What is an essay, and how should we read it?

es·say (es´a, e-sa´)n.

1. (es´a)

a. A short literary composition on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the author.
b. Something resembling such a composition: a photojournalistic essay.

2. A testing or trial of the value or nature of a thing: an essay of the students' capabilities.
3. An initial attempt or endeavor, especially a tentative attempt.

tr.v. es·sayed, es·say·ing, es·says (e-sa´, es´a)

1. To make an attempt at; try.
2. To subject to a test.
According to Butler, an essay is a personal attempt to comment on or explain some event or idea from a particular point of view. It is one person's view on the way the world is or ought to be. A worthwhile essay will require numerous drafts and revisions on the part of the author, and numerous re-readings on the part of the reader. Newspaper opinion pieces are essays. Golding's "Thinking as a Hobby" is an essay. (News reports on events are not essays, they are reports.)

The first time you read an essay, do so fairly quickly to get a general idea of the argument. Read sympathetically at the Literal and Interpretive levels of comprehension to get what the author said and meant. Note any new words or concepts and write questions, reactions in the margins.

On the second and third times, read skeptically at the Critical level to make sure the author did not get you! Highlight and outline the structure of his argument. Ask questions about the soundness his reasoning and evidence, and consider other possible points of view.