In today's reading the author discusses personal experience as experiments in living and the bases for writing essays. He further emphasises this in his discussion of the anthology by Philip Lopate The Art of the Personal Essay which features essays by various authors on such topics as death, laughter, starting in a writing career, and being in bed with a migraine. According to White no experience is so trivial that it can not be used to write an essay about the underlying lesson.
"For Further Reflection:
Per Fred White "the art of the essay is the art of prodding and poking at an idea or an experience until it yields the most meaning." White quotes Edward Hoagland's introduction to the Best American Essays, 1999 as saying essays "stimulate the mind's own processes in a murky and incongruous world". Therefore every good essay can be utilized to by the writer as another example in how an intelligent person struggles with the lack of clarity and inconsistencies in life.
"Try This" assignment:
1. Use your journal to list, and briefly describe, all kinds of experiences, large and small. Do not judge them according to "significance". The most seemingly insignificant experience can yield much wisdomo.
2. Each week for five weeks, develop one of the experiences you listed for number one into an essay.
List of experiences.
Being the oldest child
Being an Army wife
Living in a foreign country (Korea & Germany)
Being a recovery alcoholic
Changing careers in midlife
Going back to college after 40
Being an addiction's counselor
Being a grandmother
Being a great grandmother before 60
Death of a parent
Therapist working with adolescents versus adults
Being an empty nester
Having pets
Being married to an introvert when your and extrovert
But as usually don't have time to write on this right now.
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