How the Essayist Acquires Authority
Essays are how we speak to one another in print-caroming thoughts not merely in order to convey a certain packet of information, but with a special edge or bounce of personal character in a kind of public letter…
-Edward Hoagland
This quote form Edward Hoagland states the in order for an author to obtain authority and respect from its reader, one must project its opinion in any way possible and hope that the reader can relate. This statement seems to be arguably accurate to a great extent. This statement appears true on various levels such as the way the work is presented as well as the audience that it is directed towards. For example one must wholly support the idea that they are trying to present or there will be no drive or inspiration behind their work making the piece both unentertaining as well as weak.
When an author decides to create an essay on a certain topic the author will more than likely choose a topic of which they are both familiar with as well as have an interest in. By doing so they can use both their knowledge and passion for the piece to boost their work as well as put themselves up on a metaphorical pedestal creating the authority that Hoagland was talking about. By using their intelligence and interest as a tool in their writing the author can give off powerful vibes to the reader creating this sense of authority. No matter how hard the author tries, not all audiences will pick up on this form of authority. Some readers just don’t buy into certain authors work.
Therefore, audience is also an important role in what Hoagland is trying to convey in his statement. If an author is writing to the wrong audience, the audience will never pick up on any forms of authority. As I stated before the authority must come from intelligence and well as interest. If a reader is not interested in the topic at hand their will never be any connection and they will never appreciate the authors knowledge or passion for the subject. As a result the reader will never respect the author or give them any sense of authority.
Through his statement on an authors authority Hoagland shows that in order for an author to acquire any authority they must one, present to the correct audience, and two, have a background in the topic as well as a passion for it. Without these two pieces the author will lose the interest of the audience and appear to be uneducated in the subject, resulting in a lack of authority in their writing.
