What Is The Tone Of The Best American By Jonathan Franzen

In the novel “The Best American Essay” Jonathan Franzen has an undoubtedly negative tone when it comes to essays in this new generation. Franzen wants his readers to get back to the basics when it comes to writing an essay, he unquestionably analyzes the essays when he tells the different scenarios about different situations . Finding the true concept when it comes to finding yourself within an essay or just writing one from the perspective of another personage. There is also a positive side when it comes to Franzen giving his statements about essays. The harsh realities of life are being spoken about in the introduction. Social media has overcome the world.
Franzen comes out strong in the introduction, when he explains, “What he says about the essayist difficult embrace of risk and honesty can be felt throughout this exceptionally diverse and often emotionally turbulent collection ”(xiv). The author is basically explaining that essays have lost their charisma. That essays are brought up on lies and conception. It is a sense that people are just getting by, when it comes to writing essays. Taking that big risk and writing something that could benefit to society. Honesty can be painful at first, but dealing with harsh criticism could help overcome a huge milestone. Furthermore, the reader can relate personal experiences to the author, showing that
there are positive aspects about essays.
When it comes to the reader there is a factor of not knowing what will come in the essay, especially if it is a particular essay that a reader can relate to. Discovering about a person that as a reader has no idea what the author has gone through. In saying this Franzen relates a true situation that occurred with his mother, “by a wide margin the longest she ever went silent on me. It was exactly what I’d feared. When she got over it and began sending me letters again, I felt seen by her, seen for what I was in a way” (xvii). It comes to show that taking a risk can be a great a quality to have, being fearless and not hiding the truth from an essay but to embrace it. Instead of observing harsh and over the top lies on social media.
Along with the concern of social media, it is like a common place where people express their sorrows and joyous moments.
This society is so comfortable of telling anyone and everyone their personal business. As readers we need to learn to stray from the lies and conception. Franzen really has a point when he say, “Is the essay becoming an endangered species” (xvi). The author knows of what has become in the world today. From the real essays that come out of a journal to the ones on social media trending on nonsense and senselessness. Jonathan Franzen truly grasps the meaning of what a legitamically essay should look
like.
To conclude with a final point society needs to come back to reality when it comes to what Jonathan Franzen is basically noticing the elephant in the room, he really breaks down the true concept of writing and observing a honest essay that shows the author's true colors. Becoming aware that an author puts in their essay, can ultimately change the reader's point of view of life.