A RhetNet SnapShot Reply:
Essay-a-Saurus

I'm intrigued with this brief account and need to think about it carefully as I am quite new to fiddling with the net and communicating this way. I'm not sure the essay needs to be seen as monologically one dimensional as Beth suggests, but I am sympathetic to this project nonetheless. Years ago (16) I did a dissertation on Hirsh and Gadamer, and hermeneutics, especially Gadamer's version,respects aural/oral dimension of all understanding. I'm not sure we need to make a radical split between orality and print literacy, and do find it liberating to see the essay as a flexible form for capturing many a voice and mood. I haven't read the other responders yet (busy time) but plan to. I think this is quite a rich topic and look forward to hearing (!) more.