Chasing Rabbits: A Collection of Personal Essays

Authors

Max Ogles, Brigham Young University
Dr. Patrick Madden, Brigham Young University

Keywords

personal essays, Michel de Montaigne, narrative strategies, personal narrative

College

Humanities

Department

English

Abstract

The intent of my project was to write a collection of nonfiction personal essays in the classical essayist tradition. The personal essay tradition began in the 1500s with Michel de Montaigne. Montaigne is known as the “Father of the Essay” because he invented the form and wrote the very first collection of essays, which covered a variety of topics ranging from “thumbs” to “prayer” to “solitude.” Other essayists followed his example, including notable writers Francis Bacon (1600s), Samuel Johnson (1700s), William Hazlitt and Charles Lamb (1800s), and George Orwell and E.B. White (1900s). The essay tradition continues today and is categorized as creative nonfiction; modern practitioners include Scott Russell Sanders, Brian Doyle, Michael Martone, and BYU professor Patrick Madden.

Recommended Citation

Ogles, Max and Madden, Dr. Patrick (2014) "Chasing Rabbits: A Collection of Personal Essays," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2014: Iss. 1, Article 590.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2014/iss1/590