Do Now Did you enjoy reading The Art of Racing in the Rain? Why or why not? How did you feel about a dog as the narrator?

Writing Workshop

Thesis Statements

A thesis statement… Presents your opinions or thoughts on a subject or an issue. Answers the topic question Tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper. Is usually one sentence long.

Never use… I think I believe I feel In my paper, I will prove In my opinion, The book I read for summer reading.

Two parts… Your thesis statement should include two parts: WHAT and WHY. *WHAT: What claim are you making about the text? *WHY: Why should we care? Why is your claim important? Your thesis should answer the “so what?” question.

When in doubt… Use this formula Placement + Statement + Reason Placement (where?) Statement (what?) Reason (why?)

For example: Placement (where?) -- In the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Statement (what?) -- the Friar is to blame for the deaths Reason (why?) -- because he is selfish. In the play, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, the Friar is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet because he is selfish

Examples: “Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.” *What’s wrong with this thesis statement?

Examples: “In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.”

Examples: “In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.”   Better, but it still doesn’t answer the “so what” question. What is the point of the contrast? What does it signify?

Examples: “Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American ideals, one must leave ‘civilized’ society and go back to nature.”

Examples: “Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American ideals, one must leave ‘civilized’ society and go back to nature.” It presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content and answers the “so what” question.

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: There is a lot of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: There is a lot of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter. Inadequate. Why?

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: Hawthorne’s use of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter falters and ultimately breaks down with the introduction of the character Pearl.

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: Hawthorne’s use of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter falters and ultimately breaks down with the introduction of the character Pearl. Strong. Why?

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: The character of Ben in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is a great character. 

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: The character of Ben in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is a great character.  Inadequate. This does not say enough to serve as the basis for an essay. Besides, this judgments is entirely a matter of personal opinion because the criteria by which the judgment is being made is not defined.

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: Shakespeare's Hamlet is a play about a young man who seeks revenge.

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: Shakespeare's Hamlet is a play about a young man who seeks revenge. Inadequate. That doesn't say anything-it's basically just a summary and is hardly debatable

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: Hamlet experiences internal conflict because he is in love with his mother.

Strong? Needs Work? or Inadequate? Thesis Statement: Hamlet experiences internal conflict because he is in love with his mother. Strong: You can debate this topic.

Do Now Enzo’s observations throughout the novel provide insight into his world view. For example: “Understanding the truth is simple. Allowing oneself to experience it, is often terrifically difficult.” “No race has ever been won in the first corner; many races have been lost there.” How does his philosophy apply to real life?

HOW IT LOOKS INTRODUCTION BODY CONCLUSION ARGUMENT 1 ARGUMENT 2

The Literary Essay The Literary Essay is an insightful, critical interpretation of a literary work. It is not a summary of plot, character or other elements of fiction in any given literary work.

This means that… …you provide your own formal interpretation and/or opinion of the topic …you use the literary work to prove or substantiate your understanding of the topic

You do not… …try to prove the plot – we know how the series of events unfolded because we read the book …need to prove that the characters, setting, or themes existed in the literary work

You do… …provide an interpretation of the plot, setting, character, conflict, and themes as they relate to the topic you are discussing …develop elements that will prove your argument

Introduction Include an overview of the story and end it with your thesis statement. Be sure to incorporate the following: A hook The title of the story The author of the story Three to five sentences explaining the background of the novel Your thesis statement as the last sentence. Include the title of your story, the author, your statement and the reason why you are making the assertion in your thesis statement.

Do Now Write the three parts of the thesis statement formula in your journal: Placement (where?): Statement (what?): Reason (why?): Dissect your thesis statement according to the formula. Use the Romeo and Juliet example to guide you.

The Body …is composed of paragraphs which begin with a topic sentence that clearly introduces the topic in the paragraph and end with linking sentences that introduce the next paragraph

The Body …serves to PROVE your thesis NOTE: In order to prove your thesis, you must develop and expand on the topic using examples and citations (quotes) from the literary work to substantiate your statements Once a quote is cited, you must provide an interpretation, not a summary, about how this quote is relevant to the development of the topic and thesis

Body Paragraphs Your topic sentence must include the first way you will prove your thesis statement Find a concrete detail in the story to support your topic sentence. This concrete detail comes directly from the text you are reading. If you take words or ideas directly from the text, you will need to cite the author and page number. A concrete detail will not be an idea from you. Use quotations, facts, specifics, examples, descriptions, support, proof, evidence, paraphrasing, plot references.

Body Paragraph Add commentary or elaboration about your concrete detail here. In your own words, explain or expand upon the concrete detail you just wrote. Explain your interpretation of the concrete detail. This is the elaboration portion of your ideas. Use opinion, insight, analysis, interpretation, inference, evaluation, or reflection. Do not use “I”/ first person. Write a concluding sentence which summarizes your paragraph and transitions to the topic of the next one.

Quotes Include textual evidence in each of your body paragraphs You must CITE the material that you pull from the text.

Do Now In the first chapter, Enzo says: “It’s what’s inside that’s important. The soul. And my soul is very human.” How does Enzo’s situation–a human soul trapped in a dog’s body–influence his opinions about what he sees around him? How do you feel about the ideas of reincarnation and karma as Enzo defines them?

Conclusion The purpose of the conclusion is to bring the essay to a satisfactory ending. Include a good transition sentence Restate the main points of the essay You don’t want to introduce new ideas in the conclusion, but you can extend the thinking into the realm of personal reflection (think about the “so what?” question)

MLA Format Times New Roman font, size 12, black ink Double-spaced One inch margins Include a title (in the same font) Do not include a title page Quotes should be properly cited *See paper example on my website for other format issues.