1. Writing the Conclusion
English II

2. How long should the conclusion be?
For this class, a conclusion paragraph should be approximately four to six (4-6) sentences.
One sentence should restate your thesis.
One sentence should restate your plan of attack.
Two to four sentences should provide a “final statement” on the topic.

3. Restate the Thesis
You can NOT simply cut-and-paste your thesis statement from the introduction paragraph.
You must say the same idea, but use a different sentence structure and slightly different word choice in order for the thesis to feel “fresh” at the end of the paper.

4. Example of Restatement of Thesis
Original:
By giving the characters conflicts to face that end with a surprising twist in the resolution, these stories address contrasting ideas of selflessness and selfishness.
Restatement:
Although their authors highlight lessons about opposite sides of human nature, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace” both give readers insight into lessons about selflessness and selfishness that people learn through everyday conflicts.

5. Restate the Plan of Attack
You can NOT simply cut-and-paste your plan of attack sentence from the introduction paragraph.
You must say the same idea, but use a different sentence structure and slightly different word choice in order for these ideas to feel “fresh” at the end of the paper.

6. Example of Restatement of Plan of Attack
Original:
These authors both use carefully chosen plot elements to express the themes in these stories.
Restatement:
O. Henry and Guy de Maupassant both used character conflict and surprise resolutions to illustrate their story’s themes.

7. Final Statement
These sentences are where you can explain why what you’ve written about matters; explain the significance of the subject.
Include a final statement about the literature and also a final statement about its application to real life.
This section should be at least two sentences long.

8. Final Statement Example:
The Dillinghams and the Loisels represent the struggles of the everyday person. Through their experiences and choices, readers learn to live according to a path of selflessness, which ultimately leads to greater happiness.

9. Compare Intro to Conclusion
Although their authors highlight lessons about opposite sides of human nature, “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Necklace” both give readers insight into lessons about selflessness and selfishness that people learn through everyday conflicts. O. Henry and Guy de Maupassant both used character conflict and surprise resolutions to illustrate their story’s themes. The Dillinghams and the Loisels represent the struggles of the everyday person. Through their experiences and choices, readers learn to live according to a path of selflessness, which ultimately leads to greater happiness.
There are many lessons to be learned; sometimes it takes facing consequences to learn them. Both “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry and “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant contain important life lessons for the reader. These authors both use carefully chosen plot elements to express the themes in these stories. By giving the characters conflicts to face that end with a surprising twist in the resolution, these stories address contrasting ideas of selflessness and selfishness.