"A genuine essay feels less like a monologue than a dialogue between writer and reader. This is a story I need, we conclude after reading the opening paragraph. It will tell me something about the world that I didn't know before, something I sensed but could not articulate." (Atwan 32)This quote by Kathleen Norris was one that stayed in my mind awhile as I continued reading through "Essayists on the Essay." The first part of the quote that talks about an essay being a dialogue rather than a monologue was especially striking to me. I hadn't considered the idea of reading a piece of literature that included me throughout the text. I feel that essays should definitely connect to the reader to even have a slight impact on them, and having a two-way essay is a good way to do that. People are generally more interested in a subject if they are involved with the discussion, even if only on a mental level, rather than if they are being talked at as in a giant lecture hall. Using this piece of knowledge would help essayists, I think, gain a larger audience of their work. The dialogue format also contributes to the reader's feelings, as described in the second half of the quote. A person is willing to hear about new and interesting things, and involving them in that discovery makes a wonderful experience as they read through an author's account or thoughts in an essay. Discovering new things about the world, or creative new insights never thought of before are very good subjects to catch a reader's attention, but sometimes the subject matter may be something the reader has pondered before, but never really delved into specifically (". . . something I sensed but could not articulate."). It is the essayists goal, according to this quote, to incorporate this conversational tone to really emphasize the details of the subject to its reader, so they can have words and a meaning to go with the subject they had pondered. Whatever the case, I think this quote is very important when considering what makes a good essay, and can help writers reach out to convey their messages to a public.
