How to Write an Essay Introduction

H.I.T HOOK, INFORMATION, THESIS The Introduction H.I.T HOOK, INFORMATION, THESIS A strong opening statement An establishment of the author and novel An establishment of your topic Your thesis statement and three examples

Hook/Attention Grabber Quotation/Proverb/Aphorism Question Startling Statement or Fact Anecdote Definition of subject/related term

Information Identify Title and Author Plot summary in 4-5 sentences that relates to your thesis to help your reader better understand End this section of your introduction with a lead-in to your thesis. Don’t just abruptly go straight to writing your thesis. Create a smooth transition to connect the two.

Thesis Step 1 - Answer the whole question to the prompt that your teacher has provided. Step 2 – Decide how you will prove that you are right. (What 3 examples will you use?) Step 3 – Ask yourself the following questions: In my answer, am I just stating the obvious (basic facts), or have I provided deeper insight into the text? Have I gone beyond the pages of the text? Step 4 - Reevaluate answer and revise if thesis is just stating the obvious and offers no deeper insight. (Make inference.)

Resources: How to Write a Strong Introduction for an Analytical Essay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ftl-ClRbM Thesis Statements: Four Steps to a Great Essay | 60second Recap® https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R0ivCaLtnY

Prompt #1 Although The Crucible revolves around the Salem Witch Trials, it allows readers to examine many themes. Choose a theme from The Crucible and discuss how it is developed throughout the play. How does this theme reveal the play’s deeper meaning?

The Crucible is a play of conflicts. Prompt #2 The Crucible is a play of conflicts. Analyze a major conflict from The Crucible. Discuss how specific characters play a role in this conflict …as well as how it contributes to the meaning of the play

Some of the characters in the play are blind to the truth. Prompt #3 Some of the characters in the play are blind to the truth. Choose three characters and discuss why they are blind to the truth… as well as how their blindness affects the outcome of the play.

Prompt #4 The word crucible can be defined as a severe ordeal or a set of circumstances where people are subjected to forces that test them and often make them change. What is the significance of the title of the play? Which characters best illustrate the title’s meaning?

Perform an analysis of John Proctor’s character. Prompt #5 Perform an analysis of John Proctor’s character. What does he represent in the play? What is John’s major conflict? How does he overcome it? What does his character reveal about the play’s deeper meaning?