quotation from atwan02

"And to resound means to be filled to the depth with a sound that is sent back to its source. An essay that works is similar; it gives back to the reader a thought, a memory, an emotion made richer by the experience of another. Such an essay may confirm the reader's sense of things, or it may contradict it. But always, and in glorious, mysterious ways that the author cannot control, it begins to belong to the other reader." -Kathleen Norris

I would have never associated essays with the idea of resonance. Whenever I hear the word resonance I automatically think of music. I imagine an enchanting concert hall filled with the rolling waves of music—not an essay. Before I read Norris’s thoughts on the essay, I always considered the essay as just words on paper or an assignment for English class. However, as I made my way through the Antwon reading I came to a realization that an essay is more than words. The essay is a writer conveying messages, facts, opinions, or stories to the reader hoping to stimulate a response. The writer wants the reader to be engaged, aroused, and become involved in the essay. In essence, the writer wants to give back to the reader, to be filled to the depth, as Norris explained. This is one of the reasons I found this particular quote fascinating. There are certain memories of life that an individual remembers best. These can be memories that were a pivotal point in its life or memories that are random but somehow made their way into the memory bank. This would be like remembering what your best friend in first grade brought for show and tell. I believe this is how some essays works. There is no explanation as to how the reader is moved or able to remember how it becomes a permanent part of their life. As Norris explains, it is a glorious mystery. The essay begins to creep slowly, like a musician beginning to play in a concert hall. Then eventually turns into a composition—a concerto. The reader is captivated by the statements, the stories, the sound, and the confirmation that what the essay is attempting to convey is achieved. The reader now possesses part of the essay, and as Norris stated, filled to the depth with sound.


More on Kathleen Norris:
Biography and Works
A Woman of Certain Importance