Week 1 – October 15 2026

Introduction and background

• What is an essay?
• Brief history of the essay
  • Essayists of note
• Let's use a shared rating scale (thanks for Michael Dean)
  • Idea
  • Form
  • Voice

BAE 2025 pre-read

• "Sea Grape Consciousness," by Alexis Pauline Gumbs

Classic essay co-read

• "Once More to the Lake," by E.B. White