2: Elements of the Essay

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In this chapter you will learn how to:

• Brainstorm and narrow a topic and main idea
• Envision and appeal to an audience
• Understand what makes a strong, unifying thesis statement
• Understand the major sections of an essay

The essay has formed the backbone of the U.S. educational system for generations. Schoolchildren in the 1800s scribbled essays in one-room schoolhouses, just as high school students today pound away at computers and tablets in homeroom and college students labor away in coffee houses and campus libraries. Though the structure and logical systems of the essay are rooted in the rhetorical concepts of the ancient Greeks, the modern idea of the essay as a personal reflection on a particular topic didn’t really take off until the 1500s; since then, the essay has become the go-to assignment in academia. The concept of the essay has become so prevalent that we see its fingerprints all around us.

A resume is a type of essay, often including a short statement of purpose (a thesis)—"I am the right person for this particular job”—followed by points supporting that thesis—experience, education, awards, etc. The format is a little bit different, but the idea remains the same. A cover letter would be a more literal example. Most reports in a typical business setting are types of essays with a central idea: “We should move into this market for these reasons,” or, “Profits are down and here are the reasons why.” While newspapers and magazines follow a slightly different format, those, too, especially magazine “cover stories,” are basically essays. The form has become so embedded in us, we can see the essay in other types of media. Non-fiction television shows and movies, particularly documentaries, follow a basic essay format—a central idea with supporting points to build to a concluding statement—and even videos on YouTube, whether you are analyzing the latest Avengers movie, comparing hair products, or reviewing the latest video game, fall into the typical essay concept. The essay is everywhere—and, as you will find when you begin college coursework, it is not confined only to your English and Literature classes.

In fact, here are some brief statements from Butler CC professors in other disciplines who regularly assign writing to their students, speaking on the importance of effective writing in their subject areas:

“Good writing is at the very heart of Philosophy. Ideas, philosophical and other, only have value if they are clearly, concisely and reasonably presented to others. Otherwise, our thoughts merely remain as dormant, putrefying promises.” – -Professor of Religion and Philosophy

“If two years of covid confusion, craziness, and complexity have demonstrated nothing else, they have shown the importance of clarity in communication. Being able to share important information in a way that is easily understandable has always been an important aspect of the sciences and never more so than the current circumstances. [. . .] Words have power. Being able to use them to share the incredible, the amazing, the remarkable, and the astonishing facets of our world will always be an essential and fundamental part of biology.” —Professor of Biology

“The very nature of business is to work with others to achieve mutually beneficial goals. Therefore, it is essential to effectively communicate with others whenperforming business functions such as planning, negotiating, organizing, leading, and selling. Without a clear representation of one's questions and ideas, miscommunication and confusion abound. When we are clear and precise in our communication, both internal employee and external customer relations benefit.”— Professor of Business

“Patient care relies on good communication[. . . . and proper] writing shows the nurse can communicate with their patients as well as their colleagues in a professional manner. This communication is imperative to the healing process. Conveying proper instructions to a patient is essential to the well-being of the patient and their families. Writing professionally to other nursing staff and physicians is critical in sharing knowledge and observations.”—Professor of Biology who helps prepare students for the TEAS Test.

"Religion and philosophy as academic disciplines require people with very diverse ideas, beliefs, and commitments to be in dialogue. Without clear and consistent expectations of the written word these kinds of conversations would be impossible."—Professor of Religion and Philosophy

True though all of this is, the above admittedly may sound a bit tedious, but writing an essay needn’t actually be tedious. If you approach the essay with, as part of your mindset, the notion that writing them can be more than a mere assignment for you, you might find that tedium lifting away a little—or maybe even a lot—as you begin to work on your paper.

The very etymology of the word encourages us to think in this direction: it has its origin in the French word essai, which literally means “attempt.” The man who coined the term, the French writer Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), used it to describe his collection of writings on a wide range of subjects. Yet, the subjects of his essays are not so much the topics themselves (everything from the custom of wearing clothes, to how we decide who or what is “barbaric,” to the inconsistencies in our own actions) but what Montaigne himself thought about these topics. In other words, at their most basic level, Montaigne’s subject in the Essays is really himself, his own thinking in the moment that he finds himself writing on the topic he has chosen.

That word “attempt,” then, is crucial to our thinking about the essay as an act of writing: it should reflect what we know or think about a subject at the time we write it, but we should not pretend that it is our Definitive Statement on that subject. We grow older; we gain experience; we read and see and hear more; hopefully, we spend some time thinking about all those things, as well, as we try to make sense of them. If we were to reread our papers, say, ten years later and compare our thinking on those topics then to how we think about them now, it is a safe bet we would find our thinking will have changed significantly. Even in the most content-heavy classes for which you will write papers while you are in college, your professors will understand this about the essays you write: they want to know what you know, and what you think about what you know, right now. So, then, as you approach the task of preparing to write and then writing an essay, you may want to keep in mind Montaigne’s motto, “Que sais-je?”: “What do I know?” Think of the essays you write as responses to that question.

The sharp-eyed among you may have noticed something in the above paragraphs: no one was telling Montaigne what to write, let alone setting due dates for what he wrote. As you probably suspect, you will not be so lucky as he was, nor will you always have full control over the kinds of papers and topics assigned to you in your classes. However, occasionally you will have some say in what you write on, in the form of several topics from which to choose for an assignment, and that is all to the good. The topic you choose, after all, says something about you as a person, your interests, and your experiences. In such moments, writing an essay can feel like an opportunity for self-expression: something you might not expect to have in a traditional Composition class. But those moments do come, as just stated above, and not just in your English classes, either. Be open to those moments, and make the most of them.

We will have more to say about this specific matter when discussing the writing process, but for now suffice it to say that if your professor gives you several options for an assignment, your papers will probably be more successful if you choose topics that are interesting to you, topics that engage you emotionally as well as intellectually. Keeping yourself interested as you work may not be half the battle that is the work of producing an effective paper, but it is not an insignificant part of that battle.

Despite its many forms, the essay as a concept shares a few key characteristics, and paying careful attention to each in all stages o/f the writing process is necessary for a successful essay.

Purpose:

• The essay expresses a central idea or topic
• The essay contains points supporting and expanding on that central idea

Planning:

• The essay is written with a specific audience in mind
• The essay is logically constructed
• The essay contains a clear beginning, middle, and end, with transitions to guide the reader

Process:

• The essay contains some form of personal explanation or interpretation
• The essay possesses a clear voice and tone that complement the purpose