Setting aside any personal biases students may have towards essays, it is undeniable that the essay in literary form is one of the most important pieces of writing. It allows for readers to see into the author’s world beyond their published novels, and opens up a universe past their literary legacies. Free from fictional world building and dialogue, but rather full of arguments and ideas.
When one thinks of an essay, usually what comes to mind is an academic paper, one that is full of clunky words and endless facts. And whilst that is important, many people would therefore not refer to an essay as recreational reading material. But to those who hold this preconceived notion, I challenge you to read “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf or “Why I Write” by George Orwell. Arguably some of the most famous essays, written by some of the world’s literary greats. Orwell covers the motivations one might have to take on a profession in writing, and Woolf explains how a woman must have freedom if she is to be a writer. Of course, you do not have to have read their essays to understand the rest of their work, but once you have read them, it uncovers a depth to their writing you may not have noticed before. Understanding the author beyond the pages of their fictional novels is vital to unlocking the true meaning of their words. Both Woolf and Orwell manage to widen their reach, as not only has their writing spread into non-fiction, but they are able to back the words of their novels, so much so that when you read their works again, their words take on deeper and more thoughtful meanings.
Both essays display that one does not only need to be a fantastic storyteller, but underneath that, they must be a skilled writer. To make it so the arguments are engaging and easy to follow. A skill that must not be taken for granted, and be celebrated with much more appreciation than it is. Woolf and Orwell make the essay form much more enjoyable than what we were taught at school, and are a gateway into other non-fiction texts that may have seemed daunting at first.
The essay: a burden for students, but an instrument for writers.
“Virginia Woolf Smiling? Surely not…” by spratmackrel is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.