Adapted Power Point for English 11 relating to essay writing for the short story Mirror Image by Lena Coakley
Credit to http://www.slideshare.net/Jennabates/how-to-write-a-literary-analysis-essay
Explaining how to create an effective Narrative Piece...
Included with animations and attractive photos...
perfect for Grade 6 and upwards...
Also includes Homework at the end of PPT...
Explaining how to create an effective Narrative Piece...
Included with animations and attractive photos...
perfect for Grade 6 and upwards...
Also includes Homework at the end of PPT...
Elements of an Essay - Writing an Introduction ParagraphOxford Tutoring
Your introduction is the first impression that your readers will get off your essay. If it does not interest them or they do not like what they read, then they will not take the time to read the rest of your paper.
A narrative essay means telling a story. Every time you tell a story to a friend, relative or co-worker, it is a verbal narrative essay of its kind. every essay discloses a certain point of view, your point of view if, of course, that is you who are the narrator.
This presentation is to let all the students out there know about the significance of the narrative essay writing. Writing a narrative essay is of great problem for many students on both college and university level and this is something we all had been through http://www.papermoz.co.uk/theses/
Elements of an Essay - Writing an Introduction ParagraphOxford Tutoring
Your introduction is the first impression that your readers will get off your essay. If it does not interest them or they do not like what they read, then they will not take the time to read the rest of your paper.
A narrative essay means telling a story. Every time you tell a story to a friend, relative or co-worker, it is a verbal narrative essay of its kind. every essay discloses a certain point of view, your point of view if, of course, that is you who are the narrator.
This presentation is to let all the students out there know about the significance of the narrative essay writing. Writing a narrative essay is of great problem for many students on both college and university level and this is something we all had been through http://www.papermoz.co.uk/theses/
Use tables and figures effectively to present detailed results and complex relationships, reduce the length of the manuscript, and enhance readers’ understanding of the study results.
To select mean to choose. Selection is the process of picking individuals who have relevant qualifications to fill jobs in an organization. The basic purpose is to choose the individual who can most successfully perform the job from the pool of qualified candidates.
Core 168 LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYYour first essay for the c.docxvoversbyobersby
Core 168: LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
Your first essay for the course will be a literary analysis essay. You will choose one primary text (one of the poems, stories, speeches, or memoirs) from our class reading so far and then focus your essay analyzing the text.
Your analysis must have:
· a worthwhile, interesting introduction leading to your thesis sentence (stating the focus/main point of the essay);
· a substantial body of paragraphs to support your analysis (at least 2-3 paragraphs);
· an interesting, relevant conclusion.
You will follow these steps of the writing process to write your essay. Each step will also earn you assignment credit. Your assignments will provide guidance for how to approach and perform a literary analysis. Also, included below are specific directions for HOW TO WRITE A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY:
1. Read “How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay” (below in this document);
2. Choose a primary text of literature as your focus for the essay; (9/25/18)
3. Brainstorm regarding two different aspect of the text—the content (WHAT THE TEXT SAYS) and the literary devices (HOW THE TEXT SAYS WHAT IT SAYS). If you would like to use a recommended topic, you may do so, but you are also free to explore your own topic (9/27/18)
4. Determine WHAT is interesting and important about what happens in the text and make a statement about it. That statement is your thesis statement. (9/27/18)
5. Write an essay to support your thesis statement, using textual evidence (quotes from the primary text) to illustrate and provide examples of your thesis. (10/2/18)
6. Revise your essay for content and organization. (10/4/18)
7. Edit your essay for clarity and correctness.
8. Visit the Writing Center and do a peer review of your essay.
9. Proofread your essay before submitting it.
10. Submit your essay by the deadline of 10/10/18.
SUGGESTED/EXAMPLE TOPICS
· Examine Sherman Alexie’s poem “Grief Calls Us to the Things of This World”
· Examine how Nora Naranjo-Morse uses the legend/tradition of the coyote trickster in her poem “A Well Traveled Coyote”
· Analyze the coyote figure in any of the coyote texts from Native American Coyote Mythology
· Analyze Red Jacket’s rhetorical strategies he used in his speeches
· Examine how Black Elk uses descriptive details to evoke empathy for his people in Black Elk Speaks
· Analyze Lame Deers use of one or more of the following literary devices: simile/metaphor; circular storytelling; humor
· Analyze E. Pauline Johnson’s short story (fiction) “As It Was in the Beginning,” focusing on one or more of the following:
· 1st person point of view;
· the focus on skin color and how race is characterized in the text;
· the focus on womanhood, particularly Ester’s connection with her mother and how Ester uses the wisdom passed from her mother;
· the circularity of the story in terms of the beginning and end of the text and Ester’s return home;
· the significance of the snake;
· how Christian ideas of heaven and hell a.
riting About LiteratureGenerally, the essays you write in lite.docxjoellemurphey
riting About Literature
Generally, the essays you write in literature courses attempt to answer interesting questions about works of literature. These questions are interesting for at least two reasons: a) their answers are not obvious, and b) their answers (or at least the attempt to answer them) can enrich other readers’ understanding and experience of those works of literature. Often works of literature seem to be intentionally posing these questions to us; they require us to do some work to get them to work.
Readers have asked many different types of questions of works of literature, for example:
· What did the author want to communicate in this work?
· What does the work reveal about the author’s feelings, opinions, or psychology?
· What does the work reveal about the society in which it was written?
· What can we learn from this work about the issues or topics it deals with?
· What motivates the characters in the work to behave as they do?
· How are literary devices used in the work?
· How does the work create emotional or intellectual experiences for its readers?
· Is this work good or bad?
· Is this work good or bad for its readers?
Some of these questions require information from outside the text itself; for example, to argue that a work reveals a writer’s psychological condition, it would be helpful to have some other evidence of that condition to corroborate your interpretation of the work of literature. Some of these questions ask about the world outside the work—about the author, his/her society, or our own society, for example—while others try to focus more on the features of the work itself. Analyses which try to make statements about the work itself is often calledformalist criticism: it attends more to the structures and strategies employed in the work. Ultimately, such arguments generally do try to move beyond the work, to claim, for instance, that it is likely to create certain effects in its readers, or that readers will understand the writer’s intent more clearly if they pay attention to its formal characteristic.
In LIT 100, we are going to be paying attention primarily to these formal features of literary works. In fiction, some of these features include tone, point of view, setting, character, etc. We will be paying less attention to extra-textual features, such as the author’s biography or the historical contexts in which the literature was produced and/or read; these elements are not less important than formal features, but they naturally vary greatly from one work to another and often require in-depth study to truly appreciate. To understand how Shakespeare’s social situation in London in the 1590s might have been reflected in his plays would require a whole course in Elizabethan history. On the other hand, the formal features we will be studying in this course can be found in literature of all eras and genres, though they may often be used to different effect by different writers at different times. A ...
riting About LiteratureGenerally, the essays you write in litera.docxdaniely50
riting About Literature
Generally, the essays you write in literature courses attempt to answer interesting questions about works of literature. These questions are interesting for at least two reasons: a) their answers are not obvious, and b) their answers (or at least the attempt to answer them) can enrich other readers’ understanding and experience of those works of literature. Often works of literature seem to be intentionally posing these questions to us; they require us to do some work to get them to work.
Readers have asked many different types of questions of works of literature, for example:
What did the author want to communicate in this work?
What does the work reveal about the author’s feelings, opinions, or psychology?
What does the work reveal about the society in which it was written?
What can we learn from this work about the issues or topics it deals with?
What motivates the characters in the work to behave as they do?
How are literary devices used in the work?
How does the work create emotional or intellectual experiences for its readers?
Is this work good or bad?
Is this work good or bad for its readers?
Some of these questions require information from outside the text itself; for example, to argue that a work reveals a writer’s psychological condition, it would be helpful to have some other evidence of that condition to corroborate your interpretation of the work of literature. Some of these questions ask about the world outside the work—about the author, his/her society, or our own society, for example—while others try to focus more on the features of the work itself.
Analyses which try to make statements about the work itself
is often called
formalist
criticism: it attends more to the structures and strategies employed in the work. Ultimately, such arguments generally do try to move beyond the work, to claim, for instance, that it is likely to create certain effects in its readers, or that readers will understand the writer’s intent more clearly if they pay attention to its formal characteristic.
In LIT 100, we are going to be paying attention primarily to these formal features of literary works. In fiction, some of these features include tone, point of view, setting, character, etc. We will be paying less attention to extra-textual features, such as the author’s biography or the historical contexts in which the literature was produced and/or read; these elements are not less important than formal features, but they naturally vary greatly from one work to another and often require in-depth study to truly appreciate. To understand how Shakespeare’s social situation in London in the 1590s might have been reflected in his plays would require a whole course in Elizabethan history. On the other hand, the formal features we will be studying in this course can be found in literature of all eras and genres, though they may often be used to different effect by different writers at different times. Almost all fict.
The Proposal In a paper proposal, your job is to answer t.docxssusera34210
The Proposal
In a paper proposal, your job is to answer the what, how, and why of your essay topic so that
your audience understands the basic parameters of your argument.
For this proposal, you will write me (your professor) a letter that contains the following:
1) Capture the reader’s interest with your introduction, which should be a brief explanation
of your topic as a whole. This is where you explain the exigency (show why this is a
problem/idea worth considering and why?)
2) Write your working thesis statement. Formulate the question that will govern your
research, and then answer it with a strong statement/claim that your paper intends to
prove.
3) Supply background/context on your topic along with the purpose and relevance of your
thesis. Explain what you hope to prove or uncover. Provide concrete examples of the
issues you will be exploring, and explain why the research you will conduct is important.
This is where you will branch away from the primary source (the novel) to explain why
the theme or idea you are exploring is relevant beyond the page.
4) Discuss preliminary research on your topic while developing your proposal; explain how
this research fits into your argument and plans for the paper. How are you going to use
your sources? (make sure to include primary and secondary sources).
Project Text: The Road
In this project we will explore the post-apocalyptic genre and how texts of this genre reflect issues
and anxieties coursing through everyday life.
You will begin this Project by reading and analyzing Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. During this
time, we will pay close attention to themes being built within the text that provide insight on
“real-world” issues. You will then conduct research of your own (using the CSUN databases) in
order to find evidence that supports your theme in that “real-world” context.
The essay itself will be an argument made by you with an explicit thesis that is proven with
evidence from our primary text: The Road, and at least three resources you have found on the
CSUN databases.
Basic Requirements:
- 6 page minimum with Works Cited (not included in page count)
- Standard MLA Format
- A completed essay packet.
- Essay needs to be posted to your Class Website AND turned in at the beginning of class.
- Minimum of 3 secondary sources. You may use the articles I have provided for you, but
these will not count towards the minimum requirement.
- Proof of visit to the LRC.
- Completion of all lead-up exercises.
Exercise 1: The Review
For this assignment, you will be required to write a scholarly review of Cormac McCarthy’s The
Road. In this review, you will be required to interpret The Road within a larger conversation (based
on the themes you have been developing throughout the past few weeks). Your review will need
to include supplemental information from two of our previous texts.
750 Word Minimum. Posted to your Class Websit ...
HOW TO WRITE A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYThe purpose of a literary .docxwellesleyterresa
HOW TO WRITE A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to carefully examine and sometimes evaluate a work of literature or an aspect of a work of literature. As with any analysis, this requires you to break the subject down into its component parts. Examining the different elements of a piece of literature is not an end in itself but rather a process to help you better appreciate and understand the work of literature as a whole. For instance, an analysis of a poem might deal with the different types of images in a poem or with the relationship between the form and content of the work. If you were to analyze (discuss and explain) a play, you might analyze the relationship between a subplot and the main plot, or you might analyze the character flaw of the tragic hero by tracing how it is revealed through the acts of the play. Analyzing a short story might include identifying a particular theme (like the difficulty of making the transition from adolescence to adulthood) and showing how the writer suggests that theme through the point of view from which the story is told; or you might also explain how the main character's attitude toward women is revealed through his dialogue and/or actions.
REMEMBER: Writing is the sharpened, focused expression of thought and study. As you develop your writing skills, you will also improve your perceptions and increase your critical abilities. Writing ultimately boils down to the development of an idea. Your objective in writing a literary analysis essay is to convince the person reading your essay that you have supported the idea you are developing. Unlike ordinary conversation and classroom discussion, writing must stick with great determination to the specific point of development. This kind of writing demands tight organization and control. Therefore, your essay must have a central idea (thesis), it must have several paragraphs that grow systematically out of the central idea, and everything in it must be directly related to the central idea and must contribute to the reader’s understanding of that central idea. These three principles are listed again below:
1. Your essay must cover the topic you are writing about.
2. Your essay must have a central idea (stated in your thesis) that governs its development.
3. Your essay must be organized so that every part contributes something to the reader’s understanding of the central idea.
THE ELEMENTS OF A SOLID ESSAY
The Thesis Statement The thesis statement tells your reader what to expect: it is a restricted, precisely worded declarative sentence that states the purpose of your essay -- the point you are trying to make. Without a carefully conceived thesis, an essay has no chance of success. The following are thesis statements which would work for a 500-750 word literary analysis essay:
Gwendolyn Brooks‟s 1960 poem “The Ballad of Rudolph Reed” demonstrates how the poet uses the conventional poetic form of the ballad to treat the un ...
HOW TO WRITE A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYThe purpose of a literary LizbethQuinonez813
HOW TO WRITE A LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY
The purpose of a literary analysis essay is to carefully examine and sometimes evaluate a work of literature or an aspect of a work of literature. As with any analysis, this requires you to break the subject down into its component parts. Examining the different elements of a piece of literature is not an end in itself but rather a process to help you better appreciate and understand the work of literature as a whole. For instance, an analysis of a poem might deal with the different types of images in a poem or with the relationship between the form and content of the work. If you were to analyze (discuss and explain) a play, you might analyze the relationship between a subplot and the main plot, or you might analyze the character flaw of the tragic hero by tracing how it is revealed through the acts of the play. Analyzing a short story might include identifying a particular theme (like the difficulty of making the transition from adolescence to adulthood) and showing how the writer suggests that theme through the point of view from which the story is told; or you might also explain how the main character‟s attitude toward women is revealed through his dialogue and/or actions.
REMEMBER: Writing is the sharpened, focused expression of thought and study. As you develop your writing skills, you will also improve your perceptions and increase your critical abilities. Writing ultimately boils down to the development of an idea. Your objective in writing a literary analysis essay is to convince the person reading your essay that you have supported the idea you are developing. Unlike ordinary conversation and classroom discussion, writing must stick with great determination to the specific point of development. This kind of writing demands tight organization and control. Therefore, your essay must have a central idea (thesis), it must have several paragraphs that grow systematically out of the central idea, and everything in it must be directly related to the central idea and must contribute to the reader’s understanding of that central idea. These three principles are listed again below:
1. Your essay must cover the topic you are writing about.
2. Your essay must have a central idea (stated in your thesis) that governs its development.
3. Your essay must be organized so that every part contributes something to the reader’s understanding of the central idea.
THE ELEMENTS OF A SOLID ESSAY
The Thesis Statement
The thesis statement tells your reader what to expect: it is a restricted, precisely worded declarative sentence that states the purpose of your essay -- the point you are trying to make. Without a carefully conceived thesis, an essay has no chance of success. The following are thesis statements which would work for a 500-750 word literary analysis essay:
Gwendolyn Brooks‟s 1960 poem “The Ballad of Rudolph Reed” demonstrates how the poet uses the conventional poetic form of the ballad to treat the un ...
209.20191.ENG11238A Assignments * Essay 1 Final!
* Essay 1 Final
* Essay 1 Final !
Upload Submission
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This assignment will also be used for a!endance.
This assignment will also be used for a!endance.
ENG 1123 Online Summer Thompson
Essay #1: UNIT 1 –
Stories:The Disappearance, The Story of an Hour, The Yellow
Wallpaper, and Suicide Note
Instruc!onsInstruc!ons:
Compose a cri!cal analysis essay on one of the topics below.
Your essay should be well developed, unified, coherent, and
gramma"cally correct. Refer to the Grading Criteria for MCC
English Classes in the First Day Handout for this course.
Required length: 1 ½ -2 typed pages
You will have a chance to earn 5 bonus points on this essay
by following the direc"ons for checking your graded essay
in Turn It In and looking over the correc"ons and comments
(a#er I have graded it). Turn It In will show me if you viewed
your document or not. The direc"ons (with pictures) are in
this week's module "tled "Instruc"ons for Seeing
Correc"ons in Turn It In."
Create a thesis statement, and back up your claim with
support/evidence from the text. Support should contain clear,
specific examples from the story or stories you are analyzing, as
well as documenta"on for all text references. Include at least
one quota!on from the story in each body paragraph of your
essay, for a total of 4 quota"ons from the story/poem. *See
handouts about how ci"ng poetry is different than stories. It
would be a good idea to do an outline before wri"ng the essay.
Follow MLA format: Use size 12, Times New Roman font and 1-
inch margins; double space.
Include a Work Cited page. It is not included in the two-page
length requirement; it should appear on a separate page at the
end of your paper. You will automa"cally lose 20 points for not
including a Works Cited page.
Topics:
1. Analyze a character in one of the short stoires and show
how he or she is a dynamic, round, flat, or sta!c character
by examining his or her development over the course of the
story.
2. Choose one work from Units 1 and discuss how in
the story/poem society plays a part in imprisoning/s"fling
the main character.
3. Discuss the importance of se%ng in 1 work from Units 1.
Analyze how the se%ng ("me and place) adds meaning,
conflict, and/or relevance to the characters. Do NOT just
describe the se%ng and tell me “in this story the se%ng is
this. In that story the se%ng is that.” That is not analysis,
nor is it interes"ng. I want to know how and why the
se%ng is significant, what thisreveals about the characters,
the "me period, and the conflict within the story
StepsSteps:
Before beginning your paper, read the wri"ng handouts; use
them as a guide while working on your essay as well.
Use the outline form on the next page to plan your paper.
You may write/type directly o.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Palestine last event orientationfvgnh .pptxRaedMohamed3
An EFL lesson about the current events in Palestine. It is intended to be for intermediate students who wish to increase their listening skills through a short lesson in power point.
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Synthetic Fiber Construction in lab .pptxPavel ( NSTU)
Synthetic fiber production is a fascinating and complex field that blends chemistry, engineering, and environmental science. By understanding these aspects, students can gain a comprehensive view of synthetic fiber production, its impact on society and the environment, and the potential for future innovations. Synthetic fibers play a crucial role in modern society, impacting various aspects of daily life, industry, and the environment. ynthetic fibers are integral to modern life, offering a range of benefits from cost-effectiveness and versatility to innovative applications and performance characteristics. While they pose environmental challenges, ongoing research and development aim to create more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives. Understanding the importance of synthetic fibers helps in appreciating their role in the economy, industry, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for sustainable practices and innovation.
How to Create Map Views in the Odoo 17 ERPCeline George
The map views are useful for providing a geographical representation of data. They allow users to visualize and analyze the data in a more intuitive manner.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
2. Begin with the basics
Read the book or books assigned
Ask relevant questions like:
Why did the author write this?
What is the theme?
What are some symbols?
How are the characters developed?
How is the style relevant to the content?
What do the characters learn?
What literary terms are addressed and
why?
3. Look for connections
and patterns
Ask some more questions:
How are the characters connected
to the themes?
How are the themes, characters,
and symbols connected?
What does the format and style
suggest about the story?
What are my connections to the
story?
4. (Do some research.)
Maybe. Not all the time.
Find out about the author.
What do other critics say about
the book?
Has the author published anything
about the book?
What do other authors say about
the book?
What is the historical context?
5. Develop a thesis statement.
Thesis statements are not questions.
Thesis statements are not mere
observations.
Thesis statements function in two
ways:
They introduce the main idea that will be
developed in the text of the essay.
They analyze or illuminate the text,
often in terms of literary elements.
6. Observation:
Lena Cockley’s short story,
“Mirror Image”, uses a non-
linear structure with frequent
flashbacks.
7. That is merely an observation
on the part of the essay writer.
It’s a good observation, but it’s
one most readers could
recognize without your help.
Think of your essay as a
teaching tool that will help to
analyze or illuminate the text.
8. Helpful hints for
developing thesis statements:
Use action verbs:
Lena Coakley mirrors the
fragmentation of her characters’
lives in the structure of the novel
itself.
Not: “Mirror Image”, written by
Lena Coakley, has a fragmented
format that mirrors her
characters.
9. When applicable, use three
examples to support your main
idea:
Lena Coakley mirrors the
fragmentation of protagonist
Alice’s life through the story’s non-
linear structure, specifically
through her use of flashback,
stream of consciousness, and use
of the third person point of view.
10. Main idea:
Lena Coakley mirrors the
fragmentation of protagonist
Alice’s life through her story’s non-
linear structure, specifically
through her use of flashback,
stream of consciousness, and
third person point of view.
11. Three ideas that support that
idea:
Lena Coakley mirrors the
fragmentation of protagonist
Alice’s life through her story’s non-
linear structure, specifically
through her use of flashback,
stream of consciousness, and the
third person point of view.
12. Locate quotations that support
your thesis statement.
• As a rule of thumb, try to find at
least three direct quotations to
support each element contained
in the thesis statement.
• 2-3 examples of flashback
• 2-3 examples of stream of
consciousness
• 2-3 examples of the impact of the
third person point of view
13. Determine the order you will
use this information. You can
use:
Note cards.
Traditional outline.
Notes that only you can
decipher.
Macaroni art.
Get your ideas out to start, but
ultimately you need to
produce an outline.
14. Add your research to your
“outline.”
If you’ve done any research,
think about where it makes
sense to insert it. If you have a
difficult time determining this,
maybe you shouldn’t add it at
all.
15. Begin to write the paper.
It may be helpful to begin with
your introduction (though not
always).
16. Writing an introduction.
An introduction may be more
than one paragraph, though in a
short essay, it is typically only
one.
The thesis statement usually is
placed at the very end of the
introduction, or right after your
hook statement at the start.
NOT IN THE MIDDLE
17. More on introductions …
A guideline to follow is that your
introduction should contain at
least five significant sentences,
including your thesis statement.
20. All sentences should have
weight and meaning.
They may introduce
background.
They may introduce new
concepts and/or definitions.
They may provide transitions.
They may introduce quotations.
They may provide facts and
support.
21. Empty sentences have no other
purpose than to take up space.
Don’t pander to your audience.
Lena Coakley is a good author.
She writes about teenagers and
people who have had
transplants.
In this powerful short story....
“Mirror Image” is a good story
that deals with many issues
relevant to literature.
23. Using our thesis statement
from earlier, let’s write an
introduction.
Let’s start with a general
statement about writing (a hook
statement), one that begins to
deal with our topic directly yet
hasn’t addressed the specific
novel or the thesis statement.
24. Hook statements say
something general to draw
readers in.
Experimental writers can
subvert the traditional form of the
story by refusing to use a
chronological plot line.
25. Now let’s get more
specific. It’s time to
mention our novel and the
author.
26. Experimental writers can
subvert the traditional form of the
short story by refusing to use a
chronological plot line. Lena
Coakley’s“Mirror Image” is not
narrated chronologically from
Alice’s brain transplant to her
eventual self-acceptance.
Instead it is told in a series of
flashbacks interspersed with
the turmoil of Alice’s present.
28. Experimental writers can subvert
the traditional form of the short story by
refusing to use a chronological plot line.
Lena Coakley’s “Mirror Image” is not
narrated chronologically from Alice’s
brain transplant to her eventual self-
acceptance. Instead,it is told in a series
of flashbacks interspersed with the
turmoil of Alice’s present. Coakley
mirrors the fragmentation of her
protagonist’s life through the novel’s
non-linear structure, specifically through
her use of flashback, stream of
consciousness, and the third person
point of view.
29. An effectively-written and well-
organized introductory
paragraph should act as a
signpost for the rest of the
paper.
31. The outline for the rest of this
essay might look something like
this:
I. Introduction
II. Body
I. “Mirror Image” uses flashback
to demonstrate that the past is
always a part of the present.
I. Example of flashback.
II. Example of flashback.
III. Example of flashback.
IV. Analysis of how flashback relates
to your thesis statement.
32. III. In addition to flashback, Coakley
uses stream of consciousness to
illustrate the fragmented state of
Alice’s mind.
1. Example of stream of consciousness.
2. Example of stream of consciousness.
3. Example of stream of consciousness.
4. Analysis sentence of how these examples tie into
your thesis statement.
* Don’t forget to add transitions between ideas or to
introduce your quotations properly!
33. IV. Coakley also employs the
person point of view as a
method of shrouding the
narrative in secrecy, but also to
illustrate Alice’s own confusion
about her identity.
1. Example of point of view.
2. Example of point of view.
3. Example of point of view.
4. Analysis sentence explaining how all of these
examples relate back to your thesis statement.
* Note: Some of these sections may actually be
several paragraphs long.
34. V. Conclusion
It is sometimes helpful to think
of the conclusion as a reversal
of your introduction.
You may want to begin by
rephrasing your thesis
statement.
35. Original: Morrison mirrors the fragmentation
of her characters’ lives through the novel’s
non-linear structure, specifically through her
use of flashback, stream of consciousness,
and shifts in point of view.
Rephrasing: Because of Morrison’s innovative
use of basic literary elements like
flashback, stream of consciousness, and
point of view, she is able to produce a
powerful effect that reflects the sometimes
chaotic and often broken lives of her
characters.
36. Now we work backwards to
something a little more general.
Original: Lena Coakley mirrors the
fragmentation of protagonist Alice’s life
through the story’s non-linear structure,
specifically through her use of flashback,
stream of consciousness, and use of the
third person point of view
Conclusion: By constructing the short story
in what at first appears to be unrelated
pieces unanchored in chronology or point
of view, Coakley actually achieves a kind of
unity that supports the development of the
story and her characters.
37. We finally add the “clincher.”
In doing so, Coakley reflects the
disjointed perspective of her
character and creates a reality
where the reader understands
what it is like to open their eyes
in a new body.
38. The final conclusion looks something like this:
Because of Coakley’s use of basic literary
elements like flashback, stream of consciousness,
and third person point of view, she is able to
produce a powerful effect that reflects the
sometimes chaotic and often broken life of her
protagonist. By constructing the short story in what
at first appears to be unrelated pieces unanchored
in chronology or point of view, Coakley actually
achieves a kind of unity that supports the
development of the story and of Alice. In doing so,
Coakley reflects the disjointed perspective of her
protagonist.