Sep 09 2024 15 mins
Today, TIL board member Leeya Mehta focuses on writing a personal essay, inspired by reading James Baldwin’s essay "The New Lost Generation." She talks about the way she is approaching this essay, which she’s calling “The Day After: Searching for Language for Another Lost Generation.”
Leeya suggests exploring the politics of language as an essay prompt, and asks what you notice about language, and how it is being used in popular culture. How you would like to question that language and soften it? You may disagree, and think language is too soft, that we need to turn up the volume. In her attempt at this essay, she’s reflecting on the topic she has set herself. She asks, what does “the day after” look like?
Leeya suggests exploring the politics of language as an essay prompt, and asks what you notice about language, and how it is being used in popular culture. How you would like to question that language and soften it? You may disagree, and think language is too soft, that we need to turn up the volume. In her attempt at this essay, she’s reflecting on the topic she has set herself. She asks, what does “the day after” look like?