Transitions
English IV
Monteith
Transitions In…
• Your transition in (T.I.) sets the scene for
your quote (either direct quote, summary,
or paraphrase). It allows the reader to
remember where in the work you will
reference in the next sentence.
• You need to refer to either chapter number
(novels), parts (short stories/poems), or
line numbers (poems)
DO NOT PLOP DIRECT QUOTES!
• When using direct quotes, do not just PLOP
your direct quote in, between the T.I. and the
T.O.
• You need another “mini-transition”
– Example:
• He says,
• She recalls,
• It is described as,
Transitions Out…
• After your quote (direct quote, summary,
paraphrase), you need to have a transition out
that connects back to your thesis
• Make sure to use strong verbs like
demonstrates, proves, exemplifies, etc. in order
to make your points crystal clear
• Always tie your quotes back to your thesis.
Remember, it is not redundant or repetitive, you
are reinforcing your thesis!
Think of your transitions as…
Quoted Info
1-2 sentences leading
into quote (include work
reference)
1-2 sentences of analysis
connecting back to thesis
Example…Jungle
Upton Sinclair’s theme of survival of the fittest is
established within the first few chapters of the
novel with his analogy of the killing beds. In
Chapter Three, Sinclair describes the hogs,
unaware and naïve, being led to their deaths.
Jurgis Rudkus, a character who will establish
himself as one of the strong, comments to the
other workers, “…I’m glad I’m not a hog!” (Sinclair
40). This comment establishes the idea that Jurgis
sees a weakness in the hogs who are led blindly to
their deaths. However, it will take Jurgis quite a
while to discover that he, too, is naïve about
certain elements of his life. But this recognition will
emerge and ultimately, save his life.
Example…The Things They Carried
Finally, one of the soldiers carries supplies that are
important to the well-being of everyone. Rat
Kiley, the platoon’s medic, carries medicine and
emergency field supplies. However, he also
carries comic books, candy, and brandy (O’Brien
87). The first items should not shock the reader,
because one would expect a medic to carry
those items. However, the last three items
clearly indicate that Rat Kiley cares for the
comfort levels of his fellow soldiers, which shows
his compassion for his friends.
Example…Lords of Discipline
Will’s physical coming of age is also a small facet
of the coming of age theme. Throughout the
novel, Hell Night is referenced. Hell Night, as
described in Chapter 17, shows Will’s physical
stamina while enduring some of the harshest
tests of human will (Conroy 156). While Will is
able to endure the challenges set before him on
Hell Night, but he is doing it only because
everyone else is. That is not the case during his
taming, a brutal beating that brings him almost
within an inch of his life.
Example…The Joy Luck Club
One mother and daughter, An-Mei Hsu and her
daughter Rose Hsu Jordan, struggle to
communicate effectively and get along with each
other in The Joy Luck Club. A leading cause of
their differences, as explored in the chapter titled
Magpies, is the variance in how they were raised.
Regarding her childhood, An-Mei explains, “I was
raised the Chinese way: I was taught to desire
nothing, to swallow other people’s misery, to eat
my own bitterness” (Tan 241). As a child, An-Mei
learns to accept herself as others see her, ignoring
her own feelings and desires. This causes
problems between An-Mei and her daughter
because her daughter, Rose, wants to life her life
as she wants, not as other people want for her.
Example…Huck Finn
Miss Watson believes that Huck should live in a civilized
manner, while his father does not want him to be
civilized. In fact, in Chapter Five, Huck’s father orders
him not to attend school and even threatens to beat
the civilized way of life out of him (Twain 54). This
forces Huck to make a difficult decision because of the
two different ways of life that are being forced upon
him; he cannot live both lifestyles. Huck’s conscience
tells him to lead the civilized way of life because it is
the right thing to do, but Huck also wishes to be free to
make his own decisions, without Miss Watson and the
Widow telling him what to do. In this case, Huck’s
conscience actually wins the battle, partially because
Huck really does not like his father. He decides to
continue attending school and living like a civilized
person in order to spite his father.
Example…As I Lay Dying
Along the lines of death, the concept of
creation versus the concept of death is
mentioned in Chapter Two. Peabody
says, “It takes two people to make you,
and one people to die. That’s how the
world is going to end” (Faulkner 39). This
shows that death is easier and more
natural than creating another human being
and that life can be destroyed just as
easily, if not easier, as it is created.