<p>i want to write something in 2nd person POV for the tell the story of a road essay. do you think this is too risky?</p>
<p>Yes. The second person is a weak device and an alienating one in most cases. Epistolary novels are an exception.</p>
<p>The problem is that you are telling the reader what s/he thinks/feels.</p>
<p>If the reader feels/thinks differently you have lost his/her support.</p>
<p>I speak as a college professor of English, and my son was accepted by the U of C.</p>
<p>I would say write it if it empowers you, and then go back through and see if you can find another way to express the same feelings. You never know ;-)</p>
<p>well, it would be more like me talking to myself, so would that really be "telling the reader what s/he thinks/feels?"</p>
<p>i don't know, i've written part of the essay in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person POV and the 2nd person POV just works best. it also sounds much more poetic. i guess i might use 1st or 3rd though.</p>
<p>Again, you're the best judge! In my own Chicago essay I made fun of my SAT scores. It worked for me and my personality and it worked in the context of the essay.</p>