Blog 3

I think that both the Montaigne and the Orwell essays are very similar to the contemporary examples of creative nonfiction we have read. Specifically, in the Montaigne essay, the central idea is conveyed through examples and illustrations, his personal calues weigh heavily into the piece, and his personal thoughts, feelings, and ideas drive the work. Orwell's essay is written in a matter-of-fact tone, recounting sequential events that took place on this particular day of the author's life. This essay is very descriptive and discusses inner thoughts, feelings, conflicts, and perceptions of the narrator which no one would know if they were not deemed important enough to include in this piece of writing. What I found particularly interesting about this piece was how much of an influence others had on Orwell's decision to kill the elephant, even though he was against it until the moment came.

All of the elements presented in these two essays seem to have a place in the contemporary creative nonfiction we have read so far in this course. I think as creative nonfiction grew as a genre, I think the styles it is written in and the variety of ways of conveying the messages may have expanded from the time of these two historical examples. Overall, however, I think pieces like these really set up a strong foundation for modern day creative nonfiction. I think a majority of the elements are within these pieces and contemporary works have just expanded upon these formats and this genre of writing.