©2016 Bespoke ELA
The Introduction Paragraph
The introduction paragraph does just what it is called—it introduces the essay. It is a very important paragraph in
the essay because it makes the first impression. The introduction paragraph has three goals:
1. To grab the reader’s attention—Remember that your reader is an academic in the field of literary study, so this
person has probably read many, many essays on your piece of literature. How will you attract attention to
your argument?
2. To establish context—It is important that your reader knows the specific author(s) and piece(s) of literature
being analyzed right from the beginning so that the reader is not confused. It is also important to
introduce the “big ideas” of your essay at the beginning that will be narrowed in the thesis statement.
3. To communicate the argument—The reader needs to also know your specific argument (a.k.a. thesis statement)
because this focuses the reader’s purpose for reading your essay.
There are three parts to the introduction paragraph that accomplish these goals:
Attention-grabber
Transition
Thesis Statement
If we were to graphically represent the shape of the introduction paragraph, it would form an upside-down
triangle because the introduction paragraph goes from broad to specific—as follows:
Attention-Grabber
Transition
Thesis
The Attention-grabber pulls the reader into the essay.
The Transition segues between the attention-grabber and the thesis statement. It introduces the broad ideas of
the essay.
The Thesis Statement presents the focused argument of the essay and narrows the broad ideas of the transition
into more specific ideas that will be discussed further in the body paragraphs of the essay.
Homework: Draft an introduction paragraph with the three above parts using your crafted thesis statement.
©2016 Bespoke ELA
Step One: The Attention-Grabber
Directions: For this activity, read the following sample attention-grabbers. Then, experiment with three of the strategies by
drafting three different attention-grabbers for your essay. After you have drafted the three different options, select one to
use for your introduction and revise your introduction paragraph accordingly.
The Quotation
Begin with a quotation that relates to the claim/ theme statement of your thesis.
Siddhartha Gautama once said, “Happy is he who has overcome his ego.”
“‘Are you happy?’” These are the three words that change Guy Montag forever.
The Anecdote
Begin with a brief story that relates to your essay.
A murderous barber returns to London to enact revenge on the man that took his family. He joins forces with a
woman who makes pies out of corpses—the corpses of the people who come in for haircuts and shaves. And they
sing. This is Sweeney Todd.
Imagery
Begin with strong imagery that paints a picture in the reader’s mind.
It is a dark, coyote-howling night. The wind screeches as tree branches dance in the gusts and snow falls swiftly to
the ground. Among the darkness, a single light pierces the deathly chill—the single light of an isolated, ghost town.
It is the light of a mansion that was built over a hundred years ago, and vines from a nearby tree have entombed the
towering edifice. The owner of the mansion sneaks quietly to her underground dungeon, only to hear the
imprisoned screams of a man trapped behind the walls. Her face, still hidden by the shadows, releases a maniacal
laugh. This is the stuff of the Gothic genre.
Background Information
Begin with relevant background on an author’s life, a literary movement, time period, or historical event that relates to the essay.
Gothic literature is commonly associated with horror and romance, but there is much more to the genre than just
dark love stories. The word “gothic” was first associated with the architecture of the Middle Ages—specifically
cathedrals that bore towering windows and perching gargoyles. Stemming from the name given to a barbaric tribe,
the “Goths,” the gothic architecture of the Middle Ages seemed frightening and barbaric to the viewer. This
barbaric architecture later inspired writers to craft barbaric stories full of mystery, the supernatural, and evil. Horace
Walpole is given credit for writing the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, in 1764.
Flashing Images
Begin with a series of single words related to the essay for impact.
Monster-fighter. Treasure-winner. Boast-maker. The epic hero Beowulf epitomizes the glory of the Anglo-Saxon
people.
Contrast
Begin with a contrasting image that relates to the claim of the thesis statement.
The World State Motto: “Community, Identity, Stability.” However, Brave New World shows that the World State
only creates isolation, opposition, and chaos.
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Parallel Structure
Use this rhetorical device, a repeated grammatical pattern (usually in three’s), to pull the reader into the essay.
Brutus murders his leader for love of country, for love of self, and for love of power. This is the essential crisis of
William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar.
Ambiguity
Use purposeful ambiguity to get the reader asking Who? What? When? Where? Why?
He had always been there for his son—even when his son’s outbursts made other people nervous and afraid. He
had always been the one his son could trust to protect him against the scary world. But when he murdered the
neighbor’s dog with a pitchfork, everything changed, and Christopher Boone could no longer trust his father.
Simile or Metaphor
Begin with a simile (comparison using “like” or “as”) or a metaphor (direct comparison) to make a concept clearer for the reader.
Like a power-hungry traitor, Macbeth murders his king and sparks his own downfall and destruction.
Macbeth is a power-hungry traitor who murders his king and sparks his own downfall and destruction.
Startling Statement
Use a startling statement that relates to the story to dramatize the introduction.
A bleeding poodle, stabbed to death with a pitchfork, stuck into the ground in the neighbor’s yard—a sight that
changes 15 year-old Christopher Boone forever.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Your turn! Try out three different attention-grabbing strategies in the spaces provided below.
introduction paragraph draft as needed.
Refer back to your
Strategy #1:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Strategy #2:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Strategy #3:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Homework: Review the three different attention-grabbers you drafted today and select the one that you want to
use for the introduction paragraph of your essay. Be prepared to share your attention-grabber with the class
tomorrow and also be able to explain how you arrived at your selection.
©2016 Bespoke ELA
Step Two: The Transition
The transition is the most difficult part of the introduction paragraph to write. It is the filler space between the
attention-grabber and the thesis statement. So, how do you get from Point A (the attention-grabber) to Point C
(the thesis statement)? Take a look at the following sample introduction paragraphs to see how these students did
just that, and then answer the questions that follow each one. Each introduction paragraph is ratiocinated
according to the following key:
Attention-grabber (bold)
Transition (italics)
Thesis Statement (underlined)
Student Sample #1
Siddhartha Gautama once said, “Happy is he who has overcome his ego.” In this quotation, Gautama
brings about an important interpretation of how one may achieve happiness by implying that once a person focuses on an issue beyond
his/her own personal needs, that person will be able to experience real joy—essentially arguing that a selfless viewpoint leads
to happiness and satisfaction. Two works that show this to be true are Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Brave
New World by Aldous Huxley. The characters Bernard Marx and Helmholtz Watson from Huxley’s novel show
how egotistical reasoning leads to fear and emptiness. The character Macbeth from Shakespeare’s play shows how
self-centeredness leads to hopelessness.
Questions:
1. How does the student transition from Point A (attention-grabber) to Point C (thesis statement)?
2. What is the relationship between the three parts of this introduction paragraph?
Student Sample #2
Duff Brenna once said, “All literature shows us the power of emotion. It is emotion, not reason,
that motivates characters in literature.” In literature, a protagonist almost always acts upon how he/she feels. Sometimes
this emotion alone is powerful enough to push a character into doing something that he/she never intends to do because the raw emotion
causes the protagonist to disregard the consequences. John Gardner’s novel Grendel shows how acting on emotions leads to
downfall through Grendel’s internal dialogue, Grendel’s decision to befriend the Danes, and Grendel’s shift into
nihilism.
Questions:
1. How does the student transition from Point A (attention-grabber) to Point C (thesis statement)?
2. What is the relationship between the three parts of this introduction paragraph?
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Student Sample #3
Poets and authors have frequently used nature imagery as a metaphor for humans’ journey
through life. Whether it is an ocean that represents eternity, a sun that represents the discovery of truth,
or a flower that represents birth and rebirth, nature imagery carries a much deeper level of meaning. In
Mary Oliver’s poem “Crossing the Swamp,” she uses the crossing of the swamp as a metaphor for overcoming an obstacle in life. The
swamp causes the speaker of the poem much strife, and the speaker even nearly loses hope altogether, which is very similar to real life
hardships. Through her poem, Oliver shows that conquering a struggle in life leads to new opportunities and
chances to grow as shown through the metaphor of the swamp, the speaker’s negative tone, and the use of the
dash to emphasize the poem’s theme.
Questions:
1. How does the student transition from Point A (attention-grabber) to Point C (thesis statement)?
2. What is the relationship between the three parts of this introduction paragraph?
Homework: Go back to your introduction paragraph draft and revise the transition portion of the introduction.
Be prepared to share your transition with the class and also discuss how you transitioned from the attentiongrabber to the thesis statement.
©2016 Bespoke ELA
Step Three: Putting the Introduction Together
Now, it’s time to put the entire introduction paragraph together!
Be sure to include an attention-grabber, transition, and thesis statement. This means that the entire introduction
paragraph should be approximately 3-6 sentences in length. It will vary depending upon which attention-grabbing
strategy you have used, the length of your transition, and, of course, whether or not your thesis statement is one
or two sentences long.
Write the three parts of your introduction paragraph in the spaces provided below:
Attention-grabber:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Transition:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Thesis Statement:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection Questions
1. Which attention-grabber did you use in your introduction paragraph? How did you make your selection?
How is your attention-grabber related to your thesis statement?
2. How did you transition between the attention-grabber and the thesis statement?
3. What are you trying to prove in your essay?
Homework: Type up your introduction paragraph draft and bring to class for peer revision.
©2016 Bespoke ELA
Step Four: Introduction Paragraph
Peer Revision
Directions: Today, you will exchange your introduction paragraph with three other peers in class for peer revision.
Attach this sheet to your introduction paragraph and then exchange it with three peers. As you exchange
paragraphs, write your name in the appropriate space and answer the revision questions that follow. When you
have finished the peer revision activity, go back and read through your peers’ responses on your sheet. Then,
revise your introduction paragraph accordingly.
Peer Revision
Peer Revision #1
Peer’s Name: __________________________________
Questions:
1. What attention-grabbing strategy does the writer use? Does this grab your attention? Why or why not?
Make any revision suggestions as needed.
2. How does the writer transition between the attention-grabber and the thesis statement? Is this an effective
transition? Why or why not? Make any revision suggestions as needed.
3. How does the thesis statement relate to the attention-grabber and to the transition? What is the writer’s
main argument? Make any revision suggestions as needed.
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Peer Revision #2
Peer’s Name: __________________________________
Questions:
1. What attention-grabbing strategy does the writer use? Does this grab your attention? Why or why not?
Make any revision suggestions as needed.
2. How does the writer transition between the attention-grabber and the thesis statement? Is this an effective
transition? Why or why not? Make any revision suggestions as needed.
3. How does the thesis statement relate to the attention-grabber and to the transition? What is the writer’s
main argument? Make any revision suggestions as needed.
Peer Revision #3
Peer’s Name: __________________________________
Questions:
1. What attention-grabbing strategy does the writer use? Does this grab your attention? Why or why not?
Make any revision suggestions as needed.
2. How does the writer transition between the attention-grabber and the thesis statement? Is this an effective
transition? Why or why not? Make any revision suggestions as needed.
3. How does the thesis statement relate to the attention-grabber and to the transition? What is the writer’s
main argument? Make any revision suggestions as needed.
Homework: Revise your introduction paragraph as needed, and print a new, updated copy to turn in for teacher
approval.
©2016 Bespoke ELA
Step Five: Introduction Paragraph
Teacher Approval Form
Directions:
Attach this form to your introduction paragraph and turn it in for teacher approval.
Your teacher will initial in the spaces provided below. If your teacher does not approve your
introduction paragraph, you must revise the paragraph and resubmit it until you have teacher
approval. It is imperative to have teacher approval before moving forward in the writing process
since this is the paragraph that directs the entire essay.
Teacher approval: ________ YES
________ NO
Feedback:
——————————————————————————————————————
Questions I still have about my paragraph:
(if applicable)
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Answer Key & Modifications
As with other steps in the writing process, make sure that you approve each student’s introduction paragraph before moving
on to the next mini-lessons. The foundation of the essay is important to its success.
Answers on most parts of this mini-lesson series will vary, but I have included some comments from the exercise included in
mini-lesson #7c on the transition.
Student Sample #1
1. How does the student transition from Point A (attention-grabber) to Point C (thesis statement)?
The student essentially interprets the quotation by putting it into his/her own words. In this way, the student writer clarifies the meaning
of the quotation in order to relate it to the thesis statement.
2. What is the relationship between the three parts of this introduction paragraph?
The idea of “ego” runs throughout the entire introduction paragraph from the quotation by Gautama, to the transition about overcoming
ego, to the thesis statement about selflessness leading to happiness
Student Sample #2
1. How does the student transition from Point A (attention-grabber) to Point C (thesis statement)?
This writer also puts the quotation into his/her own words and interprets it but also adds onto the quotation by explaining the effect of
“emotions” as introduced in the quotation. This extension takes the paragraph into the thesis statement because the thesis is about how
emotions cause a person to disregard consequences, thus leading to downfall.
2. What is the relationship between the three parts of this introduction paragraph?
The concept introduced in the quotation about characters acting on emotions runs throughout the entire paragraph.
Student Sample #3
1. How does the student transition from Point A (attention-grabber) to Point C (thesis statement)?
The writer extends the concept introduced in the attention-grabber by connecting it to the piece of literature being analyzed. Essentially,
the poem “Crossing the Swamp” serves as an example of the concept introduced in the attention-grabber. And then this connects to the
thesis because it is all about the swamp as a metaphor for overcoming obstacles in life.
2. What is the relationship between the three parts of this introduction paragraph?
The idea of nature as metaphor for life in literature runs throughout the entire paragraph and connects all the parts.
Modifications
Sometimes, having too many options only confuses students who struggle with writing, so you might assign them one, single
attention-grabbing technique instead of exposing them to the ten options. The most accessible attention-grabbing strategy
is the quotation. You can have students brainstorm quotations to start with, have them select from a list, or assign them one.
This makes the transition part much easier, too, because you can simply have students put the quotation into their own
words in order to segue into the thesis statement.
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