Comparative - Personal - Philisophical - Descriptive - Expanatory - Argumentative
The personal essay is an expression of the writer'S thoughts, feelings and experiences. There is an intimacy in the personal essay, which allows the reader a glimpse into the personality and character of the writer. The personal essayist shares thoughts, memories, desires, complaints. There is a confidentiality in the communication, a befriending of the reader, as the writer reveals occasional embarassments, failures or personal flaws.
The prupose of the personal essay is to engage the reader, catch his interest, or entertain him through a conversational sharing of the human experience. There is, as in any essay, a point the writerwould like to make that underlies the personal revelations.
The ''I'' is centre in the personal essay which may have some autobiographical and/or narrative elements.
The personal essay invites experimentation in style, unconventionality, freedom from stiffness and formality, and a looser structure than that of a formal essay. Language is casual, but creative and engaging.
secondary school leaving examionation - English Language Arts 630-516 - June 2005 MELS
