“The research essay is much more likely to encourage the habits of the mind that encourage genuine inquiry, including suspending judgment, begging with questions not answers and accepting ambiguity as a natural part of the process.” This quote from Ballenger is a perfect example of how Garrett Brown and Holmquist tackle their essay. Each author had a simple question that needed to be resolved. And in the process of finding that answer the author cracks open a whole new world, making discoveries towards each of their answers.
Each author’s essay is fueled by a question. For instance, in Browns essay her main focus is tanning. She wonders why people artificially tan, and who invented the idea that it was attractive to have an extra-bronzed skin tone. In Holmquist’s essay “An Experience in Acronyms” he wants to explore the facts about drugs. Holmiqust has many branches to his question. He seeks to find out more information on the drugs he once used at raves. (LSD, MDMA, GHB) He mentions these drugs created a long on going argument between him and his friends. The “great safe drug debate” is what he refers to it as. This then brings him to a different area of research; he wants a better understanding as to what it is that attracts people to these drugs.
Brown and Holmquist show two very good examples of a discovery essay. Although in my opinion each essay is extremely different. Brown develops her essay with a clearly presented question. Yet as she begins to research and write about it she begins to gain realization about the topic. Brown begins her essay saying, “It seems completely asinine on the surface to waste money and time on a prepaid tan that will only result in prematurely leathered and wrinkled skin and a much higher risk of developing skin cancers.” The reader quickly gets the indication that she is aggravated with the idea of artificial tanning. Throughout Browns essay she takes the reader on a roller coaster ride, first she states that tanning is horrible and then she begins to place herself in other people’s shoes. Well, only the pale people’s shoes! She then starts to wrap up her essay by concluding that she herself feels more comfortable putting on a bathing suit when her skin is nice and golden. She began her essay wanting to know why people artificially tanned and as she began to research and explore the topic she begins to understand why people would have the desire to artificially tan.
Holmquist brings the discovery essay to a whole new and very personal level. Since he is a victim of the affect drugs can have on an individual we get a close look at the series of events he went through. As I read the essay I gained not only respect for him but also lots of knowledge about the drugs he took at raves. Holmiquist not only told the reader about his “trips” but he described them in depth. He talked about the music entering through his ears and taking over his body. This shows perfect example of how drugs can enable you from having control. His essay takes a depressing shift when he begins to talk about his friend Chris. Eighteen, brilliant, and artist was the description Holmiquist used. Here he uses another example of a “trip”; although this trip did not have such a happy ending. “He was headed for great ness until about three years ago one of our friends thought it would be fun to drop a vial (about 100 hits) of liquid LSD into his drink. He never came down from that trip” This shows the serious side effects that drugs can have on an individual. The fact that it happened to one of the author’s friends is a perfect example that shows it can happen to anyone.
Each essay unleashed new discoveries that the authors found while they were writing. I enjoyed both of the essays, but each for different reasons. Each author presented sources that influenced the way I thought about their topic. Holmiquist engaged on a more person level than Brown did. Artificial tanning was something that personally aggravated Brown, which in a way connected the two essays. Ballenger shows great ways to tell if a topic is researchable. Such as: Is it this right size? Has something already been said about it? Does it raise more questions? Does it matter? Now that I have read Holmquist and Brown’s essay I am inspired to write one of my own! I hope to discover new light in the topic that I choose, and find out new information about myself that I did not know before!
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