voice, setting, structure, theme, and style. In this way, we will develop a richer understanding of the world in which we interact. (Pre-requisite: ENGL101 or ENGL110)