This article highlights the close relationship between intellectual life and essay. It pretends to analyze how the essay is an effective way to reflect about Latinamerican identity. Above all are taken as examples “Notas de la inteligencia americana” by Alfonso Reyes, El insomnio de Bolívar by Jorge Volpi and Pa´ que se acabe la vaina by William Ospina. This dialogue has got the purpose to find out the transfers of knowledge through different social contexts.