1. Thesis Statement: Thesis Statement: Your thesis statement includes the title and author of your poem, the theme of the poem, and the primary way in which this theme is developed.

2. Theamatic Statements: These are often one word concepts found in Poetry For Students. You need to take the theamatic concept and assign meaning to it. EX: Death Sanity vs Insanity Independence

3. Examples: Example: In Emily Dickinson’s poem, “I could not stop for death,” the theme of death being inescapable is illustrated through the use of personification. Example: In the poem by Robert Todd, “Firefly Moon” the theme that a person may become insane when faced with death is slowly developed through the use of repetition, and inverted syntax structure. Example: The theme of desiring independence and struggling against authority is displayed through the use of figurative language in Shell Silversteins’ poem, “To pick a pint or a pickle?”

4. Checklist 1.Name of poem 2.Name of author 3.Theme of poem 4. Way the theme is developed- This is what you will be talking about in most of your paper. Examples of the way a theme is developed: style, literary devices (personification, allusions, metaphors) sentence structure, imagery, word choice (syntax), ect.

5. Now write your thesis for your poem in ONE sentence. 1.Name of poem 2.Name of author 3.Theme of poem 4. Way the theme is developed

6. The Outline 1. Introduction 2. Author Biography- This is information about the author that connects to the poem or theme in the poem. 3. Your analysis of the poem- This is what you think about the poem with direct quotes from the poem. 4. The critics analysis of the poem- This is a paragraph about what the critic believes about your poem with your commentary 5. The Conclusion

7. The Outline Write a topic sentence for the three “body” paragraphs. 2. Author Biography- This is information about the author that connects to the poem or theme in the poem. Sample: Emily Dickinson’s experience with death and her desire for seclusion influenced the dark satirical nature of her poems. 3. Your analysis of the poem- This is what you think about the poem with direct quotes from the poem. (Use your thesis’ literary device you mentioned.) Sample: The poem, “I Could Not Stop for Death” is primarily focused on personifying death in order to explain the necessity in accepting ones own fate. 4. The critics analysis of the poem- This is a paragraph about what the critic believes about your poem with your commentary. Sample: Mary Kelley, a renowned critic, believes that this acceptance of death is noted in the personification of death, but she also notes there is an underlying tone of satire.

8. The Outline Now try it on your own. You may need to get your T-notes out in order to help you. Remember that the topic sentence must be a little piece of your thesis. In order words, your thesis explains the whole paper, but your topic sentences are much more specific.