1. Step 1. Read the prompt Step 2. Find similarities across texts Step 3. Develop themes Step 4. Establish lenses used to support themes Step 5. Create thesis statement Step 6. Create concluding statement FOLLOW THESE STEPS…

2. STEP 1: READ THE PROMPT

3. HERE’S A PROMPT TO GET US STARTED… Write an essay in which you analyze how authors use literary elements to develop a common theme.

4. STEP 2: FIND SIMILARITIES ACROSS TEXTS

5. I’VE FOUND SIMILARITIES… The Hunger GamesThe Fault in Our StarsTo Kill a Mockingbird Three no-nonsense female protagonists (Katniss, Hazel and Scout) (Character) Each protagonists deal with great trauma (the games, Gus’ death, being attacked by Bob) (Character and Conflict) Their normal “worlds” are turned upside down (Setting) All three characters are outsiders, in a way (Character) All stories have person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. society conflicts (Conflict) All three authors use first person narration (Structure) Outside characters serve as a way for diverse points of view (other districts in Games, Gus in TFIOS and Miss Caroline in TKAM.) (Character) All three stories use simile and hyperbole to emphasize traumatic events (Figurative Language)

6. STEP 3: CREATE THEMES

7. I’VE CREATED THEMES… (THG, TFIOS, TKAM) Similarity: One event changes the protagonists’ perception of the world as they knew it. Theme: Sometimes, all it takes is one event in our lives to completely turn our world upside down and change our perception forever. Similarity: Each protagonist deals with great trauma. Theme: Fear can motivate people to do things they never thought were possible. Similarity: All three girls are outsiders. Theme: Society fears that which is different.

8. STEP 4: ESTABLISH LENSES TO SUPPORT THEME

9.  Now that we know what we’re going to write about (the prompt) and we’ve found our theme, we need to identify how we’re going to SUPPORT that theme.  We support the theme using evidence that we find by looking through LENSES.  Conflict  Character  Setting  Structure/Style  Figurative Language  Word choice/mood  Plot USING LENSES/ELEMENTS

10. I’VE FOUND LENSES TO SUPPORT THEME… Similarity: One event changes the protagonists’ perception of the world as they knew it. Theme: Sometimes, all it takes is one event in our lives to completely turn our world upside down and change our perception forever. (Character, Conflict, Structure) Similarity: Each protagonist deals with great trauma. Theme: Fear can motivate people to do things they never thought were possible. (Character, Conflict, Figurative Language) Similarity: All three girls are outsiders. Theme: Society fears that which is different. (Character, Conflict, Setting)

11. STEP 5: CREATE THESIS STATEMENT

12. Theme: Fear can motivate people to do things they never thought were possible. Thesis Statement Sentence Frame 1: Thesis: In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, the authors use major plot events, vivid figurative language and several types of conflict to convey the idea that fear often motivates us to do things we never thought were possible. Thesis Statement Sentence Frame 2: Thesis: Extraordinary, life-threatening circumstances (plot events) driven by vividly described (figurative language) antagonists (conflict or character) force Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games, Hazel Grace Lancaster of The Fault in Our Stars and Scout Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird to better understand that fear can motivate people to do things they never thought possible. PROMPT: WRITE AN ESSAY IN WHICH YOU ANALYZE HOW AUTHORS USE LITERARY ELEMENTS TO DEVELOP A COMMON THEME.

13. STEP 6: CREATE CONCLUDING STATEMENT

14.  Writing an essay is a lot like taking a road trip: WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING TOWARDS A DESTINATION.  Everything that you write must be working towards THE END (THE CONCLUSION).  Your thesis is great, but what do you have to say once the text is finished? You need to say something profound if you are to raise your writing above other writers.  Your concluding statement should leave your reader thinking, “Wow! I hadn’t thought of that!” LET’S TAKE A ROAD TRIP…

15. Thesis Number 1: In Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, the authors use major plot events, vivid figurative language and several types of conflict to convey the idea that fear often motivates us to do things we never thought were possible. Concluding Statement: When faced with impossible obstacles, you can choose to hide, or you can choose to fight. Though young in age, the three females of these novels prove that working through your fears can actually make you stronger and more mature in the end. CONCLUDING STATEMENT #1