Lecture Notes: The Essay as Realm

Introduction

• The speaker shares a personal anecdote about a childhood book filled with interesting facts.
• The book sparked lifelong interests, including the fascination with Newport mansions.
• First visit to Newport at 25, a moment captured in a photograph used as an author photo.

Reflections on Memory and Experience

• Memories and ideas are tied to physical places.
• The disappointment often associated with visiting places long imagined.
• A specific room in the mansion evoked a powerful sense of memory.

Essays as Places

• Essays should feel like a place, much like entering a room.
• The concept of transition in architecture as influencing experience.

Architecture's Influence on Writing

• Architecture books offer insights into writing and thinking.
• Examples from architecture literature, including Christopher Alexander and Robert Venturi.
• Venturi's preference for messy vitality and complexity over clarity.

The Concept of the Tether in Essays

• Essays as realms for ideas, creating a site for thought collection.
• The idea of a 'tether' in an essay, connecting various thoughts and sections.
  • Breaks in essays function like section breaks in poetry, affecting momentum and tension.

Examples of Essay Structures

• Mary-Kim Arnold's "Litany for the Long Moment" uses a questionnaire as structural scaffolding.
• Chant L. Reid's "Thot," blending academic language with casual conversation.
• Junichiro Tanizaki's "In Praise of Shadows" as a long, flowing essay with seamless transitions.

The Role of Abrupt Changes

• Justification in theater as a parallel to sudden shifts in essays.
• Example of chaotic juxtaposition in David James Duncan's essay.

Writing as Architectural Design

• Essays as buildable utopias, combining structure with aesthetic.
• The metaphor of house museums for essays—offering multiple paths and experiences.
• Essays should have distinct sub-realms or sections, enhancing reader engagement.

Conclusion

• Writing parallels architecture in creating places and emotional responses.
• The goal of writing is to build a place where thoughts and feelings can be communicated effectively.
• The dream of conveying thoughts and emotions to readers through well-structured essays.