The Essay

The Structure

• 5 paragraphs
• An Introduction
• 3 body paragraphs
• A conclusion

The Introduction

How to start...

• Begin "broadly" or with a general but RELEVANT discussion
• DO NOT start with a question.
• Should be

The THESIS

The Thesis/Claim

• The Title (Underlined or Italicized for a Long Work)
• The author or translator
• The "claim" and prongs ("ideas")
• Must be ONLY one sentence.
• MUST be the final introductory sentence.

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the character of Atticus Finch is a classical hero because he struggles against a societal evil, suffers a fall at the trial’s end, and wields a weapon (a gun) that only he can shoot.

Body Paragraphs

• 8-10 sentences
• Begin with a topic sentence-- the focus of the paragraph
• Two forms of proof.
• One form of proof= a direct quote
• End with a concluding, summary sentence.

Proof/Quotes

• Embed/introduce the quote
• Discuss the context of the quote (who? where? what?
• Clarify how the quote proves your topic sentence

Proof/Specific Example

• Introduce the example
• Re-tell or summarize the scene
• Clarify how the example proves your topic sentence

The Conclusion

How to end...

• Start with a RESTATEMENT of the thesis
• Briefly summarize main ideas/topics
• End broad (try to make a relevant connection "outside" of the literature)