
Write topic and clincher sentences for
this two paragraph paper:
› Topic: The United States is the best place to
live.
› Paragraph 1: Freedom
› Paragraph 2: Opportunity for citizens
What is your paragraph about, and/or
what is it trying to prove?
 Example: My paragraph is trying to prove
that Walter Mitty is a round character.

Find a quote that is relevant to your
argument.
 Example: “I was thinking…does it ever
occur to you that I am thinking?”


Place the quote strategically into your
essay.
› Not where the topic sentence should be
› Not where the clincher sentence should be
› Not the sentence before the clincher
sentence

Explain the context of the quote before
you use it.
› Example: When Mitty’s wife nags him upon
her return from the hairdressers, Mitty
defends himself by saying, “I was
thinking…does it ever occur to you that I am
thinking?”

After you use the quote, explain HOW this
quote helps support your argument.
› Remember our argument is about how Walter
Mitty is a round character.
› Example: When Mitty’s wife nags him upon her
return from the hairdressers, Mitty defends
himself by saying, “I was thinking…does it ever
occur to you that I am thinking?” This shows he is
a round character because he is capable of
thinking complex thoughts, and furthermore, it
shows that he is an individual with his own
thoughts who is not just a mere pawn of his wife.

Prompt:
› Argue whether or not Montresor feels remorse/guilt at the end of
the story.

Example:
› Right after describing how Fortunato did not reply any longer,
leaving only the sound of bells as Montresor is finishing the job,
Montresor explains to his audience, “my heart grew sick – on
account of the dampness of the catacombs.” Based on the
preceding events, he is clearly perturbed by the act itself, even
using the word “heart” instead of “stomach”, indicating it is not a
matter of mental or physical wellness but instead an act of moral
wellness, something dampness could not cause. Also, it is clear
that he unconsciously reveals this to the reader but realizes his
blunder and the necessity to conceal his true feelings to ensure
he is punishing with impunity (remorse on his part would mean
the punishment is not with impunity), so he quickly, as shown by
the dash, creates an excuse to try to amend the damage that he
is accidentally does.

In a body paragraph, I will not start a
sentence with a quote.


Check your quotes.
Edit anything that is wrong.
› Give context
› Quote is relevant to your point
› Explain how the quote proves the point of your paragraph (this
should correlate to your topic sentence)
WORK INDEPENDENTLY!!! NO TALKING!
 When complete:

› Write a 6-10 sentence paragraph that answers the question and
includes:
 What is the theme of “The Gift of the Magi”? (5 Points)
 Topic Sentence (5 Points)
 Clincher Sentence (5 Points)
 Quote with context given before and an explanation after as to
how it proves the point of your paragraph. (5 Points)
 NO I, YOU, WE, OUR, ME, ETC.