The Difference Between “You” and “I”

Conversation is key to persuasion. This week’s essays stem from this idea. Emerson’s writing urges the reader to ponder his ideas and respond to them, much like Montaigne. However, Emerson’s style of writing is different and has a more conversational tone than his earlier counterpart. For instance, Emerson truly brings in “you” and addresses the reader whereas Montaigne was very “I” focused.

By talking to the reader directly, Emerson has placed the reader in the situation at hand. He also includes himself with the reader rather than claiming to be better or superior. In Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”, he talks about how we must rely on ourselves and our ideas but says that we must acknowledge that we don’t have all of the answers on our own. In this piece he says:

“In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else, to-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another.”

Emerson groups himself with the reader to show the reader that he is still learning, too. His words make it clear that he doesn’t see himself as more than his readers. In the quote, Emerson is urging his reader’s to write what is urgent in them. He says that no idea is a bad idea. Every person needs to write what is on their mind to, to speak about what moves them, and do it before someone else does.

In Emerson’s essay, “Experience”, he talks about the experience of life and how confusing life can be to go through. In this essay, if Emerson used “I” the whole tone of the essay would change and to be perfectly honest, no one would like to read it. People don’t like to be spoken down to but with him including himself in the confusion and questions and hardships of life, we (the readers) don’t feel like he is calling us dumb. Including himself, he allows for more movement in the essay. Instead of staying stagnant by saying that that “he” is different than “we”, Emerson would have to spend time on explaining himself and not so much time on trying to convince the reader of what he has already decided is the problem.

In another Emerson essay, “Circles” he talks about the difference understanding and reason. Understanding is knowing while reason is more than that. Reason is not just knowing but critical thinking–logic. This idea is just like the “I” versus “us”. Understanding is I. “I” is the start to a good essay. It helps the author to find a base for the essay. “I” is the beginning of an essay and can be used in the essay. Including the reader while not making the reader feel talked down to or talked at, allows the author to explore the topic even more. The author not being on a pedestal allows for more movement in the writing process and thus makes for a better essay.

Essays About “I”

Essays aren’t easy. That is simply a fact of life, whether it is trying to find a topic for your essay, looking for evidence to support your thesis, or just trying to figure out what it is you want to say; it is hard. For Montaigne however it seems to come naturally. In his essay entitled, “Of Repentance” he talks about his relationship with the human condition and though the title would suggest that he feels sorry for his human condition the essay states the contrary. Montaigne tells the reader that he doesn’t have all the answers and that he has nothing to repent. His voice is more conversational than other essays of the time and he challenges the idea that an essay is always supposed to be formal. In fact, formal seems to be the exact opposite of what this essay is trying to achieve.

“On Repentance” tells the reader that essays don’t have all the answers and shouldn’t be looked to as pieces of writing that are only meant for those in academia. This essay challenges that idea and flips it on its head. Montaigne’s version of an essay encourages readers to explore their own ideas about a topic and respond to the essay rather than just go along with what they essay says. Essays are the beginning of a conversation rather than the end as most of the essays before this implied. It doesn’t just talk to the reader as essays before this have; this essay talks with the reader. It encourages conversation and uses “I” to give a more personal and informal feel to the writing style. This type of essay allows the reader to become involved in the material rather than forcing the knowledge onto the audience.

This idea is clear in both Dillard’s, “The Death of a Moth”, and Woolf’s, “Death of the Moth.” These essays both address the reader and are much more casual than the ‘typical’ academic essay. “The Death of a Moth” seems to center on the sacrifice it takes to be a writer while “Death of the Moth” concentrates on the relationship between life and death. With Dillard’s essay, her ending asks her readers if they would give up everything for their craft that is absolutely groundwork for another essay. She, more than Montaigne, is setting the flooring for a response essay and, in fact, she is encouraging a response.

The one line that really stood out for me in all of the reading was from Montaigne himself in “On Repentance” he writes: “I do not teach, I only relate.” He is not trying to inform but rather trying to let the reader take what they will from the reading and add onto it. This, to me, is the backbone of the modern essay. Essays are an expression of the author’s opinion or interpretation. For that reason, readers have the ability to take that author’s interpretation and disagree or agree with it. That alone allows for conversation between two pieces of nonfiction writing.

Montaigne’s take on the essay transformed essay writing into what it is today. This informal essay allows the author to become comfortable with the subject and the audience alike. It encourages conversation and doesn’t create a barrier between the author and their readers. The “I” that is seen in all three of these essays allows the reader to feel as if they are having a conversation with the author rather than being lectured to about the topic.

Even after all of this essays are still hard. But what these readings have taught me is: They don’t come easily every time but if all else fails just start with “I” and have a conversation with yourself, something will come up that’s worth writing about.