The Odyssey Essay:
THE INTRODUCTION
• The function of the introduction is to serve as a map of
the essay, outlining to your reader the main argument
and points which you plan to develop in your essay.
Most introductions begin with an orientation in the form of
a brief general statement that leads the reader into the
topic, showing the specific topic relates to the bigger
issues or to the discipline or field the paper belongs to.
This is followed by the thesis statement, which is your
concise response to the essay question, then an outline
of the argument presented in the essay. You may find it
useful to think of an essay’s introduction as funnel shaped
moving from the general to the specific.
Your First Sentence or two…
• To get your paper off to a great start, you should try to
have a first sentence that engages your reader. Think of
your first sentence as a hook drawing your reader in. It is
your big chance to be so clever that your reader can’t stop
reading.
Next…the work
• Introduce your work: …Roy Thomas’ adaptation of
Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey… and a statement
describing the essence of the story(i.e. a one line
summary of the plot).
Next…
• Thesis ….and
• State your arguments without going into detail or
referring to the story. You’re supposed to go from general
to specific (save the specifics for the body paragraphs).
Essay Question: Dynamic characters learn and grow as a result
of their experiences. Has Odysseus learned anything on his
journey home from Troy?
Draft of Introduction
• (1) Conflict is the essential driving force behind good
literature. The most profound conflicts take place within
the protagonist and often result in a change of character.
(2) In Roy Thomas’ graphic novel adaptation of Homer’s
The Odyssey, the protagonist, Odysseus, undergoes
many tests during his quest to return home. (3) Through
the course of the story, Odysseus changes from a man
plagued with hubris to a man who’s learned humility. (4)
Odysseus demonstrates this personal transformation
through his interactions with the gods, his willingness to
ask for help, and by overcoming his need for kleos.
Writing the Body Paragraphs
The Odyssey Quotation search
• For each argument you must find support from your
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primary source, in our case, Homer’s The Odyssey, by
Roy Thomas.
Find specific quotations from the graphic novel: (six in
total)
Explain the context in the story (what is happening)
Accurately write it out and note the pages
How and why it connects to your respective argument
and further supports your thesis.
Tips:
• Quote only sentences, passages, or words that are
especially succinct, memorable, or powerful.
• If a quotation is long, or you can say it better or more
concisely, paraphrase it (restate it in your own words).
Remember, you must indicate a source even when
paraphrasing. Keep paraphrasing to a minimum because
it is your ideas, your argument, that counts to convince
your readers.
Getting Your Introduction Started
• Thesis:
______________________________________________
• Argument #1
_____________________________________________
• Argument #2
_____________________________________________
• Argument #3
_____________________________________________
Argument 1: Proof 1
• Context: when is this happening?
• ___________________________________________
• Support #1 The Odyssey reference or direct quote
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
______________________________________(page )
• How and why it supports your argument:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Argument 1 cont’d
• Argument 1: Proof 2
• Context: when is this happening?
• ______________________________________________
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______________________________________________
Support #2 The Odyssey reference or direct quote
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________(page )
How and why it supports your argument:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Between your body paragraphs:
• Between your body paragraphs, have a transition
sentence which:
1) Summarizes the point you’ve made in this paragraph…
and…
2) Reveals what you’ll be discussing in the next paragraph
Remember: you only need a concluding sentence after
your third paragraph since there is no fourth body
paragraph.
The Conclusion:
• To start off your conclusion, you should have a phrase
which lets your reader know that the paper is coming to
an end. You may begin with the tried and true “In
conclusion,”although that gets pretty boring after a while.
Experiment with constructions such as:
• At the end of the day…
• In the final analysis…
• To conclude…
• It may be said…
• (or some combination thereof)
The Conclusion cont’d…
• Restate your thesis and summarize your three proofs.
• In order to make it sound creative, you may fiddle with the
wording (as long as the meaning doesn’t change).
• Leave the reader with a thought for further study.
• Do not:
• Bring up new information in the conclusion
• Include a quotation
• Change your thesis or look at the question from the
opposite perspective
Important Notes:
• Quotations don’t have to be the words that a character directly
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says. The narrator can be quoted as well.
Do not use I, we, you, or any variation thereof in the paper.
You can express your ideas without using these constructions.
Also, you are to remain professionally distant, and shouldn’t be
presenting information as though it’s your opinion anyway.
No contractions or slang (don’t = do not)
Write in the present tense (every time you open the book, the
events happen over and over again).
At the end of the sentence you’re including your quotation in,
write down the author’s name and the page number eg.
(Thomas 25).
Have a creative title that summarizes your thesis (i.e. Not just
the title of the novel, or “Odyssey essay”)
Whenever you write down the title of the work, you must
italicize or underline it.
Important notes cont’d…
• You do not require a title page in MLA format. Simply place
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the following information in the upper left hand corner:
Your name
The instructor’s name
The course code (ENG 2D)
The date you submitted the paper (12 May, 2014)
In the upper right hand corner of all pages after the first, you
must write your last name and the page number.
• You do require a Work Cited page:
Eg. Thomas, Roy. The Odyssey. Marvel Publishing, Inc.,
York, NY., USA. 2009.
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