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Author and Context of the Work
Phillip Lopato
>brother of Leonard Lopate, an awardwinning radio talk show host
>one of the main proponents of the personal essay
>also wellknown for his memoirs, such as Waterfront
>previously worked as a writerintheschools for 12 years
>calls nonfiction “literary” rather than “creative,” saying that a work’s creativity is for its readers to
decide
”On the Necessity”
>part of Lopato’s 2013 anthology To Show and To Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction, a
collection of essays giving insights and instruction on how to write good personal essays
>used as a reading in creative writing courses of many American universities
>edited his landmark anthology, The Art of the Personal Essay, in 1994, similar to Show and Tell ,
but from multiple authors and acts more as a collection of examples rather than instructions
Discussion
CNF writers tend to assume that their readers know as much about them as they do.
Author must see himself through the eyes of another, presenting himself objectively
Make yourself interesting, introducing your quirks and idiosyncrasies
>dramatise yourself
>Emphasize aspects of self to make a point and establish the logic and world that the essay moves
in
*think such characteristics and groups through in the development of the character
Good essays have movement; needs motion; works out a problem
>select a topic or problem before writing
Writing CNF requires emotional preparedness
>Lack of "worldliness" is a common problem
Either unable to reconcile with the fact that everyone has quirks or unable to see the bigger
picture in a boring life
>Too personal, not very well thought through yet.
>This will be seen in the tone: if it's thought through or if it's a topofthemind rant
Take note of the Who What Where When Why
You must be interesting to read: Introduce a character that readers would want to follow
A CNF writer must be curious about himself
>Resist the natural urge to selfhate/dislike
>Can only be possible if one's detached
"My 'I' is not me, entirely, but a character drawn from aspects of myself"
Go beyond self: research on the larger context of the world you're moving in
>May also be seen to contribute to how you are
Questions:
1) Does Lopato follow his own approach himself in this essay?
2) How far can we really turn ourselves into characters in our works without getting too
detached from the persona?