1. Literary Analysis Writing the Body Paragraph-Explanation and First Steps

2. Body Paragraphs Each paragraph answers the question “why?” by giving more information about your topic. Each paragraph should be between six and eight sentences long and each should have one single, clear main idea. Each paragraph needs to include specific examples and direct quotes from the work of literature you’re discussing. A body paragraph should include: topic sentence – like a mini-thesis statement, explaining what the main point of this paragraph will be context of the quote you are using (where in the work does it appear? in what situation? etc.) introduction to the quote – who says it? To whom are they speaking? Use a comma before the quote, and enclose the entire quote in quotation marks. the quote itself followed by a page number in parenthesis explanation of the quote in your own words. analysis of the quote – why it is important and how it relates to your thesis. Be specific about how the quote connects to your thesis. Analysis should be the largest part of your paragraph. Analysis should be the largest part of your paragraph.

3. Body Paragraph-Outline Explained TS = Topic Sentence: 1st sentence that states the topic of the paragraph. It should reflect your thesis statement. One example of symbolism in the book is the two rivers. If your body paragraph does not have a TS then your supporting sentences are inconsequential and invalid. Supporting sentences: 2nd -6 th -8th sentences that develop your topic sentence. These provide specific, concrete examples from the text that help explain and develop your topic sentence which reflects your thesis statement.

4. The Different Parts (Topic Sentence) Lady Macbeth uses the idea of “manliness” to motivate her husband to commit murder. (Transitions into Support/Correctly Cited Quotations) Before Macbeth murders King Duncan, he begins to have doubts about what he is doing. Lady Macbeth challenges him by saying, “When you durst do it, then you were a man”(4). She says that when Macbeth was willing to kill Duncan, then he was acting like “a real man” in her opinion (5). (Sufficient Elaboration of Examples and Support) It is clear that Lady Macbeth associates manhood with courage – specifically, the courage to kill. She follows this up by saying that she would even be willing to kill her own infant while nursing it if necessary – demonstrating that her “womanly” feelings can be overcome by “manly” courage. (Effective Clincher Sentence) Manhood, to Lady Macbeth, means physical courage and violence, and she uses this view to motivate her husband.

5. Body Paragraphs-”Nutshell” Topic sentence Transitions into support Appropriate examples and correctly-cited quotations Sufficient elaboration of examples and quotations Effective clincher sentence

6. Example Body Paragraph (Topic Sentence) Furthering the attention on fearlessness, symbolism provides a clear contrast between the child's enthusiastic view of life and an adult's perspective. (Transitions into Support/Correctly Cited Quotations) For example, the story centers around one incident—a man “in city clothes: a suit and tie, street shoes” chases Dillard and one of her friends through the snow after they toss a snowball into his car’s windshield (100). Dillard is invigorated by the man’s willingness to break the unspoken law of adulthood and “chase [them] silently, block after block” through snow- covered streets, yards, and trails (101). (Sufficient Elaboration of Examples and Support) The snow symbolizes both innocence and seclusion as it blankets the entire town. Essentially, the snow-covered town belongs to the children since most adults dare not venture into it with their polished shoes and ironed suits. This effect on adult attire becomes clear when the man chasing them is left with soggy pants and socks and struggles to catch two small children presumably because he is not dressed for the occasion. (Effective Clincher Sentence)

7. Evaluating We will be looking at some sample body paragraphs. Based on the three steps and the “Nutshell” explanation of body paragraphs, evaluate the level and effectiveness of each of the following paragraphs. Take note of what is discussed, so you know what to include, as well as what to avoid, when writing your own body paragraphs.

8. “C” Paragraph: Why? Mrs. Jones fearlessly faced the would-be thief. Roger ran up behind her and tried to steal her purse by breaking the strap. Instead of running away from him, she “simply turned around and kicked him right square on his blue jeaned sitter” (78). Furthermore, she “shook him until his teeth rattled” (78). She did not act in fear at all. In fact, she took him home with her. Not many people would take home a strange boy who tried to rob them. That is another reason she is brave.

9. “B” Paragraph-Why? Roger is a would-be thief. About eleven o’clock one night, he runs up behind Mrs. Jones and tries to snatch her purse. When he falls down on the sidewalk, Mrs. Jones “simply turned around and kicked him right square in his blue jeaned sitter” (78). While some women would have avoided confrontation with a stranger under similar circumstances, Mrs. Jones does not. She shook Roger “until his teeth rattled” and then demanded “Pick up my pocketbook boy, and give it here” (78). Mrs. Jones shows no fear in her encounter with Roger.

10. “A” Paragraph-Why? Not only does Mrs. Jones display courage, but she also proves to be a trusting person. She decides that Roger needs to wash and to eat and that she will take him to her home in order to do so. “I got a great mind to wash your face for you,” (78) she tells Roger. “You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry” (78)? In just a few words, she assumes the role of a teacher and a mother substitute. She not only takes Roger home but she also continues to display a trusting nature once they arrive. When she gets up to prepare supper, Mrs. Jones “did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse which she left behind her on the daybed” (79). Roger begins to respond to Mrs. Jones in a positive way. Hughes tells the readers that Roger “did not want to be mistrusted now” (79). Her trust in Roger is beginning to create a relationship between them.

11. Three Steps Writing literary analysis body paragraphs can be broken down into three parts: 1.A topic sentence that clearly introduces the main idea of the paragraph. and the quote 2.A sentence that introduces the quote—and the quote. not 1.These two are not separated! proves 3.Three or four sentences explaining how the quote proves the thesis statement from the introduction

12. “Outline” of Ideas Reason thesis is trueA quote that supports the reason and proves the thesis Explanation for how quote supports reason and proves thesis Children in the book lie and get away with it “I cannot go to school today said little Peggy Ann McKay. I’ve got the measles and the mumps” (32) “What? What’s that you say? You say today is Saturday? Goodbye. I’m going out to play.” (32) Peggy Ann McKay lies to her parents about her various diseases and then is “cured” when she learns she doesn’t have school

13. Example Thesis Statement: Throughout the play, characters constantly make reference to manhood and the idea of “being a man.” In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, manhood is always associated with physical courage and sometimes even with cruelty. Topic Sentence: Lady Macbeth uses the idea of “manliness” to motivate her husband to commit murder. Topic Sentence: Macbeth uses the idea of manliness to motivate his hired murderers to kill Banquo. Topic Sentence: Macbeth demonstrates “manly” courage by fighting to death at the end of the play even when all is lost.

14. Example Thesis: Bradbury utilizes symbolism and characterization in order to persuade readers that true happiness will abound only when society embraces individuality, appreciates reality and advocates a fair distribution of power. Topic Sentence: Power is everything, and how that power is distributed dictates the way society is run. In the novel, the firemen have ultimate control. Topic Sentence: Authority’s corruption in the novel is aided by fear as well as manipulation. Topic Sentence: Majority is synonymous with conformity. In the novel, the only people who fit in within society are selfish conformists, such as Mildred and her friends. Topic Sentence: Televisors and society as a whole encourage conformism and enjoying life without paying attention to details. Topic Sentence: In the novel’s wayward society, acceptance of true reality is blockaded by an unwillingness to accept or acknowledge unpleasant ideas and events. Thus books, which "remind us what asses and fools we are" (Bradbury 86), are outlawed, hated and feared because they "show the pores in the face of life.” Topic Sentence: Montag, the symbol of a conflicted individual groomed in a conformist society, encounters the realm of fake reality vs. true reality in multiple facets of his life.

15. Your Target Begin by identifying the points you want to make Make a bulleted list of some sort This is an essential step in order to avoid writer’s block (a.k.a staring at the cursor) Next, take those points and write an analytical topic sentence for each (like the previous example) Finally, find direct quotes that support the topic sentences Be sure to write down the page numbers! You will need the above completed in order to be prepared to move on.