This document contains the agenda and notes for an EWRT 211 class. The class will focus on essay writing, specifically introducing character traits and analyzing their portrayal in characters from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Students will define a character trait, support it with sources, and analyze how it is demonstrated by a character. The class will discuss introduction components like defining the trait, distinguishing versions of it, and including a thesis. Students will then practice writing body paragraphs using the P-I-E-I-E-T structure and tying illustrations to their point and thesis. Homework includes reading a chapter, posting vocabulary, and sharing draft thesis/body paragraphs for feedback.

1. EWRT 211 CLASS 11

2. AGENDA
HOUSE POINTS
REVIEW
• ESSAY MODEL (INTRODUCTIONS)
• THESIS STATEMENTS
• WRITE ONE OR MORE SENTENCES, STATING YOUR CHARACTER TRAIT.
• CONNECT YOUR DEFINITION TO THE CHARACTER YOU BELIEVE EMBODIES
THE TRAIT. MAKE SURE THE READER UNDERSTANDS HOW YOUR
DISCUSSION OF THIS TRAIT IS RELEVANT TO TALKING ABOUT THIS
CHARACTER.
DISCUSSION
• ESSAY MODEL (BODY PARAGRAPHS)
LECTURE
BODY PARAGRAPHS PIE
DISCUSSION
ANALYZE HOW THE TRAIT YOU HAVE CHOSEN REFLECTS AND AFFECTS THE
ATTITUDE, ACTIONS , OR BEHAVIOR OF ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IN HARRY
POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS.
IN-CLASS WRITING:
BODY PARAGRAPHS:

3. REVIEW: ESSAY #3: THE WRITING
ASSIGNMENT: DEFINE A CHARACTER
TRAIT, EXPLAIN ITS IMPORTANCE, AND
ANALYZE ITS PORTRAYAL IN A
CHARACTER.
YOUR DEFINITION AND ANALYSIS WILL
RELY ON SEVERAL SOURCES,
INCLUDING A DICTIONARY OR
ENCYCLOPEDIA, AN OUTSIDE ARTICLE, A
HIP-HOP SONG (OPTIONAL), AND HARRY
POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF
SECRETS.
THIS MEANS THAT YOUR ESSAY WILL
CONTAIN AT LEAST FOUR TOTAL
QUOTATIONS FROM THREE DIFFERENT
SOURCES.
1. Bravery
2. Chivalry
3. Dedication
4. loyalty
5. Intelligence
6. Creativity
7. Ambition
8. Pride

4. LET’S TALK ABOUT
THE INTRODUCTION
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO INCLUDE IN YOUR
INTRODUCTION FOR THIS ESSAY?

5. COMPONENTS OF YOUR
INTRODUCTION
1. INTRODUCE YOUR READER TO THE TOPIC AND DRAW
THEM IN.
2. DEFINE THE TRAIT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
a) IN YOUR OWN WORDS
b) USING RELIABLE AUTHORITIES
3. DISTINGUISH DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THAT TRAIT
OR POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES. EXAMPLES:
a) THREE TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE. THREE TYPES OF
BRAVERY.
b) ONE WAY THAT CHIVALRY IS GOOD AND TWO WAYS
THAT IT CAN BE BAD.
4. A THESIS STATEMENT! WHERE IS THIS LIKELY TO
APPEAR? IS IT LIKELY TO BE ONE SENTENCE?

6. • REQUIREMENTS FROM THE
ASSIGNMENT THAT SHOULD
PROBABLY APPEAR IN THE
INTRODUCTION:
• A DEFINITION OF YOUR TRAIT
FROM A DICTIONARY OR
ENCYCLOPEDIA.
• DESCRIPTION OR
EXPLANATION OF YOUR
TRAIT FROM AN OUTSIDE
SOURCE.
Do you think all of the
components (on the last slide and
this one) will fit in one
paragraph?

7. Get out the copy of the essay “Self-Confidence and the Relation
to Reality” In your houses, discuss the qualities of the
introduction to this sample essay.

8. • ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS:
1. Where is the definition from a reliable source? Underline it.
2. Where is the definition of the trait in the writer’s own words? NOTE: look
for the most complete definition that the writer offers. Underline it.
3. Where is the explanation from an outside article? Underline it.
4. This introduction defines self-confidence and tries to distinguish between
good self-confidence and bad self-confidence. Find the part(s) where it
says self-confidence is good. Underline that section and write “good.”
Find the part(s) where it says self-confidence is bad. Underline that
section and write the word “bad.”
5. In addition to using the outside sources, this introduction also tries to
explain the trait by giving examples the author has come up with herself.
Identify and underline these author examples.
6. Find and underline the thesis statement.

9. TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF
THESIS
(BOTH ACCEPTABLE FOR THIS
PAPER!)SELF-CONFIDENCE IS A SENSE OF TRUST THAT A PERSON HAS IN HIS OR
HER OWN SKILLS AND ABILITIES, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES THAT TRUST
MAY NOT BE REALISTIC. REALISTIC SELF-CONFIDENCE CAN HELP A
PERSON TO IMPRESS OTHER PEOPLE AND TO APPEAR SUCCESSFUL AND
COMPETENT, BUT WHEN SELF-CONFIDENCE DOES NOT MATCH ONE'S
ABILITIES, IT BECOMES OVERCONFIDENCE AND CAN LEAD TO LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE AND FAILURE. IN HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF
SECRETS, GILDEROY LOCKHART ILLUSTRATES BOTH THE POSITIVE AND
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF HIGH SELF-CONFIDENCE.
DEPRESSION, CHARACTERIZED AS FEELINGS OF DESPONDENCY AND
DEJECTION, COMES IN SEVERAL VARIATIONS. SHORT TERM DEPRESSION,
ALSO KNOWN AS “SITUATIONAL DEPRESSION,” IS COMMON AND MOST
PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IT AT SOME TIME DURING THEIR LIVES; BUT LONG-
TERM DEPRESSION, ALSO REFERRED TO AS ”MAJOR DEPRESSION
DISORDER” IS A MOOD CONDITION WHICH GENERALLY REQUIRES
TREATMENT. PROFESSOR SNAPE HAS LIKELY SUFFERED FROM
SITUATIONAL DEPRESSION, BUT HE CERTAINLY DEMONSTRATES MAJOR
DEPRESSION DISORDER THROUGHOUT THE NOVEL.

10. REVIEW YOUR THESIS
FOR THIS ESSAY: DOES IT
DO THE FOLLOWING?
1. NAME YOUR TRAIT?
2. DEFINE IT ?
3. DIVIDE THE EXPLANATION OF THIS CONCEPT INTO
PARTS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR READERS TO
UNDERSTAND?
1. DOES IT POINT OUT BOTH A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE
OUTCOME OF THE TRAIT?
2. DOES IT DIVIDE THE TRAIT INTO DIFFERENT ASPECTS
OF THE TRAIT?
4. ASSERT WHICH CHARACTER DEMONSTRATES
THE TRAIT?

11. RETURN TO YOUR GROUPS AND
TO THE SAMPLE ESSAY
• Read the whole essay together.
• Look at the first body paragraph. It begins, “In the novel,
Gilderoy Lockhart is a character…”
• Identify P-I-E-I-E-T
• Can you tie the point back to the thesis?
• Do the illustrations help support the point?
• Is the explanation clear?
• What is the purpose of the text between the topic sentence
(the point) and the first illustration?

14. PARAGRAPH PRACTICE
• Write your thesis on a piece of paper
• EXAMPLE: “In Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, Gilderoy Lockhart
illustrates both the positive [appear competent/successful] and negative [over-
confidence and failure] consequences of high self-confidence.”
• Make a point about your character that supports your thesis.
• EXAMPLE: “In the novel, Gilderoy Lockhart is a character who strongly
believes in himself and dazzles others with his success.”
• Provide a bit of context, that IS, provide information about your character
and/or about the scene you are going to introduce in your illustration.
• EXAMPLE: He is a magical adventurer and a best-selling author who loves to
tell amazing tales about his exciting life and thrilling encounters. Harry and his
friends encounter Lockhart at the beginning of the new school year at the
Hogwarts school, where Lockhart has accepted the coveted professorship in
the defense against the dark arts.

15. ILLUSTRATE AND EXPLAIN YOUR
POINT
• Illustrate your point by providing an example from the novel:
• EXAMPLE: in Lockhart’s first scene, he makes clear that he has great
confidence in his own popularity. As he is signing copies of his book for a
large crowd, he motions harry over to join him in a photograph for the
wizard newspaper: “‘nice big smile, Harry,’ said Lockhart, through his own
gleaming teeth. ‘Together you and I are worth the front page’” (Rowling
60).
• Explain how your quotation connects to both the POINT you have
made in your paragraph and to your THESIS:
• EXAMPLE: Lockhart knows that readers of the newspaper are going to
be interested in him and his book signing—and meeting with Harry potter.
In this way, Lockhart is demonstrating confidence in his ability to
fascinate other wizards and witches.

16. ILLUSTRATE AND EXPLAIN YOUR
POINT
• Illustrate your point by providing another example from the novel:
• EXAMPLE: And indeed, he provides us with more evidence of his
popularity as he explains to Harry how his scar could eventually help him
to achieve the same level of admiration as Lockhart. Lockhart assures
Harry that his scar is “not quite as good as winning Witch Weekly’s most-
charming-smile award five times in a row, as I have” (91).
• Explain how your quotation connects to both the POINT you have
made in your paragraph and to your THESIS:
• EXAMPLE: Lockhart’s bragging and publicity-seeking in these scenes is
intended to repulse the reader (as it does Harry); however, it is also clear
in these moments, that—as annoying as Lockhart is—he does have an
accurate sense of his own popularity and desirability. He is a best-selling
author who can draw crowds and win awards, and he knows this well.
• Write your Transition:
• EXAMPLE: This self-confidence gives him the assurance to take risks.

17. HOMEWORK
Read HP Chapter 17 306-326
Vocabulary: Vocab 19-21
HW Discussion 9
● Post at least one quotation from your
second or third article that supports your
idea of your characteristic.
● Post your thesis and your two strongest
body paragraph. Both of these paragraphs
should follow the P-I-E-I-E-T pattern: A
topic sentence that makes your point, Two
quotations that illustrate your point,
explanation that ties each illustration
back to your point, and a transition to your
next paragraph. Great paragraphs will
include context to help the reader
understand your points, illustrations, and
explanations.