In Style :: Dialogue Essays

The following is an excerpt of a conversation that occurred between our staff writer and Senior English Education major, one day prior to the due date of the final paper for EN 220 - Expository Writing. I: Here it is, one day before the final paper is due for Expository Writing, have you given any thought to what you would like to address? T: The final paper (said with a chuckle). Somehow it always seems to feel like this is the one that should say it all. Even after four plus years of college, I haven't the foggiest as to how such expectations arise. It always amazes me how expect all of the thoughts I have wrestled with for an entire quarter to suddenly appear in one beautiful paper full of flowing ideas and logical thought. And all this with little or no effort on my behalf, of course. But, realistically, I guess its time I get down to business. I: So, what exactly is it that you would like to say? T: I know I want to focus on the change that I've seen within my own style throughout this quarter, because it has definitely undergone some changes and mostly for the better, I might add. Our assignment is to uncover our identity as it appears within our writing and the relationship that exists between our writing and ourselves. This feels like a loaded topic, and I've struggled to determine just how I plan to tackle it. I: Have you discovered that plan yet? T: Not really (and another chuckle). No, just kidding. I think I have an approach. I guess I figure there's no better place to start than at the beginning. I: So where is the beginning? T: To truly start at the beginning, I'd have to go all the way back to the minute I was born, 'cause I really feel that everyone I've met and everything I've done have contributed to my style in some way or another. But, I'll spare you that story, and cut to the abridged version. I: The abridged version? T: Yeah, instead of giving you the whole detailed story, I'll try to pick out the most important parts. Actually, maybe I'll just focus on this quarter in particular. It will narrow it down a bit more. We're supposed to take a good look at our first paper for Expository and determine how our views have changed seen since then.