Memoir & Personal Essay - 4 credits

In a non-fiction tradition that dates back to Michel de Montaigne, the 16th century French writer, the personal essay is an attempt to arrive at the truth through self-exploration. It is both personal and universal. In this course, we examine the roots of the modern essay and read such renowned essayists as George Orwell, Virginia Woolf, and Edward Hoagland. Students learn how to take risks with style and content, how to universalize the personal, how to apply literary devices to enhance meaning. This course involves writing a minimum of three essays, all of which are peer-edited, as well as extensive reading and analysis of the great essayists. (Prerequisite: MALS 4120, Creative Non-Fiction or Instructor permission.)