Elements of an Essay

Introduction Paragraph General 1) Attention Getter 2) Background 3)Thesis Specific

Different Types of Attention Getters A story – causes the audience to feel like they are involved in the situation A rhetorical question – asks a question without expecting an answer A quotation – uses words from a famous person or expert on your topic An unusual statement – a statement which arouses curiosity Humor – tasteful humor which relates to your topic Shocking statistic – a fact about your topic which seems unbelievable

Story example The crowd was wild. The music was booming. The sun was shining. The cash registers were ringing.

Rhetorical Question Example Who would choose to stand in a freezing river at five o’clock in the morning? Where is there a railroad with no tracks, with secret stations, and whose conductors were considered criminals?

Quotation Example “I went to the woods to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life and to see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (Thoreau).

Unusual Statement Example Follow the drinking gourd. That's what I said, friend, follow the drinking gourd. (First sentence of background information) This phrase was used by slaves as a coded message to mean the Big Dipper, which revealed the North Star, and pointed toward freedom.

Humor Example "I'm feeling boxed in.” I'm not sure, but these may have been Henry "Box" Brown's very words after being placed on his head inside a box which measured 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 1\2 feet for what seemed to him like "an hour and a half." He was shipped by Adams Express to freedom in Philadelphia (Brown 60,92; Still 10).

Shocking Statistic Example Today, John Elway's talents are worth millions, but in 1840 the price of a human life, a slave, was worth $1,000.00.

After you get your reader’s attention… Use Background Information! 1) Transitional statements that connect your attention getter to your thesis 2) General overview of topic What does your reader need to know about your topic in general before you get into the specifics of your thesis

Thesis Statement One sentence at the end of introduction tells the audience what essay is about Thesis includes: Topic Position or attitude toward your topic What about your topic you will be covering

Thesis Examples Topic, Attitude/position, Areas covered The life of the typical high school student is characterized by time spent studying, attending class, and socializing with peers. A healthy diet is important because it increases energy, prevents illness and promotes well-being in all people.

Example of an Introduction: [Attention getter]: Human’s greatest achievements have brought progress, but too often this “progress” has resulted in despair. [Transitional statement]: The inventions of chemical/gas agents and war machines, like tanks and air-fighters, have aided warfare but have reduced many people to bloodbaths. [Overview] World War I was fought by soldiers from various countries in Europe, Asia, and America and was also the first war to use these new weapons in battle. In the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque describes gratuitous acts of violence brought upon the soldiers by the latest technological advancements.] [Thesis]: Remarque uses the imagery of a stone to demonstrate how the destructive “weight” or force of technology brings down the soldiers’ morale and hopes.

When watching the final few minutes of the film Into the Wild adapted and directed by Sean Penn (2007), one’s heart begins to sink and a knot develops in the throat. One’s nose grows stuffier while fighting back all the new tears. The film had thrown a curve ball that viewers were not prepared for. The feeling of total disappointment begins to envelope the viewer’s thoughts. Into the Wild is a file about survival in the most extreme conditions of an Alaskan winter. Lack of knowledge of the location and some misconceptions lead to the protagonist’s demise. After having traveled so far and ostensibly learned so much, Chris McCandless meets his fate in the most unimaginable of ways.

Body Paragraphs Follow Perfect Paragraph format (handout)

Concluding Paragraph Specific 1)Reword Thesis 2) Summarize main ideas from essay *NO NEW INFO* General 3)Final Thoughts / Ending