what is the familiar essay

What is a Familiar Essay in Composition?

Definition and Examples

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A familiar essay is a short prose composition (a type of creative nonfiction ) characterized by the personal quality of the writing and the distinctive voice or persona of the essayist. Also known as an informal essay .

"The subject matter," says  G. Douglas Atkins, "largely makes the familiar essay what it is: it is recognizable by human being qua human being, shared by her and him, and common to us all, requiring no arcane, specialized, or professional knowledge—an amateur's haven" ( On the Familiar Essay: Challenging Academic Orthodoxies , 2009).

Highly regarded familiar essayists in English include Charles Lamb , Virginia Woolf, George Orwell , James Baldwin, E.B. White , Joan Didion, Annie Dillard, Alice Walker , and  Richard Rodriguez .

Examples of Classic Familiar Essays

• Blakesmoor in H-----shire, by Charles Lamb
• Crooked Streets, by Hilaire Belloc
• Going Out for a Walk, by Max Beerbohm
• Getting Up on Cold Mornings, by Leigh Hunt
• On Going a Journey, by William Hazlitt
• The Town Week by E.V. Lucas

Observation

• "Post-Montaigne, the essay split into two distinct modalities: one remained informal, personal, intimate, relaxed, conversational, and often humorous; the other, dogmatic, impersonal, systematic, and expository ." (Michele Richman in The Barthes Effect by R. Bensmaia. Univ. of Minnesota Press, 1987)

Familiar Essays and Familiar Essayists

• - " Familiar essays . . . have traditionally been highly informal in tone , often humorous, valuing lightness of touch above all else. They have been filled with intimate personal observations and reflections, and have emphasized the concrete and tangible, the sensual enjoyment of everyday pleasures. . . .
• "Nowadays the familiar essay is often seen as a form particularly well suited to modern rhetorical purposes, able to reach an otherwise suspicious or uninterested audience through personal discourse , which reunites the appeals of ethos (the force and charm of the writer's character) and pathos (the emotional engagement of the reader) with the intellectual appeal of logos ." (Dan Roche, "Familiar Essay." Encyclopedia of the Essay , ed. by Tracy Chevalier. Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997)
• - "[T]he familiar essayist lives, and takes his professional sustenance, in the everyday flow of things. Familiar is his style and familiar, too, is the territory he writes about. . . .
• "In the end the true job of the familiar essayist is to write what is on his mind and in his heart in the hope that, in doing so, he will say what others have sensed only inchoately." (Joseph Epstein, preface to Familiar Territory: Observations on American Life . Oxford University Press, 1979)

Familiar Essays and Personal Essays

• " [Francis] Bacon 's influence continues today, often in familiar essays , whereas [Michel de] Montaigne's enjoys greater popularity as personal essays . The difference is neither precious nor sophistical, although it is subtle. Although the personal and the familiar are the two main sorts of essays, essays are, truth to tell, often both familiar and personal, the difference at least nowadays residing mainly in the degree to which a particular instance emphasizes the tiny prepositions that we find in Montaigne and Bacon alike: 'on' and 'of.' If the essay tips toward being about a topic--books, say, or solitude--it may be termed 'familiar,' whereas if it focuses a bit less on the general or universal and more on the character of 'the speaking voice,' it is likely a 'personal' essay." (G. Douglas Atkins, Reading Essays: An Invitation . University of Georgia Press, 2007)

Revival of the Familiar Essay

• "Equally problematic are conventional divisions of the essay into formal and informal, impersonal and familiar , expository and conversational . Though imprecise and potentially contradictory, such labels not only serve as a form of critical shorthand but also point to what is often the most powerful organizing force in the essay: the rhetorical voice or projected character [ ethos ] of the essayist. . . .
• "The modernist era, that period of fragmentation and innovation at the beginning of the 20th century, is best known to students of literature for the radical transformations that occurred in poetry and fiction. But the essay, too, experienced dramatic changes during this time. Divested of its self-conscious literariness and reinvested with the colloquial vigor of popular journalism, the essay was reborn in such cosmopolitan magazines as The Smart Set , The American Mercury , and The New Yorker .
• "This 'new' brand of essay—exuberant, witty, and often contentious—was in fact more faithful to the journalistic traditions of Addison and Steele, Lamb and Hazlitt than the often preciously lambent writings of those who had deliberately mimicked the English essayists. Recognizing the power of a combative narrative voice to attract readers' attention and impose on a journal a distinctive style , magazine editors recruited writers with forceful rhetorical presences." (Richard Nordquist, "Essay," in Encylopedia of American Literature , ed. S. R. Serafin. Continuum, 1999)

Organs of Personality

• - "The  familiar essay in prose and the lyric in poetry are alike essentially literary organs of personality. In discussing the nature and the character of these two forms of literature, it is well-nigh impossible to consider separately the subject, the author and the style ." (W. M. Tanner, Essays and Essay-Writing . Atlantic Monthly Company, 1917)
• - "The true essay, then, is a tentative and personal treatment of a subject; it is a kind of improvisation on a delicate theme; a species of soliloquy." (A.C. Benson, "On Essays at Large." The Living Age , Feb. 12, 1910)

The Familiar Essay as Chat

• "A familiar essay is not an authoritative discourse, emphasizing the inferiority of the reader; and neither the learned, the superior, the clever nor overwitty, is the man who can "pull it off." An exhibition of pyrotechnics is all very fine; but a chat by a wood fire with a friend who can listen, as well as talk, who can even sit with you by the hour in congenial silence—this is better. When, therefore, we find a writer who chats with us familiarly about the little things that in the aggregate go to make up our experience in life, when he talks with you, not to show off, not to set you right, not to argue, above all not to preach, but to share his thoughts and sentiments, to laugh with you, moralize a bit with you, though not too much, take out of his pocket, so to speak, a curious little anecdote, or run across an odd little experience and share it pleasantly, enjoying it unaffectedly and anxious to have you enjoy it, too —when we have all this, we have the daintiest, the purest and the most delightful of all the forms of literature—the familiar essay." (Felix Emmanuel Schelling, "The Familiar Essay." Appraisements and Asperities as to Some Contemporary Writers . J.B. Lippincott, 1922)
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Familiar Essay: Definition and Writing Recommendations

Usually secondary and high school students know nothing about familiar essays because it is considered as a challenging assignment. A familiar essay is focused on one’s own reflection and exploration of a topic such as “Deceiving Oneself” or “Giving Advice”.

What is a Familiar Essay?

Let us define a familiar essay. A familiar essay is a type of nonfiction short story writing in which the author shares a life experience and uses a personal or voice unique to themselves. It is known for being written in an informal manner.

Popular Classic Familiar Essays

• Death of a Pig, by E.B. White
• An Apology for Idlers, by Robert Louis Stevenson
• A Piece of Chalk, by G. K.Chesterton
• The Indian Jugglers, by William Hazlitt
• Getting Up on Cold Mornings, by Leigh Hunt
• Imperfect Sympathies, by Charles Lamb

How to Write a Familiar Essay

The familiar essay uses a unique literary device that involves addressing the reader directly as if they were an acquaintance. When executed properly, this keeps the audience interested and engaged as they read the story. As you begin to define a familiar essay writing process, think about how you can frame the narrative in a way that takes into account the needs of the reader. Using the first-person can be effective, although you should first ask your instructor if it is permitted for the assignment.

The good news when it comes to writing a familiar essay is that it is a far easier assignment than a research paper or most other academic work. Rather than requiring you to seek out sources or read up on a topic, all you really have to do is use your imagination. Of course, coming up with familiar essay topics that the reader would find interesting can be a challenge. In addition, if you lack creativity or the ability to find colorful ways to express yourself, you might struggle with this paper. One way to get started is to think about a passion in your life or a memorable event that you think would make for an interesting narrative. Usually casual slang – typically frowned upon in conventional academic writing – is perfectly acceptable. If you can get the reader to laugh or even cry, you have accomplished your goals.

Audience and Tone of Writing

While writing a familiar essay, imagine that your audience is one person only. Your reader is educated enough to understand the topic and there is no need to prove additional clarifications or explanations. Think that your audience is enthusiastic to hear your opinion on the topic. You can even interact with the reader by using personal pronouns.

Make a Plan

Even if a familiar essay refers to personal writing, you still need to organize your ideas before writing. You can begin with freewriting and create a paper with all ideas that appear in your mind during several minutes. Do not worry about the content. You will extract the most valuable and significant ideas for your outline, which will further transform into a real essay.

Writing a Familiar Essay

Now it is time to use your outline and create the essay itself. Do not underestimate the importance of creating an outline and following it during the writing stage. Since familiar essays are deeply personal in their nature, students often go off the track and forget about the initial topics they tried to address. One of the easiest ways to write a familiar essay is to produce it at once (in one session). It will help you not to lose the focus.

Usage of Sources

Most of the teachers ask students not to use any references in familiar essays. However, please read carefully your instructions to be sure. If allowed, you can rely on the quote of a famous philosopher to prove your point. However, there is no need to introduce an outside argument because the focus of discussion should be your personal reflection.

Revise Your Paper

Always re-read your familiar essay before submission and revise its content. The reader should have a clear understanding of your personal standpoint. You should check the tone and style of writing. Be sure to get rid of all stylistic inconsistencies. For example, if you begin your essay with an enthusiastic tone, the same should be seen in the concluding paragraph. Check your paper for unity and coherence as well.

High Quality Academic Help

Although the familiar essay does not involve doing outside research or collecting data, it is nonetheless a difficult paper if you have trouble expressing your ideas in an entertaining way. Fortunately, when you are feeling stuck you can always buy a familiar essay from the experts at WeWriteOnline.com!

Buy Custom Essay Papers

Sometimes downloading an example of a familiar essay just will not cut it, especially when your own paper has to reflect on aspects of your life. This is why ordering a high quality custom familiar essay is the perfect solution. But where should you shop for paper? With so many writing services to choose from, it is not always easy to know which one is right for you. Here are a few traits that a reputable writing service should always possess:

• The company has developed a solid reputation for creating high quality content and has a high review score.
• The company does not merely send you the same familiar essay examples that they give to all their clients, they provide custom work that cannot be found anywhere else.
• The company understands the importance of keeping their prices low so that their services are accessible to all students.
• The company delivers their work by the deadline, even on the tightest of time frames.

When you look at the custom writing company websites, you will find that many of them are poorly written; containing grammar mistakes and typos. If they cannot even get their webpages right, how can they be expected to deliver an essay that gets you an A? Other websites look perfectly fine, but that also is not an automatic sign that they are reputable. Ultimately, it is important to choose the company carefully.

We at WeWriteOnline.com are the company that you can trust. Whether you need a familiar essay, movie review or even a dissertation, we have talented writers to handle all of your academic and professional needs. Every paper that we produce is original and follows your instructions to the letter. You are free to provide us some information about yourself that your writer will then craft into an entertaining, beautifully written familiar essay that keeps the reader’s attention. Alternatively, you can send us the general requirements of the assignment and we will use our creativity and imagination to do the rest! They will craft a purposeful, coherent story that leaves the audience feeling satisfied. Of course, the ultimate judge (your instructor) is sure to give it a high grade.

You never have to worry about plagiarism either. We scan all of our papers through the latest in plagiarism detection technology, guaranteeing one-of-a-kind work that you cannot find anywhere else. We also understand the importance of receiving your assignments on time. After all, receiving an amazing essay does you no good if your professor is not willing to accept it late.

Free Features

• Free revision (within 2 days)
• Free title page
• Free bibliography
• Free outline (on request)
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Paper Format

• 12pt. Times New Roman
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So when you are looking for the best familiar essay that meets all of your needs and boosts your grades, there is only one place to turn: WeWriteOnline.com. Our services are affordable and always delivered by the due date. So make the right decision and place your order today!

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Guide: How to write a familiar essay

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The  familiar essay  is a type of essay that has fallen by the wayside in most primary and secondary school curricula because it is difficult to write. The familiar essay is a personal reflection on an elevated topic, such as  “people worth knowing,”  or  “How religion informs morality.”

It is similar to a personal essay because the observations are unique to the author and research is not required. However, the familiar essay diverges from the personal essay because of the philosophical nature of the topics.

Tone and Audience

The author of a  familiar essay  writes as if they have an audience consisting of one person. They may even interact with their audience by using “you” or phrases such as “dear reader.” Because of the lofty nature of the topics for a familiar essay, the tone for this type of essay is typically elevated and geared toward an educated reader.

Planning the Essay

Even though the familiar essay is personal in nature, it is important to gather your thoughts before you begin writing. Many professors and instructors recommend freewriting about the topic or clustering as useful activities for planning a familiar essay. From the freewriting activity, the author can then create an outline to use as a general guide for organizing the essay.

Writing the Familiar Essay

As you write, use the outline you created during the planning phase. Working from an outline is important for any essay that is personal in nature because writers have the greatest tendency to ramble or get off topic when they are writing about their observations. Many authors find that writing the familiar essay is easiest if it is written in one session. This helps the writer to stay on track and prevents them from losing their focus.

Most familiar essays do not cite other essays or use references. However, you might make an exception to this rule by discussing a famous author, philosopher, or politician’s point to illuminate your point or to serve as a counterpoint to your assertions. In that instance, you would need to cite the reference.

Revising the Essay

Like other types of essays, the familiar essay should be carefully revised before it is turned in. Pay close attention to the tone of the essay. The tone should remain consistent. For example, if you began the essay with a light-hearted tone, make sure to continue that tone to the end of the essay for consistency. The exception would be if you have good reason to dampen the tone of the essay.

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On the Familiar Essay

Challenging Academic Orthodoxies

• © 2009
• G. Douglas Atkins

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Hamsun, Knut: Essays zur Literatur

Tournier, michel: le vent paraclet.

Essays zur französischen Literatur

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

Front matter, the observing self, or writing upon something: the character, art, and distinctiveness of the familiar essay, on time, the familiar, and the essay, envisioning the stranger’s heart, e.b. white and the poetics of participation, “the way life should be,” or the maine-ing of existence: e.b. white as familiar essayist, the limits of the familiar: e.b. white and t.s. eliot, toward a familiar literary criticism, of swords, ploughshares, and pens: the return of/to civility, against winning, and the art of peace, the essay in the academy: between “literature” and “creative writing”, essaying to be: higher education, the vocation of teaching, and the making of persons, back matter.

"In this timely revalorization of the form, Atkins shows the unexpected depths of the familiar essay. Far from being the lightweight pieces dismissed by their detractors as trivial, he shows how, at their best, such essays are exquisitely crafted intersections of time and timelessness. Their indirectness, individuality and warmth suggest a way of knowing that at once challenges and complements the clinical prose of conventional academic articles. Essayists, says Atkins, are endeavoring to write personally and artfully about the familiar and through it to approach the universal. His study calls for a meticulous reading of their work in order, ultimately, for the reader to learn from it how to make the most of the short time we have on earth." Quoting extensively from acknowledged masters of this neglected mode of writing, Atkins provocatively questions the adequacy of established educational procedures and champions a pedagogy informed by essayistic ideals." - Chris Arthur, author of Irish Nocturnes, Irish Willow, Irish Haiku and Irish Elegies

"In these pages, Atkins richly models the exploratory, revelatory pursuit that he calls the familiar essay. The essays he celebrates range outward from personal experience to impersonal, even cosmic concerns. They marry literature and philosophy, wisdom and wit. Through illuminating readings of figures as diverse as E. B. White and T. S. Eliot, Atkins confirms his position as the leading interpreter of this various and vitalmode of art." - Scott Russell Sanders, author of A Private History of Awe

"In these deeply felt and elegantly expressed thoughts about the essay, Atkins offers a moving account of the hard work of self examination in a difficult world. His book is also both an apologia for and a gentle critique of Atkins s own vocation to an academic life. But unlike Marxist or disciplinary commentaries on the profession, this essay invokes the much rarer language of spirituality - of value - to engage, disturb, and inspire its readers." - Patricia Harkin, Professor, English and Communication Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago

About the author

Bibliographic information.

Book Title : On the Familiar Essay

Book Subtitle : Challenging Academic Orthodoxies

Authors : G. Douglas Atkins

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230101241

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan New York

eBook Packages : Palgrave Literature & Performing Arts Collection , Literature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)

Copyright Information : G. Douglas Atkins 2009

Hardcover ISBN : 978-0-230-62000-1 Published: 18 November 2009

Softcover ISBN : 978-1-349-38259-0 Published: 18 November 2009

eBook ISBN : 978-0-230-10124-1 Published: 26 October 2009

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : XIV, 204

Topics : Literary Theory , Social Sciences, general

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Familiar Essay Writing: 10 Tips That Will Make Your Work Easier

• How to structure it?
• What should you write about?
• What writing style should you settle on?

If you have to write a familiar essay, and these or other questions are whirling around in your brain, you have come to the right place. Yes, in this article, you will find all the tips to write a high-quality familiar essay on any topic.

Table of Contents

1. Get a Familiar Essay Example to Get You Started

A familiar essay is a very peculiar genre of the creative writing with some characteristics that are not shared by any other essay type. To simplify a bit, it is a short-form nonfiction text primarily characterized by a strong personal touch, a voice of the author’s persona. Normally, no matter what you write about – be it a book you’ve read, the current state of education industry or environmental protection, you are expected to be fully objective and avoid emotionally colored words (and anything else showing your subjectivity). In an informal essay, you don’t have these limitations – if you need to be emotional to demonstrate your unique take on the problem, so be it. In fact, the more personal your style is, the better it is for you – you can be as witty, funny, and quirky as you like.

To better understand what is expected of you, it would be a good idea to read a few examples of familiar essays. This can be quite informative and will give you the better understanding of how you can go about developing your own writing style – the most important prerequisite of a quality familiar essay. Be careful about the place where you get your writing sample – you cannot just visit any online writing service and say “ Write my familiar essay ” – specialists in this kind of work are relatively rare and are not easy to come by.

2. Look at Familiar Essay Topics That Are Acceptable

Another feature of writing familiar essays is the kind of topics that are covered in them. They should not require any professional or specialized knowledge and have universal human appeal – in other words, they should be understandable and relatable for anybody who would read them simply because they are just as human as the essay’s author. Such topics, for example, include:

• Books Getting Replaced with Digital Sources of Information and What It Means for Every One of Us;
• Community-Conscious Business: Is It Possible in Current Economic Climate?
• Is Writing a Doctoral or MBA Dissertation to Obtain a PhD Degree Worth the Trouble One Has to Go for Its Sake?
• Does History Repeat Itself and Is It a Good Enough Reason to Study It?
• War on Drugs and Its Connection to Teenage Crime Rates;
• Security Concerns vs. the Rights of Individuals in the UK;
• The Most Important Traits Associated with True Leadership.

As you can see, familiar essays can be written about virtually anything – you simply have to avoid topics that require specialized technical knowledge. When choosing what to write about, ask yourself: can it be understood by a person who does not study this subject but has background knowledge of an intelligent, generally well-educated amateur?

3. Use a Proper Familiar Essay Structure

• The hook – the first sentence or two, aimed at grabbing the reader’s attention and smoothly transferring it to the rest of the paper. It plays a special role in a familiar essay because of its high degree of informality – meaning that you have much more freedom of expression than usual. Let your wit roam free and don’t worry about going out of line – it is a part of the course when it comes to informal essays;
• The thesis statement. Nothing special about this – it is no different from what it is in any other type of essay, i.e., an explanatory sentence containing the gist of your entire paper in a definite and clear form.

The introduction is followed by body paragraphs and, again, you are free to organize them in any way you like. It is, however, a good idea to follow the usual rules: don’t exceed a limit of one point per paragraph, have logical connections between paragraphs, support your words with viable evidence. However, the familiar essay is a definition of a freeform assignment, so don’t be afraid to make experiments. Introduce a list or two, use narrative elements – in other words, do everything you need to get your point across, without being restricted by any particular format.

4. Talk to Your Reader While Writing a Familiar Essay

A familiar essay, the way it evolved in English literature, is a very personal experience, not just a piece of writing but an informal chat between two people: the writer and the reader. By a reader, we mean not just the grader responsible for reading and evaluating your work, but anybody whom this text will come to hand. So, be personal, address directly to the individual reading your paper, be friendly and don’t try to show yourself as superior to your audience. Demonstrate that your essay is a labour of love, not of pride. Usually familiar essays are written in a way that presupposes the audience of a single reader, which further emphasizes the personal nature of this genre.

5. Use the Simple Language, but Don’t Oversimplify

Your writing should be closer to the everyday speech than in the formal types of essays. But don’t treat this genre’s informality as an excuse to use slang, jargon or rude language. If it is of any help, imagine yourself writing a letter to a good yet somewhat distant friend. Think of how you would report about the latest happenings in your life in such a situation. Then, start writing.

6. Try Freewriting as a Good Method of Preparation

Although familiar essay writing is personal and informal in nature, it doesn’t mean that you should approach working on it haphazardly. Just like with any other kind of writing, it is extremely important to gather your thoughts before you start typing. However, in this case, you may give yourself a certain amount of freedom and start not with a rigid academic plan that looks almost like a thesis proposal, but with freewriting on the general topic you are dealing with.

7. Prepare an Essay Outline

It is especially important if you have to do some research being not very familiar with the essay topic. Having a clear-cut outline before you start working on an essay prevents you from rambling and omitting important points you have intended to mention. Some students resent the idea of writing an informal essay from an outline, but in fact, this stage is even more important in this type of writing than it is for other, more formal essays. The fact is that people are much more prone to steering off the course when they write about something personal in nature. Having a definite plan will help you keep your thoughts collected and cover everything you want but no more. Try it, it will save you a lot of time.

8. Try Finishing Your Work in One Session

9. Use of Some References in Your Familiar Essays

Most familiar essays do without any references at all – they are personal discussions on specific topics, not research assignments. However, you may have been given a task to introduce a certain amount of references in your assignment. Or you can make your own decision to discuss a famous author, and in this case, it will be impossible to avoid using quotations.

10. Don’t Forget to Revise and Proofread

Just like with any other type of academic writing, revising and proofreading are extremely important when it comes to familiar essays. However, in addition to the usual things – checking up on formatting, spelling, grammar, and syntax – here you should pay special attention to the tone of your writing.

• It shouldn’t be overly dry and academic. Think of the way you would talk about a good acquaintance of yours – eliminate overly complex words and structures, divide longer sentences into shorter ones and so on;
• It should be consistent. If you begin writing in a light-hearted tone, keep it this way throughout the whole essay – that is, unless you have a very good reason to change the way you speak and a way to demonstrate that you do it intentionally and not as a slip.
• Give your essay the right emotional vibe. Use informal, sometimes emotional language – the way you would discuss the topic with a living human being, not an abstract audience. At the same time, make sure you are respectful both towards your reader and viewpoints you discuss.

If possible, get an external proofreader – somebody you can trust, somebody who is interested in your success. Ask him/her to give you some feedback on the following aspects of your writing:

• Logic. Are all points connected to each other in a logical and consistent manner?
• Style. Is your style consistent throughout the essay? Are there any words or expressions that seem to be out of place?
• Grammar and syntax. Are there any glaring mistakes you’ve missed during your revision?

Familiar essays are rarely written by college students these days and are considered to be a difficult task. That’s why if you experience difficulties, there is nothing unusual about it – but we hope that these tips will get you through!

Too busy to write your paper by yourself?

Extended Essay: Formal vs. Informal Writing

• Extended Essay- The Basics
• Step 1. Choose a Subject
• Step 2. Educate yourself!
• Using Brainstorming and Mind Maps
• Identify Keywords
• Do Background Reading
• Define Your Topic
• Conduct Research in a Specific Discipline
• Step 5. Draft a Research Question
• Step 6. Create a Timeline
• Find Articles
• Find Primary Sources
• Get Help from Experts
• Search Engines, Repositories, & Directories
• Databases and Websites by Subject Area
• Create an Annotated Bibliography
• Advice (and Warnings) from the IB
• Chicago Citation Syle
• MLA Works Cited & In-Text Citations
• Step 9. Set Deadlines for Yourself
• Step 10. Plan a structure for your essay
• Evaluate & Select: the CRAAP Test
• Conducting Secondary Research
• Conducting Primary Research
• Formal vs. Informal Writing
• Presentation Requirements
• Evaluating Your Work

Differences Between Informal and Formal Essays

When writing your extended essay you should use language that is formal and academic in tone.  The chart below gives you some idea of the differences between informal and formal essays. See the box below for examples of the differences in tone in informal and formal essays written on identical topics. A PDF of this chart, and the examples below, is in the box to the right , along with a list of tips for avoiding colloquial writing.

Examples of Informal and Formal Tone in Essay Writing

The following examples highlight the differences between formal and informal tone.

Language B - English

• Formal vs. Informal Writing A chart giving the differences between informal and formal essays in seven areas (author's viewpoint; subject/content (sources of evidence); tone; structure; location of the research question; vocabulary; and purpose. Also included are examples comparing informal and formal writing for essays in English, biology, and psychology.
• How to Avoid Colloquial (Informal) Writing While it may be acceptable in friendly e-mails and chat rooms, excessive colloquialism is a major pitfall that lowers the quality of formal written text. Here are some steps/tips that you can follow to help improve your overall writing.
• << Previous: Plagiarism
• Next: Presentation Requirements >>
• Last Updated: May 8, 2024 3:48 PM
• URL: https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ee

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The familiar essay: a delight in the hands of Anne Fadiman

Head and heart join together beautifully in 'At Large and At Small.'

• By Heller McAlpin

July 3, 2007

Would someone please hire Anne Fadiman to edit another magazine so she'll keep writing essays?

As editor at large of Civilization magazine, Fadiman produced the wonderful pieces, mainly about books, collected in 1998 in "Ex Libris," a volume I've probably bought for more people than any other in my life.

She wrote 11 of the 12 essays in At Large and At Small for The American Scholar, which she edited from 1997 to 2004. Their publication in book form is cause for rejoicing.

But it's also a cause for concern, since the flow of essays stopped when (in a move that demonstrates that good grades do not always equal great smarts), the Phi Beta Kappa Society, publisher of The American Scholar, let her go.

Fadiman, a self-proclaimed "enthusiastic amateur, not a scholar," writes so knowledgeably and charmingly about her passions – which include Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, circadian biorhythms and disruption of same by coffee, and "the compulsion to order experience" – manifested in her youthful butterfly collecting – that her readers become passionate about her.

Originally published under the apt pseudonym Philonoë – "lover of intellect" – these essays will be familiar to readers of The American Scholar, though that is not what Fadiman means by "familiar essays." The familiar essay is a genre that reached its heyday in the early 19th century with one of her great crushes, Charles Lamb. His legacy, she laments in "The Unfuzzy Lamb," is kept alive mainly by university English departments, "the ICUs of literature."

Fadiman explains her devotion to the familiar form in the book's lovely Preface: "Today's readers encounter plenty of critical essays (more brain than heart) and plenty of personal – very personal – essays (more heart than brain), but not many familiar essays (equal measures of both)."

A typical Fadiman essay begins with an engaging personal anecdote before branching out into the history of the subject in question. As her extensive bibliography indicates, research aplenty goes into each piece. But it's all so delightful, it's like eating a meal that is both good for you and delicious.

"Mail," for example, opens with a portrait of her father, writer Clifton Fadiman, waiting for his day to really start with the arrival of the daily post. From there, she examines British postal history, noting that mail was delivered 10-12 times a day in pretelephonic 17th-century central London. She recounts her own struggles with e-mail and concludes that we get the level of service we need.

"A Piece of Cotton" is a sensitive meditation on the American flag and Fadiman's newfound respect for it after 9/11. Before tracing its Latin roots to vexillum, she explains that the old farmhouse she and her husband bought the summer before 9/11 came with an American flag.

"On September 13, two days after the attacks, we raised it, with our children's help, to half staff." Being a Fadiman, she adds, "We'd read up on half-masting protocol, which dictates raising the flag briskly to the peak and then slowly bringing it halfway down."

Another classic Fadiman line, in her essay on ice cream, again folds in information as deliciously as blend-ins: "I recently calculated (assuming an average consumption of one pint of ice cream per week, at 1,000 calories per pint, and the American Medical Association's reckoning of 3,500 calories per pound of stored body fat) that had I eaten no ice cream since the age of 18, I would currently weigh –416 pounds."

Then she adds the clincher: "I might be lighter than air, but I would be miserable."

A confessed "loquacious workaholic" and lover of sesquipedalians – long words – Fadiman shares her prodigious vocabulary with her readers, always carefully defining her more abstruse mots justes (such as polysemous, defined as "having multiple meanings") for the less lexicographically lubricated among us.

She also confesses that "in the spirit of participatory journalism," several essays were "written under the influence," though not of alcohol, since she long ago decided she preferred caffeine.

She notes, "I ingested a shocking amount of Häagen-Dazs while I wrote about ice cream. I sustained a terrific caffeine buzz while I wrote about coffee. I wrote every word of the night-owl essay between midnight and dawn."

Would that every writer were so thorough – and half as entertaining.

• Heller McAlpin is a freelance writer in New York .

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