How to write an essay?

1. Find a topic, problem or phenomenon that you want to subjectively interpret.

The essay should have a general character, that is, one that allows the author to freely agonize. At the same time, it is good that the subject of the essay should be well balanced – neither too heavy and serious, nor too light (seemingly unimportant). The essay is to be an interpretation of a specific phenomenon or problem, its interesting and brilliant approach.

2. Take care of the appropriate composition of the text.

One of the most important determinants of the essay is its composition. It can not reflect the principles of rhetoric, so the text should not have a clear introduction, development (argumentation) and ending. Instead, the author should freely move from topic to topic, from one association to another. The text must therefore have the character of a sketch, a test, not a compact, logical argument.

3. Clear your own position clearly.

In an essay, your own position on a given issue should be clearly emphasized. This involves the necessity of using the first person singular and also expressing a subjective opinion.

4. Adapt the style of expression to the subject of the essay.

The essay may appear in different variations – it may be closer to literature or oscillate towards journalism or a philosophical text. Depending on the dominant theme of the essay, one should take care of an appropriate style – in lighter texts it should abound in effective rhetorical figures, poetic means and aphorisms.

Example of an essay:

Youth in contemporary culture

I look at the March cover of “Vanity Fair” and admire the beautiful Robin Wright, which, right now, in 2015 finally came to the Hollywood hollywood celebrity. Although I remember her great creation in the movie “Forrest Gump” and other significant roles, the creation of Claire Underwood from the series “House of Cards” won the hearts of critics and audiences. Robin on the cover of the prestigious magazine, probably looking into the camera lens, is the quintessential features of the heroine in which she portrays the series: self-confident, self-possessed, but also not deprived of feminine charm. The snow queen, at the same time fascinating femme fatale. I wonder if a woman aged 48 can still be described as fascinating?

What is the significance of youth in our culture? Is it only she who sets the binding canon of beauty?

“The darlings of the gods die young,” said Friedrich Nietzsche. Nobody can deny that he wants to be young as long as possible, and so he is beautiful, fit and healthy. It seems that the search for the elixir of youth has been subordinated to many areas of human activity: aesthetic medicine, cosmetics, fitness, etc. Producers of cosmetics and food encourage the purchase of products that are to provide us with a fresh and youthful appearance. Every detail is important here: shiny hair, smooth skin without wrinkles or white teeth. The attribute of youth is also a slim figure, hence slimming and training a’la Chodakowska is very popular. It does not matter that the murderous effort leads to vomiting, the miracle diet destroys the body, and the surgical scalpel can make the face look like an artificial mask. Youth, or rather its substitute requires sacrifices and you have to be reckoned with. Nobody disputes the sentential truth repeated like a mantra by colorful magazines: “You have to earn a young face”

I look at Robin Wright from Vanity Fair and I wonder how she “worked” on her face. You have to honestly admit – her face is not perfectly smooth, delicate wrinkles can be seen around the eyes of the actress. I recall her role in David Fincher’s “Girl with a Tattoo” – she played a journalist there, the protagonist’s lover. However, the comparison between the Swedish and American versions of the famous film (“Millennium: Men who hate women”) is significant. Erika Berger plays Lena Endre here and her image is, to put it mildly, far from the Hollywood ideal of Robin. The same applies to other heroes. The comparison is significant because it shows how cult of youth is coupled with the American dream factory, the eden of mass culture.

The face of Robin Wright of “Vanity Fair” is unfortunately lying, as are other ironed faces of mature stars smiling to us with colorful covers. Youth is not eternal, even if we do everything to stop it. Meanwhile, old age in our culture does not have a specific place, so it must be hidden or covered up, like the age of an American actress. Old age in the 21st century is a scandal, as Katarzyna Kozyra shows in her works. Photos of naked elderly women are supposed to cause a shock to the recipient and make him aware that in such categories old age is perceived in our culture.