Persuasive Essays Are Bad Assignments There is no logical reason to write a persuasive essay for an English class. Persuasive essays definitely do not need to be a requirement for high school students. The definition of “persuade” in Webster's New College Dictionary is: To induce one to believe or do something; to argue into an opinion or procedure; to plead with, urge. I have always thought that someone who let his own opinion be changed by someone else is a person who lacks a strong will. I understand that some people have a certain talent for convincing other people, but I personally would not change my mind about a subject unless I was unsu