After reading Carl h. Klaus’s opinions on what an essay is, and is not, I’ve come to the conclusion that I agree with most of his theories.  I do not agree with all, but most.  An essay is more than just reporting facts.  Everything in life is relative, and what what might be factual for you, may not be factual for others.  I agree that by just reporting factual statistics, this will never give you the whole story.  At the the same time facts are needed  in order to get the story straight.  Since all people see the same situation in a different perspective, it in hard to ascertain fact from fiction. Joan Didion’s opinion seems to align with this perspective.  She is an enlightened women that know there is no black an white in life.  Her essay on “Keeping a Notebook,” she points out the character defects in us all.  Didion states, “Why did I write, “Why didn’t I write any of this down (21)?”  She questions her own ability to recall past memories as they happened.  I agree with Klaus when he states that Spectator papers are not true essays (xvi).  Essays have a heart and soul and are much more than just statistical facts.  There is a practical use for such devices, like to find out the weather.  At the same time there is no questions about what the weather will be.  There is no passion.  There is no room for debate.  Spectator papers are there only to put out the facts without divulging into how these facts came about.  Most people listen to facts as if they were law.  The ability to question the facts is what a true essay writer does, whether he is right or wrong. Klaus wants people to think for themselves without all the propaganda that is put in the world today.  There is a place for factual knowledge, but it will only keep you ignorant if you do not learn to read between the lines.