5 PARAGRAPH ESSAYS

Paragraph 1: Introductory/Thesis Paragraph Paragraph 2: Body Paragraph 1 Paragraph 3: Body Paragraph 2 Paragraph 4: Body Paragraph 3 Paragraph 5: Conclusion

Intro/ Thesis Body The intro is like a funnel, starting broad and then getting specific. The last sentence is the thesis. The conclusion functions the opposite way. It starts specific with a restatement of the thesis, then gets broad, ending with a generalization. Imagine Your Paper Is Like This:

What is a Thesis?  A thesis is a statement of what you are trying to prove.  It is a clear, direct statement of what your paper is about.  I should know exactly what the rest of your paragraphs will be after reading your thesis. ABSOLUTELY NO SURPRISES! ABSOLUTELY NO SURPRISES!  The thesis paragraph outlines the structure of the essay. thought language  All paragraphs and topic sentences must lead directly back to the thesis in thought (only include relevant info) & language (use similar wording, but NOT always the same).

THESIS Paragraph  Start broad, then get increasingly specific.  Mandatory 3 sentences. 1 SENTENCE INTRO: 1 SENTENCE INTRO: Generally refers to both stories. 1 SENTENCE THESISSTATEMENT 1 SENTENCE THESIS STATEMENT 1 SENTENCE OUTLINE of Structure : Detail the structure of your essay. Each point of comparison is present.

Thesis Wording 1. Identify who & what:  Homer’s epic poem Odyssey  Ernest Hemingway’s novella The Old Man & the Sea 2. Use a strong verb like DEMONSTRATES, SHOWS, ILLUSTRATES, or POINTS OUT

THESIS: ADD AN ARGUMENT A. The adventure filled hero story seen in the movie Iron Man follows a model established centuries before by Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. The role of The Odyssey as model for future hero stories like Iron Man is demonstrated by identifiable similarities in the two myths.  This will be everyone’s first two sentences!

THESIS: FORMULA  The adventure filled hero story seen in the movie Iron Man follows a model established milenia before by Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. The role of The Odyssey as model for future hero stories like Iron Man is demonstrated by identifiable similarities in the two myths. Such similarities are visible in the shared characteristic(s) of ________ in the heroes, the presence of ________ as a common obstacle, and ________ in both stories.

Body Paragraphs  All three body paragraphs should follow the same formula.  Each paragraph is on a single, specific topic (in this case, each paragraph is on a similarity between Iron Man & The Odyssey).  Follow the formula on the following slide!

Paragraph Formula  Start with a topic sentence stating the similarity.  Next, provide 2 relevant plot details from each story (in your own words) to explain the similarity  Stay on topic; NO IRRELEVANT INFO.  End the paragraph with a general explanation tying the details back to the topic sentence. How do the details demonstrate a similarity in the story.

My sample thesis paragraph  The story of a hero’s arduous voyage at sea portrayed in Ernest Hemingway’s novella The Old Man and the Sea follows the narrative blueprint laid out millennia before by Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. determination limited resources theme of naturalism  The story of a hero’s arduous voyage at sea portrayed in Ernest Hemingway’s novella The Old Man and the Sea follows the narrative blueprint laid out millennia before by Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. The role of The Odyssey as model for future hero stories like The Old Man and the Sea is demonstrated by identifiable similarities in the two stories. Such similarities are visible in the shared characteristic of determination in the heroes, the presence of limited resources as a common obstacle, and the theme of naturalism in both stories.

Sample topic sentence (Body #3): Beyond similarities related to their heroes, Homer and Hemingway both depict nature as diverse and awe-inspiring. Then: (A) - Add context (B) - Bring in specific example/quote (C) – Critically analyze the quote

(A)dd context & detail Beyond similarities related to their heroes, Homer and Hemingway both depict nature as diverse and awe-inspiring. Odysseus encounters marvels of the ancient Greek world and imagination as he travels from island to island in the Mediterranean Sea.

(B)ring in specific example/quote Beyond similarities related to their heroes, Homer and Hemingway both depict nature as diverse and awe-inspiring.Odysseus and his crew encounter natural phenomena and monsters as they from island to island in the Mediterranean Sea of Homer’s imagination. Of the Cattle of the Sun God, Odyssey’s crew say things like, “Look at the width of the shoulders” and “The haunches – think of the meat on those” (Armitage 170). Beyond similarities related to their heroes, Homer and Hemingway both depict nature as diverse and awe-inspiring. Odysseus and his crew encounter natural phenomena and monsters as they from island to island in the Mediterranean Sea of Homer’s imagination. Of the Cattle of the Sun God, Odyssey’s crew say things like, “Look at the width of the shoulders” and “The haunches – think of the meat on those” (Armitage 170).

(C)ritically Analyze the Quote  Beyond similarities related to their heroes, Homer and Hemingway both depict nature as diverse and awe- inspiring.Odysseus and his crew encounter natural phenomena and monsters as they from island to island in the Mediterranean Sea of Homer’s imagination. Of the Cattle of the Sun God, Odyssey’s crew say things like, “Look at the width of the shoulders” and “The haunches – think of the meat on those” (Armitage 170). The sheer size of the cattle on Thrinacia inspires reverence, as well as hunger, in the crew. Displaying a similar reverence for animals in nature, Santiago…  Beyond similarities related to their heroes, Homer and Hemingway both depict nature as diverse and awe- inspiring. Odysseus and his crew encounter natural phenomena and monsters as they from island to island in the Mediterranean Sea of Homer’s imagination. Of the Cattle of the Sun God, Odyssey’s crew say things like, “Look at the width of the shoulders” and “The haunches – think of the meat on those” (Armitage 170). The sheer size of the cattle on Thrinacia inspires reverence, as well as hunger, in the crew. Displaying a similar reverence for animals in nature, Santiago…  Repeat A, B, & C concerning the other work.

Conclude Paragraph on General Note  8 th and final sentence of the sample paragraph:  In each work, the human relationship with nature is thematically central and as crucial to plot development as the hero’s characteristics and challenges.

Another Example (not a comparison): Topic: Manolin as example of Hemingway’s Code Hero

Color-coded Paragraph One quality of a Hemingway code hero that Manolin possesses is honor. Throughout the course of Old Man and the Sea, Manolin is forced to watch as his role model is humiliated by peers for his failures as a fisherman. Nonetheless, he never loses respect for Santiago, and says, “The best fisherman is you” (Hemingway 23). Seeing only the best in Santiago, the boy openly displays admiration and confidence in the veteran fisherman. Manolin’s respect and admiration for Santiago, even in the face of stress and humiliation, demonstrates that he acts with honor.

Your paragraph should NOT look like this: Manolin shows honor in the story. He says, “The best fisherman is you” (Hemingway 23). This shows that he acts with honor.

Some things NOT to do:  Don’t use the word “shows” anywhere in your paper ( as in “This shows that Santiago….” )  Don’t use the word “quote” anywhere in your paper ( as in “This quote reveals….” )  Don’t use the word “story” anywhere in your paper (as in “During the story…”)

A Few More Reminders:  Do not use 1 st or 2 nd person point of view  Do not forget to put a citation after every quote.  Do not forget to use 12 point, times new roman, double spaced font with an MLA heading.

Next Deadline:  First 4 Paragraphs of Comparative Essay  Due Date: Tuesday, 12/2/14  Use this Powerpoint to guide your writing.

Conclusion Framework: Start with restatement of your thesis. Then, explain in a few sentences what lesson Hemingway is trying to teach the reader with this novel.

Sample Topic & Conclusion Sentence Topic: Odysseus' ingenuity as a carpenter and military leader is mirrored in the engineering genius of Tony Stark. 2 EXAMPLES FROM EACH Concluding Sentence/ Transition: The shared characteristic of ingenuity makes each hero more capable of battling equally resourceful antagonists.

Conclusion: FORMULA The formative influence of Homer's epic poem The Odyssey on Marvel Comics' movie Iron Man is perceptible on the character, plot, and thematic levels. Parallels are visible through characterization of the heroes as _______, analysis of ______ as an obstacle that adds complexity to the plot, and evaluation of ___________ in the respective narratives. Taken together, these 3 points of comparison demonstrate that Iron Man is one of the latest hero narratives to use the never outdated formula passed down from Homer.