Essay Writing
Freshmen
Fall 2012
Theme
A central, unifying or dominant idea
– What was the main idea or message behind the
story?
Essay
a short literary composition on a particular
theme or subject, usually in prose and generally
analytic, speculative, or interpretative.
Prewrite
• The process of getting your thoughts down on
paper before you write.
• This step helps you organize your thoughts.
Thesis
• A general sentence with a subject and an opinion.
• This sentence is a guide to what you are going to
say.
• This is the sentence that you are trying to prove.
• It includes the story title and the author.
Assignment
• For The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time
Indian choose one of the following themes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Love conquers all
Friendship
Hatred
Family is the most important thing
Remembering culture is important
Education is important
• Create a prewrite
• Draft a thesis statement
10/26/12
BODY PARAGRAPHS
Body Paragraphs
• The part of an essay that explains and
develops a main idea (or thesis).
• Body paragraphs come after the introduction
and before the conclusion. The body is usually
the longest part of an essay, and each body
paragraph begins with a topic sentence.
Topic Sentence
sentence that captures the meaning of the
entire paragraph or group of sentences. It tells
what the passage is mainly about.
Evidence
• Facts, quotes that support your topic sentence
• Include author and page number (Alexie, pg
24).
• Copied remember to use quotation marks (“
“).
Commentary
• How the evidence develops the thesis or topic
sentence.
Concluding Sentence
• the last sentence of a paragraph(s), it
summarizes everything that you just wrote
about and it is somewhat like your Topic
Sentence.
Assignment – due Monday
• Write for each of your 3 strands of your web
– Topic sentence
– Evidence
– At least 2 commentaries for each piece of
evidence
– Concluding sentence
Example
• TS – Holding on to one’s hopes and dreams effects future
decisions.
• Evidence #1 – “But we reservation Indians don’t get to
realise our dreams. We don’t get those chances or
choices. We’re just poor. That’s all we are.” (Alexie, pg 13).
• Commentary #1 – Junior was feeling defeated. He felt like
his hopes and dreams did not matter to anyone simply
because he was Indian.
• Commentary #2 – Remembering our hopes and dreams
helps to guide us in the decisions that shape who we are
and who we will become.
• Evidence #2, 2 commentaries
• CS – Hopes and dreams impact what happens in the future.
10/29/12
INTRO AND CONCLUDING
PARAGRAPHS
Introductory Paragraph (section)
• The opening paragraph in an essay.
• The primary purpose of an introductory
paragraph is to attract the reader's attention and
identify the topic and purpose of the essay.
• A thesis statement typically appears at the end of
an introductory paragraph.
Attention Getter
• A statement or question that invites the
reader to continue reading your essay.
Concluding Paragraph (section)
• The paragraph(s) that bring an essay to a
satisfying and logical end.
• Rewords the thesis statement
• Leaves the reader thinking about the topic in a
new way.
Introductory Paragraph example
Hopes and dreams make us stronger! Ever
wonder what a world without hope would be
like? Hopes and dreams help to create a
positive outlook on life. They help to keep us
focused on the future and what truly matters in
life and effect who we will become in the future.
In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time
Indian, by Sherman Alexie, Junior demonstrates
the importance of having and holding on to
hopes and dreams for the future.
Concluding Paragraph Example
• When all was said and done, Junior, by holding
on to his hopes and dreams, became a better
person. He discovered who we was and how
his dreams would impact the person he would
become in the future. By holding on to our
hopes and dreams, we will become the person
that we want and deserve to be. Hopes and
dreams play an important role in creating the
world around us. By staying focused on
dreams; anything is possible.