Name:
Class:
Short Story Essay
We’ve now read 3 short stories and practiced annotating and reading critically. Now, it
is your turn to explain how two or three of these stories connect and relate.
You will compare one of the following:
___ Mood & Setting
___ Theme
___ Characterization
___ Use of Literary Elements (similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, etc.)
This must be a multiple paragraph essay, well organized, and you must include citations
(SUPPORT FROM THE TEXT).
See the rubric for further detail.
DAY 1:
__ Choose topic
__ Pre-write
__ Find supporting evidence (put it in the thesis statement)
DAY 2:
__ Draft
__ Read what you’ve written so far quietly to yourself (change any wording as needed)
__ Conference with the teacher
DAY 3:
__ Finish Drafting
__ Self Edit & Peer Edit
__ Print
Name:
Class:
Short Story Essay
We’ve now read 3 short stories and practiced annotating and reading critically. Now, it
is your turn to explain how these stories connect and relate.
You will compare the following:
___ Mood & Setting
___ Theme
___ Characterization
___ Use of Literary Elements (similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, etc.)
This must be a multiple paragraph essay, well organized, and you must include citations
(SUPPORT FROM THE TEXT).
See the rubric for further detail.
DAY 1:
__ Choose topic
__ Pre-write
__ Find supporting evidence (put it in the thesis statement)
DAY 2:
__ Draft
__ Read what you’ve written so far quietly to yourself (change any wording as needed)
__ Conference with the teacher
DAY 3:
__ Finish Drafting
__ Self Edit & Peer Edit
__ Print
DAY 1: PRE-WRITE Guide
Helpful
Hints
Introduction:
*Hook
*Background
Info.
*Thesis
Statement
Body
Paragraph 1:
*Transition
phrase
*Topic
Sentence
*Support &
examples
*Concluding
statement
Body
Paragraph 2:
*Transition
phrase
*Topic
Sentence
*Support &
examples
*Concluding
statement
Your Writing
(Just bullet point your thoughts - See the outline option below if
you prefer to do that instead of this outline)
Helpful
Hints
Your Writing
(Just bullet point your thoughts - See the outline option below if
you prefer to do that instead of this outline)
Body
Paragraph 3:
*Transition
phrase
*Topic
Sentence
*Support &
examples
*Concluding
statement
Concluding
Paragraph:
*Concluding
Transition
phrase
*Restate
Thesis
*Plea to
audience (ex:
It’s up to you
to decide)
*Once you’ve outlined your essay, you may begin typing in Google Docs
(Be sure to create an LA folder and share it with your teacher)
REVISE: Peer Revision Writer________________Revisor___________________
Introduction Paragraph
1.How does the writer start the persuasive paper? (Circle one)
a) A Question (?) (DON’T DO)
b) Snapshot (middle of an action)
c) Dialogue
d) One Word
e) Exclamation (!)
2.Does the hook/lead catch your attention? If not, how can the writer make it catch your
attention better?
3. What is this paper going to prove/suggest? (Hint: look at thesis statement-write that!)
Body Paragraphs
1. Does each body paragraph begin with a transition word? What words?
2.What transition words can be added to the body paragraphs? Where?
3. Does the paper provide SPECIFIC QUOTES from the story to support the topic? From which
stories?
Conclusion:
1.Does the conclusion use a concluding phrase/transition?
2. Did the writer prove his/her point? Why or why not?
3. If the paper ends with “This is why…” or “These are reasons why…” CROSS THOSE
PHRASES OUT (they are not to be used). Suggest a better conclusion: (As you can see,
Clearly, Overall, On a whole, To be sure,…etc.)
REVISE/EDIT: Self-Edit Checklist (As you are going through this, you may opt to have a
conference with me).
1.What is your hook? (Write it)
2. Write your thesis statement (last sentence in your first paragraph). What are the three things
your paper will talk about?
3. Does each topic sentence of each main body paragraph match the topics in your thesis
statement? (If not, correct that)!
4. Do you have at least 3 CITED QUOTES in your essay to support your topic sentences? List
detail words and verbs you use in your support OR list detail words and verbs you can add.
5. Do you lead into your quotes or are they dangling? If not, FIX IT! (EX: Margot illustrates this
point when she “...” (All Summer in a Day, Bradbury).)
6. Write the transitional phrase you used at the beginning of your concluding paragraph. (If
you don’t have one, add one in your paper now)!
8. Do you repeat each point of your thesis statement in your conclusion? (If not, add them
now).
9. Look at the beginning of each sentence. Do you always start with a subject and then a verb
(ex: Cell phones are fun)? If so, change some beginnings by using a phrase, a modifier, or a
clause as sentence starters. (ex: As we all know, cell phones are fun.)
10. Do you CAPITALIZE each word that needs to be capitalized? (“I” ; “I’m” ; names; titles;
dates; etc.) If not, correct those now.
___ I have read my paper out loud
___ I used class resources to help me edit.
X__________________________________________
(your signature saying you did your BEST editing possible)
LAST DAY: PUBLISH: You are ready to hand this in and have the teacher grade your
essay! Once this packet is turned in, no further changes can be made to your essay on
GoogleDocs.
My essay was finished on this day: ___________________________
& I made no further adjustments to my paper unless otherwise notified.
X___________ (Sign your Initials)
TOTAL:
_____________ / 40 Points
Zayn Malik
LA P __
9/10/2014
Story of my life. I had to write
another essay. But hey, I did it
and actually learned from the
theme I wrote about. So,check
out my example essay,
organize your own ideas, and
write ‘em out! Good luck!
Short Story Comparison Essay (EXAMPLE)
!
Bumper stickers. I see them on the back of pick up trucks and minivans all the time.
They shout out little quotes like “Be the change you wish to see” or “Life is a garden. Dig it.”
Those short phrases attempt to teach some sort of quick lesson, but no one really pays much
attention to them. Sometimes this happens when we read literature as well. In Arthur C.
Clarke’s “The Secret” and Ray Bradbury’s “A Sound of Thunder”, the main characters are both
faced with situations that will or do impact the entire world. Both stories have a similar
message, or theme, they are trying to teach the audience about how we all have an impact
on others.
!
To begin with, in Clarke’s short story, “The Secret, ” the reader learns the central
message that human choices impact others. For instance, Henry Cooper is faced with the
decision to withhold information from Earth or not. The “secret” he discovers could either create
chaos if it is revealed or could keep those on the moon in a privileged state. The reader clearly
sees that this is a difficult choice for Henry at the end of the story when Dr. Hastings, the
medical research director, snidely says, “This is your problem now, Mr. Journalist; you’ve asked
for it and you’ve got it...Just how are you going to break it to them?” (Clarke, 126). The reader
does not ever find out what Henry does but is left understanding the theme, or central message
of the story, which is that some secrets are best kept because of the negative impact it could
have on others.
!
In addition, Bradbury’s short story, “A Sound of Thunder” also has a central message
demonstrating how human actions can impact others. For example, Eckels, an avid hunter,
decides to travel to the past “to bag the biggest game in all of Time” (ASOT, Bradbury). What he
does not realize is with the slip of his foot, his actions impact the rest of humanity in the future.
He discovers, along with the other hunters, that he stepped on a butterfly and altered all of the
future. He cries out, “ Killing one butterfly couldn’t be that important! Could it?” (ASOT,
Bradbury) only to discover that it is that important. Overall, the reader takes away that one
person’s actions can truly impact change for others.
!
As you can see, the theme about how we all have an impact on others is clearly
illustrated in both science fiction short stories. Both try to teach the audience that our actions
and choices can affect the world around us. It is a reminder to us all to be mindful of our actions
and choices.
Note: I color coded the different parts of the paper
so you could pay attention to how I organized it.
You’re welcome.
*If you prefer, you can OUTLINE your pre write in your notebook. Below is an EXAMPLE:
I. Intro
A. Hook: (don’t fill out yet)
B. Background info : introduce the story titles and authors
1.“The Secret” by Arthur C. Clarke
2. A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury
3. The element: Theme
a)Theme is a central message the author is giving to his/her reader
b) Both stories have similar messages, or themes
C. Thesis Statement: Both stories have a similar message, or theme, they are trying to
teach the audience about how we all have an impact on others.
II. Body Paragraph I
A. To Begin with, “The Secret” by Clarke has a theme that explains how one human’s
choices can impact others around him.
B. For instance, journalist Henry Cooper, the protagonist, is searching for the...
C. When he discovers the secret, Dr. Hastings says, “This is your problem now, Mr.
Journalist; you’ve asked for it and you’ve got it...Just how are you going to break it to
them?” (Clarke, 126).
D. This quote shows Dr. Hastings sort of taunting Cooper, knowing that Cooper has no
idea how to share the information because if he does, the entire world could erupt
with chaos.
E. As you can see, Cooper is faced with an important lesson that shows one man’s
!
choice can change the world.
III. Body Paragraph II
A. In addition, “A Sound of Thunder” by Bradbury demonstrates this same lesson, this
same theme, to the reader.
B. For example, Eckels, an avid hunter, is ....
C. When they finally hunt the tyrannosaurus rex, Eckels steps off of the path and
crushes a butterfly.
D. After returning back to the future, Eckels cries, “Killing one butterfly couldn’t be that
important! Could it?”
E. But it is that important. That step off the path made the future world change
F. Clearly, this story’s theme explains how one man’s actions can impact the world.
IV. Conclusion
A. Concluding Phrase: Overall, both Bradbury & Clarke create similar central
messages for the reader.
B. Repeat Thesis: Both stories have a similar message, or theme, they are trying to
teach the audience about how we all have an impact on others.
C. It’s the reader’s job to take that message to heart .