The Age of the Essay

Paul Graham’s essay The Age of the Essay explores how school writing assignments diverged from true essays.

Historical Misalignment

Writing instruction became entangled with literature study due to historical accidents. By the 19th century, composition teachers lacked an obvious research subject, so literature became their focus.

“The teaching of writing was inherited by English professors,” leading schools to require students write about literature rather than explore genuine interests.

What Real Essays Are

Authentic essays differ fundamentally from school assignments. Rather than defending a predetermined thesis, real essays begin with questions and explore them.

“An essay is something you write to try to figure something out.” The form descends from Montaigne’s 1580 essais—literally “attempts.”

Key Characteristics

Thinking through writing: The act of expressing ideas shapes them.

Meandering paths: Good essays pursue interesting tangents rather than march rigidly toward predetermined conclusions.

Seeking surprise: Essays should deliver unexpected insights that contradict what readers assumed they knew.

Observation and curiosity: Finding surprises requires studying diverse subjects and following threads that genuinely fascinate you.

The Internet’s Role

Internet publishing democratizes essay writing, potentially creating “the golden age of the essay” by judging work on merit rather than author credentials.

What have you discovered by writing? I’d love to hear at persdre@gmail.com.