In The Situation and the Story, Vivian Gornick says that a good essay requires "self-implication." In other words, "To see one’s part in the situation — that is, one’s frightened or cowardly or self-deceived part — is to create the dynamic," pp. 35-36. It seems to mean revealing one’s weaknesses in the essay.

Gornick demonstrates this concretely in her analysis of three essays. I can see her point, but I don’t want to follow her advice. I guess that’s a sign that I haven’t come to terms with my weaknesses. It could be cathartic to talk about them, but I’m not ready to go there.

This is a big issue with my "Don’t Play with Matches" essay. I wish I could push out unagonized essays like The Dowager and PTCakes.