•
Gatsby Analytical Essay
•
Choose a theme, motif (repeating symbol or image or rhetorical device) or idea and write a
three page typed analytical essay about The Great Gatsby that analyzes an argument or
observation Fitzgerald makes about American culture in New York during the roaring 20’s.
•
The paper should contain a minimum of four concrete quotations from the novel and have a
maximum of six.
•
The paper should show a clear understanding of that idea or motif in the context of the novel.
•
Your thesis should be concrete, analytical and clear and be focused enough to write a short
well-supported paper.
•
The quotations should be blended correctly, have proper context and commentary and support
your thesis.
•
Quotations need to be in parenthetical reference form according to the MLA.
1.
2.
Your thesis needs to be handwritten and turned in to me by Friday. 25 points
You will need to find, write down and turn in your quotations by Thursday of the exam. This
will be a good way to study for the exam and is the correct way to write an analytical paper.
Police do not come up with a theory until the y have found the clues and you will not know
where to go with your paper until you have found your evidence.
A rough draft will be due at the end of class of on Monday the 28th. We will have time in class
Friday, and Monday to work on the thesis, gather quotations and begin your rough draft.
Keep your paper simple, clear, original and focused. Do not try to cover the whole book, do try
to pick a topic that interests you.
The focus of the essay is your argument on what the book or Fitzgerald suggests about the
characters and their lives.
Choose an idea that interests you.
The idea argument must be supported by the text. Keep your argument narrow; choose a part
of the novel, or a set of characters, two settings, or two –three symbols.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
For The Great Gatsby, you will create and develop a sophisticated argument surrounding
one of the major themes found in The Great Gatsby. You will construct a thesis that
articulates what Fitzgerald seems to argue about this particular theme.
Just a reminder, a theme is an author’s message about a subject/topic that is conveyed
throughout the work.
Your essay should include the major components of an essay: an introduction with thesis,
body paragraphs with clear, specific claims that develop the thesis, well-chosen quotes from
the novel explained by well-developed commentary, and, of course, a conclusion.
For your essay, think about the following: Consider our reading and discussion of the novel
in relation to the topics we’ve discussed: the American Dream, money, deception, love,
morals/ethics, reinvention of the self, etc. Choose an essay topic from the list below and find
quotes related to that theme. Analyze and interpret the quotes related to the theme.
Construct a well-developed thesis accurately and precisely portraying Fitzgerald’s view on
the topic/theme.
For example, if you pursue the American Dream, you should not write about your views on
the American Dream, but instead develop an argument about Fitzgerald’s view on various
versions of the American Dream and how his characters pursue it. Your body paragraphs
would address how the characters from the book are examples of Fitzgerald’s view of
society as a whole and therefore support his view of the American Dream.
Possible Essay Prompts
1.The American Dream. What is Fitzgerald’s view and portrayal of the American Dream in
The GreatGatsby? What does Fitzgerald suggest are the consequences of following various
versions of the American Dream? For this question, consider what the characters want, how
they pursue their desires, and the consequences of their quest. (violence, adultery,
unchecked materialism, remember Fitzgerald is not saying all Americans are like this, just
some of the characters in the novel.
2.Money and Wealth. What does Fitzgerald imply about the effect of money on people’s
lives in The Great Gatsby? You may consider wealthy characters, those who become wealthy,
and those who try to become wealthy but fail. How are individual characters affected by
their own and society’s beliefs about money? To what extent does wealth bring happiness
and satisfaction? Why is gaining wealth and how you get your wealth so important?
3.Ethics (Deception). Several characters in the novel deceive themselves and/or other
people. What does Fitzgerald imply about the deception of oneself or others? Why lie? Is it
worth it? For this theme, consider what Fitzgerald believes motivates various types of
deception. What does he suggest are the consequences of deception? What are the costs and
benefits?
4.Love. Examine Fitzgerald’s view of love in the novel. Is there anyone in the novel who
feels true love for another character, or are these characters more in love with the idea of
love – the illusion rather than the reality? What does Fitzgerald suggest prevents true love
from developing? What is true love and is it even possible?
5.The Reinvention of the Self. To what extent can a person truly and successfully reinvent
himself or herself? Can a person truly change or is who you are fixed by the time you
become an adult? Examine characters who attempt to reinvent themselves, how they
attempt to do this, and the consequences of this pursuit. What does Fitzgerald ultimately
seem to say about whether a person can successfully reinvent him/herself? Fitzgerald
includes the following quote in the last chapter of his novel:
6. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then
retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together
and let other people clean up the mess they had made . . . ” (187-188)
Comment on the ways in which Tom and Daisy exemplify this quotation and the consequences of
their choices.
7. Fitzgerald uses his novel to portray and critique a number of male-female relationships,
some married, some not. Analyze the nature of male-female relationships in the novel.
8.
Throughout the novel, we learn that Gatsby’s goal in life since he was a young man is to win
Daisy’s love. Everything he has worked for was for her to desire him over the many other
rich and respected men of their society, including her husband.
After his hard work, why does Fitzgerald suddenly stop Gatsby from having his dream come
true just when it seems
it will? Discuss how Gatsby’s final destiny helps to demonstrate the shallow, empty,
materialistic values of the
people who comprise the society.
9.
Compare and contrast any two places in the novel, explaining how the places differ, what
each place symbolizes, and how each reflects the society of the times and the morals and
values of its inhabitants.
10. Some characters are static; they remain the same from start to finish. Others are dynamic;
they emerge at the end, having undergone a substantial change.
11. The theme of seeing and not seeing, or variations on blindness, permeates the novel. Eyes
are everywhere: Dr. Eckleburg’s on the billboard, Owl Eyes, a dog “looking with blind eyes
through the smoke (41), a man “blinded by the glare of the headlights” (59), and Nick’s
comment that the East is “haunted for me . . . distorted beyond my eyes’ power of
correction,” (185).
1. Explore potential topics
You will need to generate ideas to use in the paper—you'll have to develop your own interpretation. Let's
assume for now that you are choosing your own topic.
After reading your story, a topic may just jump out at you, or you may have recognized a pattern or
identified a problem that you’d like to think about in more detail.
What is a pattern or a problem?
A pattern can be the recurrence of certain kinds of imagery or events. Usually, repetition of particular
aspects of a story (similar events in the plot, similar descriptions, even repetition of particular words) tends
to render those elements more conspicuous.
Use your chart or ideas and write down five potential topics that you have
seen in the book and could write about.
For some of you, this might be a god time to actually read part of the book.
Select a topic with a lot of evidence
If you’re selecting from a number of possible topics, narrow down your list by identifying how much
evidence or how many specific details you could use to investigate each potential issue. Do this step just off
the top of your head. Keep in mind that persuasive papers rely on ample evidence and that having a lot of
details to choose from can also make your paper easier to write.
2. . Write out a working thesis
Based on the evidence that relates to your topic—and what you anticipate you might say about those pieces
of evidence—come up with a working thesis. Don’t spend a lot of time composing this statement at this
stage since it will probably change (and a changing thesis statement is a good sign that you’re starting to
say more interesting and complex things on your subject).
Remember a thesis should be argumentative, iis the result of a lengthy thinking process.
Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an
argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between
known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these
relationships.
Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a "working thesis," a basic or main idea, an argument
that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.
Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or
comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to
get started, see our handout on brainstorming.
Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel:
Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain's novel Huckleberry Finn. "This will be easy," you think.
"I loved Huckleberry Finn!" You grab a pad of paper and write:
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.
Why is this thesis weak? Think about what the reader would expect from the essay that follows: you will
most likely provide a general, appreciative summary of Twain's novel. The question did not ask you to
summarize; it asked you to analyze.
Your professor is probably not interested in your opinion of the novel; instead, she wants you to think about
whyit's such a great novel—what do Huck's adventures tell us about life, about America, about coming of
age, about race relations, etc.?
First, the question asks you to pick an aspect of the novel that you think is important to its structure or
meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or
the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:
In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.
Here's a working thesis with potential: you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for
investigation; however, it's still not clear what your analysis will reveal. Your reader is intrigued, but is still
thinking, "So what? What's the point of this contrast? What does it signify?" Perhaps you are not sure yet,
either. That's fine—begin to work on comparing scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free
write, make lists, jot down Huck's actions and reactions. Eventually you will be able to clarify for yourself,
and then for the reader, why this contrast matters. After examining the evidence and considering your own
insights, you write:
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain's Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true
expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave "civilized" society and go back to nature.
This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content.
Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will
convince the reader of your interpretation.
2a. How do I know if my thesis is strong?
If there's time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback.
Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own.
When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following:
• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing
•
•
•
•
a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the
question.
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose?If your thesis
simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's
possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an
argument.
Is my thesis statement specific enough?
Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If
your thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you could be
more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something
"successful"?
Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "So
what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a
larger issue.
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your
thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has
•
to change. It's o.k. to change your working thesis to reflect things you have
figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess
and revise your writing as necessary.
Does my thesis pass the "how and why?" test? If a reader's first response is
"how?" or "why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for
the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your
position right from the beginning.
3. Make an extended list of evidence
As you make your notes keep track of page numbers so you can quickly find the passages in your book
again and so you can easily document quoted passages when you write without having to fish back through
the book.
At this point, you want to include anything, anything, that might be useful, and you also want to avoid the
temptation to arrive at definite conclusions about your topic. Remember that one of the qualities that makes
for a good interpretation is that it avoids the obvious.
When you jot down ideas, you can focus on the observations from the narrator or things that certain
characters say or do.
Begin by adding to the quotations that you choose for homework..
To make it easier I’ve added on online version of the book, cut and paste the quotation your think you
might use for the text. Try to choose those details that all work towards your thesis.
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/f/fitzgerald/f_scott/gatsby/
4. Select your evidence
Once you’ve made your expanded list of evidence, decide which supporting details are the strongest. First,
select the facts, which bear the closest relation to your thesis statement. Second, choose the pieces of
evidence you’ll be able to say the most about. Readers tend to be more dazzled with your interpretations of
evidence than with a lot of quotes from the book.
5. Refine your thesis
Now it's time to go back to your working thesis and refine it so that it reflects your new understanding of
your topic.
8. Organize your evidence
Once you have a clear thesis you can go back to your list of selected evidence and group all the similar
details together. The ideas that tie these clusters of evidence together can then become the claims that
you ll make in your paper. As you begin thinking about what claims you can make (i.e. what kinds of
conclusion you can come to) keep in mind that they should not only relate to all the evidence but also
clearly support your thesis. Once you re satisfied with the way you ve grouped your evidence and with
the way that your claims relate to your thesis, you can begin to consider the most logical way to organize
each of those claims. To support my thesis about Frankenstein,
9. Interpret your evidence
Avoid the temptation to load your paper with evidence from your story. Each time you use a specific
reference to your story, be sure to explain the significance of that evidence in your own words. To get your
readers interest, you need to draw their attention to elements of the story that they wouldn t necessarily
notice or understand on their own. If you re quoting passages without interpreting them, you re not
demonstrating your reasoning skills or helping the reader
Checklist for Literary Analysis
Introduction
____ Lead your reader into the topic.
______ Begin with an interesting attention getter
______ Establish the work (The Great Gatsby – use the complete title) and the author (F. Scott
Fitzgerald)
______ State your central idea - The central idea is the main idea of the paper, the “glue” of the
paper.
Example:
Example Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a drama of moral conflict in which
Huck
struggles between his heart and his conscience.
____ State your Thesis at the end of your introductory paragraph- The thesis is the specific plan,
the “parts” you’ll prove.
Example:
Example Several important scenes illustrate Huck’s conflict between his sound heart and his
deformed conscience: when Huck hides Jim’s identity to the slave traders, his apology after
the fog scene, and his decision to rip up the letter to Miss Watson and decides to free Jim.
Body
____ Develop the idea outlined in your thesis
____ Support your analysis with quotations and examples from the primary source
____ Discuss/Elaborate on your quotations and examples
____ Support your analysis with quotations and examples from the secondary sources
____ Discuss/Elaborate on your quotations and examples
Conclusion
____ Restate your thesis in the first sentence of your concluding paragraph
____ Summarize your ideas
Remember to…
____ Provide solid transitions (within and between paragraphs)
____ Write in present tense (the book and characters continue to live)
____ Use third person throughout (no “you”, no “I”)
Example:
Example “Jim is a better father than Pap ever was.”
____ Do NOT write: “In my opinion…”
“I think…”
“As you can see…”
____ Include at least six embedded citations in your paper:
A good literary analysis essay will retell the essential parts of a story for those that don't know it,
explaining piece by piece the symbolism of the big events and smaller details. As far as symbolism goes,
all events and details will be symbols of one message from the author.
In other words, your retelling will all be in support of one idea, your thesis, which states the main message
of the author.
Below are
(1) a sample structure/how-to information for doing a literary analysis essay for my class -- including
what I expect in the thesis;
(2) the score sheet I will use to score these papers, and you will use for peer editing; and
(3) three sample essays.
Literary Analysis Essay Sample Structure
Paragraph 1.
a. Grabber
b. Orient Reader to author, book and its context
c. Thesis
Body Paragraphs: In EVERY paragraph, include, in any order:
a. Evidence
(1) What happened (context)
(2) quotes
b. Commentary
(1) Connect evidence to thesis
Conclusion: End with a gift. Connect to something new and different.
Here’s what these terms mean, in more depth, along with a few other tips:
Grabber. Grab the reader’s attention with the first line. You can do this with action, a deep thought or
question, vivid description, or dialogue.
Orient Reader. In 1-3 sentences, identify the title, author, and subject of the book. Don’t summarize the
whole book in detail. But write just enough, as if to assume the reader knows nothing yet about the book.
Thesis. The thesis is your angle. It is what you will organize all your evidence around.
A thesis can’t be purely true; it has to be able to be argued one way or the other.
In a literary analysis essay, it should mention the author.
It should specifically identify what (specifically) the author is saying about a general subject, like life,
relationships, gender, or class.
In other words, it should be a rewording of this formula: (Author’s name) is making a point about
(general subject); the specific point s/he is making is that ____________.
It should suggest that the author is using the characters, setting, plot or voice to make that specific point
about a general subject.
For example: “O’Neil uses the protagonist Sydney to argue that rich white men actually can find real
happiness not in loving relationships, but in material possessions.”
(The general subject here is happiness.)
Evidence—on two levels: one, support your thesis with events that happened in the book (This is to show
the context of your quotes). But stay focused: don’t summarize the book unless it’s as evidence for an idea
of yours.
Two, use quotes (with page numbers) from the book. "Quotes" just means excerpts; they don't have to be
dialogue. Try to incorporate them into your context, by having quotes and context share sentences. For
example:
Not incorporated:
Janie’s images for romantic happiness come from nature. “Life should be more
like a pear tree in bloom, she thinks” (p. 67). She thinks this when she is unhappy in her relationships.
Incorporated:
Because Janie’s image for romantic happiness comes from nature, she thinks, “Life should be more like a
pear tree in bloom” (p. 67) when she is unhappy in her relationship.
Notice, in the examples above, how to punctuate around quotes, and how to mark the page numbers. For
marking page numbers, put (p. ___ ) in parentheses after the quote ends, followed by the period or comma
that would be inside the quotes, if the sentence needs one.
More on specific good ways to incorporate quotations is here: see pages 5-6.
Commentary. Make sure that before or after each quote, you point out how it connects to the thesis. As
with blending in quotes, you can do this with variety and finesse. (You don’t have to mention the word
“thesis,” or say the term, “proves my point.”) For example:
Repetitious and obvious: This also proves the thesis because a rich man is happier with an expensive toy
than he is when in love.
Subtle yet effective: Once again, O’Neil portrays rich men as happier with expensive toys than in love.
Another tip:
Avoid pointing out that you are writing an essay. Don’t write, “In this essay I will…” or “I will first
describe… and then I will…” or “When I first started to think about this subject…” or “In conclusion, I
have proven…”
Embedded Citations
Guidelines for using Modern Language Association (MLA) parenthetical citation style within your text:
1. Openly credit the author’s name in your sentence and cite the page number within parentheses
following the quotations or paraphrase.
Example:
According to Gladys Carmen Bellamy, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn “falls naturally into
three thematic units” (16).
2. If you do not use the author’s name in your sentence, cite the author’s last name and page number
within parentheses at the end of the cited material.
Example:
“Basically honest, Huck nevertheless tells lies throughout the novel, lies which are excusable
only because they are absurdly transparent” (Miller 93).
3. Attribute quotes to speakers, but remember
source, not
remember to cite within parentheses the author of the source,
the speaker of the quote.
Example:
Jim shows his anger at Huck’s cruel joke when he says, “En all you wuz thinking ‘bout wuz how
you could make a fool uv old Jim wid a lie” (Twain 48).
4. Avoid quotes longer than four typed lines long. If you must use one, set it off from the rest of the
essay and do NOT use quotation marks.
Example:
Huck was especially frightened when he overheard one of the murderers say,
It’s a lie Jim Turner. You’ve acted this way before. You always want more’n your share
of the truck, and you’ve always got it, too, because you’ve swore ‘t if you didn’t you’d
tell. But this time you’ve said it jest one time too many. You’re the meanest,
treacherousest hound in the country (Twain 51).
5. Do not use “p.” or “pp.” for page numbers.
Literary Analysis Essay Score Sheet
No
Sort
Yes
of
Element
Explanation
Grabber,
Orientation
First sentence catches reader’s attention. Then writer
identifies the author, book title, and gives a brief,
0
accurate description of the story (in the first
paragraph).
10
Thesis: General
Subject
thesis describes what the author is trying to say
about a general subject, like love, relationships,
society, gender or race.
0
10
Thesis: Specific
Focus
what you say the author says, about the general
subject, is specific and precise. Also, it fits the book
and your evidence.
0
10
Evidence: Context/
Events: Quantity
Writer uses at least five events from the book.
0
10
Evidence: Context/
Events: Quality
These all connect to the thesis. No big events in the
book should have been addressed, based on your
thesis, but were not. You thoroughly describe what’s 0
happening, filling in details for those who haven’t
read the book. Every paragraph has a topic sentence.
10
Evidence: Quotes:
Quantity
Every paragraph gets a quote or two (for at least five
0
total).
10
Evidence: Quotes:
Quality
Quotes match the context/event they are connected
to. Most are blended into context sentences.
Page numbers are included and formatted correctly.
0
10
Evidence:
Commentary/
Connections to
thesis
All evidence is clearly, explicitly shown to connect
to the thesis. The wording is not repetitive, though.
0
10
Mechanics:
Grammar, punctuation, spelling are flawless.
0
10
0
10
Paper is perfectly on time, typed, titled, doublePlaying by the rules spaced, 3-7 pages, stapled, with student’s name,
period #.
Total Score:
Reduction for paper being over 1 week late, or extra-sloppy?
Top of Page
A Guide to the Literary-Analysis Essay
Writing Terms Defined
❑ INTRODUCTION: the first paragraph in your essay. It begins creatively
in order to catch your reader’s interest, provides essential background about
the literary work, and prepares the reader for you major thesis. The
introduction must include the author and title of the work as well as an
explanation of the theme to be discussed. Other essential background may
include setting, capsule plot summary, an introduction of main characters,
and definition of terms. The major thesis goes in this paragraph usually at
the end. Because the major thesis sometimes sounds tacked on, make special
attempts to link it to the sentence that precedes it by building on a key word
or idea.
❑ CREATIVE OPENING: the beginning sentences of the introduction that
catch the reader’s interest. Ways of beginning creatively include the
following:
1)
A startling fact or bit of information
Ex. Nearly two citizens were arrested as witches during the Salem witch
scare of 1692. Eventually nineteen were hanged, and another was pressed to
death (Marks 65).
2) A snatch of dialogue between two characters
Ex. “It is another thing. You [Frederic Henry] cannot know about it unless you
have it.”
“ Well,” I said. “If I ever get it I will tell you [priest].” (Hemingway 72). With these
words, the priest in Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms sends the hero,
Frederic, in search of the ambiguous “it” in his life.
This guide is designed to help you write better literary-analysis essays for your English
classes. It contains diagrams, explanations, and many examples to take you through each
part of the essay. It was composed by RBHS English teachers with you in mind.
This booklet is based in part on Cobb County’s A Guide to the Research Paper, Upland
High School’s Student Writer’s Handbook, and the MLA Handbook for Writer’s of
Research Papers. In addition, essay models are based on actual student papers.3) A
meaningful quotation (from the work or another source)
Ex. “To be, or not to be, that is the question” {3.1.57}. This familiar statement
expresses the young prince’s moral dilemma in William Shakespeare’s tragedy
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
4) A universal idea.
Ex.The terrifying scenes a soldier experiences on the front probably follow him
throughout his life—if he manages to survive the war.
5) A rich, vivid description of the setting
Ex. Sleepy Maycomb, like other Southern towns, suffers considerably during
the Great Depression. Poverty reaches from the privileged families, like the
Finches, to the Negroes and “white trash” Ewells, who live on the outskirts of
town. Harper Lee paints a vivid picture of life in this humid
Alabama town where tempers and bigotry explode into conflict.
6) An analogy or metaphor
Ex. Life is like a box of chocolates: we never know what we’re going to get.
This element of uncertainty plays a major role in many dramas. For example, in
Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet have no idea what tragedies lie ahead
when they fall so passionately and impetuously in love.
7) MAJOR THESIS: a statement that provides the subject and overall opinion of your
essay.
For a literary analysis your major thesis must (1) relate to the theme of the
work and (2) suggest how this theme is revealed by the author. A good thesis may also
suggest the organization of the paper.
Ex. Through Paul’s experience behind the lines, at a Russian prisoner of war
camp, and especially under bombardment in the trenches, Erich Maria
Remarque realistically shows how war dehumanizes a man.
Sometimes a thesis becomes too cumbersome to fit into one sentence. In such cases, you
may express the major thesis as two sentences.
Ex. In a Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens shows the process by which a
wasted life can be redeemed. Sidney Carton, through his love for Lucie Manette,
is transformed from a hopeless, bitter man into a hero whose life and death have
meaning.
❑
TOPIC SENTENCE/SUPPORT THESIS: the first sentence of a body
or support paragraph. It identifies one aspect of the major thesis and states a
primary reason why the major thesis is true.
example: When he first appears in the novel, Sidney Carton is a loveless outcast who
seems little worth in himself or in others.
❑ BODY: the support paragraphs of your essay. These paragraphs contain supporting
examples (concrete detail) and analysis/explanation (commentary) for your topic
sentences/support theses. Each paragraph in the body includes (1) a topic
sentence/support thesis, (2) integrated concrete detail and commentary, and (3) a
concluding sentence. In follows:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
its simplest form, each body paragraph is organized as
topic sentence / support thesis lead-in to concrete detail concrete detail commentary
transition and lead-in to next concrete detail concrete detail commentary concluding or
clincher sentence
❑
CONCRETE DETAIL: a specific example from the work used to provide
evidence for your topic sentence/support thesis. Concrete detail can be a combination of
paraphrase and direct quotation from the work.
example: When Carlton and Darnay first meet at the tavern, Carlton tells him, “I care for
no man on this earth, and no man cares for me” (Dickens 105).
❑
COMMENTARY: your explanation and interpretation of the concrete detail.
Commentary tells the reader what the author of the text means or how the concrete detail
proves the topic sentence/support thesis. Commentary may include interpretation,
analysis, argument, insight, and/or reflection. (Helpful hint: In your body paragraph, you
should have twice as much commentary as concrete detail. In other words, for every
sentence of concrete detail, you should have at least two sentences of commentary.)
example: Carton makes this statement as if he were excusing his rude behavior to
Darnay. Carton, however, is only pretending to be polite, perhaps to amuse himself. With
this seemingly off-the-cuff remark, Carton reveals a deeper cynicism and his emotional
isolation.
❑
TRANSITIONS: words or phrases that connect or “hook” one idea to the next,
both between and within paragraphs. Transition devices include using connecting words
as well as repeating key words or using synonyms.
example: Another example... Later in the story...
Not only...but also..Finally, in the climax... In contrast to this behavior...
Furthermore..❑ LEAD-IN: phrase or sentence hat prepares the reader for a concrete
detail by introducing the speaker, setting, and/or situation.
Ex. Later, however, when the confident Sidney Carton returns alone to his
home, his alienation and unhappiness become apparent: “Climbing into a high
chamber in a well of houses, he threw himself down in his clothes on a neglected
bed, and its pillow was wet with wasted tears” (Dickens 211).
❑ CLINCHER/CONCLUDING SENTENCE: last sentence of the body paragraph. It
concludes the paragraph by trying the concrete details and commentary back to the major
thesis.
Ex.Thus, before Carton experiences love, he is able to convince himself that
the world has no meaning.
❑ CONLUSION: last paragraph in your essay. This paragraph should begin by echoing
your major thesis without repeating the words verbatim. Then, the conclusion should
broaden from the thesis statements to answer the “so what?” question your reader may
have after reading your essay. The conclusion should do one or more of the following:
1) Reflect on how your essay topic relates to the book as a whole 2)
Evaluate how
successful the author is in achieving his or her goal or message 3)
Give a personal
statement about the topic 4) Make predictions 5) Connect back to your creative
opening 6) Give your opinion of the novel’s value or significance
❑ MLA Language Association (MLA) format as the accepted final draft format for
essays and research papers. While there are many style manuals, MLA has been widely
used in liberal arts and humanities programs of colleges and universities. The general
requirements are the following:
FORMAT: The Poway Unified School District has adopted the Modern
1) Heading: student’s name, teacher’s name, class title and period, date 2) Title of paper
3) Student surname, number each page 4) One side of unlined 8 1/2-by-11 inch paper
5) Typed/word processed, double-spaced throughout 6)
1/2-inch indention from
margin for each paragraph 7)one-inch indention from margin on left side only for block
quotations 8)
one-inch margins on all sides
❑ PLAGIARISM/ACADEMIC HONESTY: Plagiarism is the act of using another
person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source. You are
plagiarizing if you do the following:
1) Use someone else’s ideas or examples without giving credit 2) Use a slightly
changed statement as your own, putting your won words here
and there and not giving credit 3) Fail to use quotation marks around exact sentences,
phrases, or even words
that belong to another person 4) Cite facts and statistics that someone else has
compiled 5)
Present evidence or testimony taken form someone else’s argument
Plagiarism in student writing is often unintentional. You have probably done a report or
research paper at some time in your education in which you chose a topic, checked out
several sources, and copied several sentences or paragraphs form each source. You might
have been unaware that you were committing plagiarism. However, as a high school
student writing an essay or research paper, you must be aware that anytime you use
someone else’s thought, words, or phraseology without giving him or her credit in your
paper constitutes plagiarism. Your paper will be credible only if you thoroughly
document your sources.
❑ PRIMARY SOURCE: The literary work (novel, play, story, poem) to be discussed in
an essay.
Ex. Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”
Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-tale Heart”
❑ SECONDARY SOURCE: Any source (other than the primary source) referred to in
the essay. Secondary sources can include critical analyses, biographies of the author,
reviews, history books, encyclopedias etc.