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Name_____________________________________________________ Period________ Date_____________________
Culture Synthesis Essay
To what extent does one’s culture inform the way one views others and the world?
Your goal is to produce a high quality essay analyzing and arguing an overall claim/thesis
statement in response to the prompt above. By now you should have already read and
analyzed various “texts” related to this topic, chosen three particular texts, and written
body paragraphs for the “texts” that respond to the prompt. Your goal now is to complete
the essay in MLA-style using the 5-Paragraph format below:
Introductory Paragraph 1:
 Hook
 Bridge
 Claim/Thesis Statement
Body Paragraph 1:
 Transitions from Intro Paragraph (this usually occurs in the TS)
 In response to prompt, supports claim and analyzes first text
Body Paragraph 2:
 Transitions from Body Paragraph 1
 In response to prompt, supports claim and analyzes second text
Body Paragraph 3:
 Transitions from Body Paragraph 2
 In response to prompt, supports claim and analyzes third text
Concluding Paragraph:
 Transitions smoothly
 Summarizes key information without repeating
 Provides no new information
 Addresses counterclaims effectively while refuting them considerately
 Leaves reader something to consider/
Works Cited
 Contains a works cited page for three cited sources in MLA format
Why write the body paragraphs first and write the claim/thesis statement afterward? Quite
simply, to do otherwise could potentially narrow your analysis—which is the focus of your
essay—to the point of making it too limited. By brainstorming the ways in which your
sources respond to the prompt in common, you already narrowed your focus enough. Of
course, this is just one approach. Now you can craft a claim/thesis statement that, not only
previews and outlines your paper, but also will be strongly supported by your research.
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You should be able to write a claim/thesis statement that considers all three texts in its
response to the prompt. One method of writing a working claim is to write a multi-part
claim initially before smoothing it out when revising. Writing the claim in multiple parts
will help you determine whether or not your three body paragraphs will actually support
the claim you have written. The multi-part method will also provide a roadmap for your
paper, while also serving as a type of destination for the hook and bridge in your Intro
Paragraph.
First, consider that, unlike your identification of the author and text (Level 1) in your Body
Paragraphs, in your Intro Paragraph, you should actually fully identify the authors and
texts in your bridge. Therefore, by the time readers reach your claim, they will already
know the names of the authors and texts. Thus, you will only cursorily restate Level 1
information in the claim.
For now, you should begin with the claim stem below and revise from there. First, however,
consider the following once more:
Writing Your Claim/Thesis Statement:
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First, consider that the job of your claim is to:
(a) initially establish your response to the prompt as it relates to the
content material based on your chosen texts and
(b) give the reader a road map to your essay
Next, remember that your essay must argue a strong claim; therefore, in your
essay you must:
(a) describe and identify the aspects you intend to analyze/argue from the
texts and
(b) select and use quotes/examples from places throughout the texts in
order to demonstrate the significance of the chosen aspect
Use the stem below or a variation of it to practice writing your thesis. This is a bare bones stem
designed to get you started and should be enhanced and revised. It is also very awkward/clunky
in its current form.
The prompt (once again): To what extent does one’s culture inform the way one views others
and the world?
In _____________________________, ______________________________, and __________
(cursory restatement of “texts”)
__________________, the cultures of______________________, ________________________,
(restate names; keep in mind: Rothman does not fit into this neatly)
and _________________________, respectively, informs the way they each perceive others
and the world around them significantly based on _____________________________________
(name aspects you are analyzing that texts have in common)
_____________________________________________________________________________.
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All About Your Intro
Consider that your Introductory Paragraph is like a road and a road map all in one. It is the
avenue readers take from their own lives to the “life” of your analysis, while, at the same time, it
serves as a map or guide outlining where your paper will go. Your claim/thesis statement is a
momentary stop for your readers where they will receive directions on their trip through your
essay.
You already have the claim/thesis, but your Intro Paragraph should have three main parts:
1. Hook (2-3 sentences):
 Must capture your reader’s attention
 Connected to the larger themes and ideas you will discuss in your paper
 More general in its concerns, i.e., it applies to the world at large (Level 3)
 Does not mention the book/“text” titles, authors, or characters
 Hook approaches include: a question, a quote, a fact (a startling fact), an example
from life, using the word “imagine,” a “what if” scenario, a contrarian approach,
using a quote differently, referencing a historical event, and arousing curiosity
2. Bridge (2-3 sentences):
 Provides a bridge or connection between your hook and your claim/thesis
 The reason you “hooked” your reader should now be revealed in the way you use
the bridge to connect the hook to your overall topic and claim/thesis
 Where you will first mention the title of the book, author, and the character(s)
 Provides context for the ideas you will address
 The theme (by way of the “commonalities between sources”) revealed in your
hook must start to connect to the specifics of your essay as they relate to your
“texts” in the bridge
3. Thesis (1-2 sentences):
 The main point or idea of your essay
 Like claims/topic sentences, it is an opinion
 Unlike claims/topic sentences, it provides a road map for all of your body
paragraphs, not just one
 Links the theme of your essay to the aspects you will analyze/explore
 Outlines by way of naming the aspects your essay addresses
 Each “text” named in the Intro Paragraph should become its own body paragraph
and thus your claim/thesis statement is technically a three-part claim—you will
most likely smooth this out in the revision process
(Remember: Your paper should move from the general to the specific and, by the time you reach
your conclusion, back to the general. Recommended: Write at least as many sentences as below
now so that you can reduce later.)
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When considering options for your hook, apply the famous advice that goes something along
the lines of “when you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire.”
1. Use a contrarian approach. Make a statement of a universally accepted concept then go
against conventional wisdom by contradicting the statement. For example, a market trader starts
by contradicting the commonly held advice of buying low and selling high. He says: “It’s wrong.
Why? Because buying low typically entails a stock that's going in the opposite direction—
down—from the most desired direction—up.” This is a provocative opening that engages the
audience right away.
2. Ask a series of rhetorical questions. A common way to engage the audience at the start is to
ask a rhetorical question. Better still, start with a series of rhetorical questions. A series of
rhetorical questions stimulate the audience’s mind as they ponder the answers.
3. Make a startling assertion. A surefire way to gain people's attention is by starting with a
startling or amazing fact. Take the time to research startling statistics that illustrate the
seriousness of what you're going to talk about. For example, a presentation about conservancy
can start with: “Every second, a slice of rainforest the size of a football field is mowed down.
That's over 31 million football fields of rainforest each year.”
4. Provide a reference to a historical event.
5. Use the word imagine. The word ‘imagine’ invites the audience to create a mental image of
something. Ever since John Lennon’s famous song, it has become a powerful word with
emotional appeal. There is power in asking the audience to conjure up their imagination, to play
along. This tactic can easily be adapted to any topic where you want the audience to imagine a
positive outcome, or a vision of a better tomorrow. It can be used, as well, to ask them to
imagine being in someone else’s shoes.
6. Arouse curiosity. You can start with a statement that is designed to arouse curiosity and make
the audience look up and listen to you attentively. Bestselling author Dan Pink does this
masterfully in one of his talks. He says: “I need to make a confession, at the outset. A little over
20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I am not particularly proud of,
something that in many ways I wished no one would ever know, but that here I feel kind of
obliged to reveal. In the late 1980s, in a moment of youthful indiscretion, I went to law school.”
7. Use quotations differently. Many speakers start with an apt quotation, but you can
differentiate yourself by stating the quotation and then adding a twist to it. For example, “We’ve
all heard that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. But we need to remember
that a journey to nowhere also starts with a single step.”
8. Quote a proverb from another culture. There is a wealth of fresh material to be culled from
foreign proverbs. Chances are your listeners have never heard them so they have novelty appeal.
Here are some examples: “Our last garment is made without pockets” (Italy); “You’ll never plow
a field by turning it over in your mind” (Ireland); “The nail that sticks up will be hammered
down” (Japan), and “Paper can’t wrap up a fire” (China).
9. Take them through a “what if” scenario. A compelling way to start your essay is with a
“what if” scenario.
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1. Hook:
Let’s begin by considering which types of hooks you believe will lend themselves to your
essay by answering the following questions:
What types of hooks do you think you might use?
________________________________________________________________________
Why did you choose these types of hooks (your answers should help determine which
type is a good choice)?
________________________________________________________________________
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Practice writing your hook (then you might choose a different type):
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2. Bridge:
Now, using your chosen hook as a beginning, try crafting a bridge to your thesis.
Remember:
 You should generate more material than you need—this is a good thing.
 Provide context about the overall arc of the story/essay/poem as it relates to your
essay and its aspects
The following stem might be used for each “text” your essay analyzes (include the book’s
title, author, and the character or characters that are important to your analysis).
In ___________________________________ by _______________________,
(book title)
(author)
__________________________________________________________________
(character(s))
(overall context or
__________________________________________________________________.
situation related to your commonalities or aspects and theme)
You might write an additional bridge sentence if it makes sense to do so.
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Next, use the lines below to continue crafting/refining/revising your claim/thesis statement now
that you have a working hook and bridge—you might still keep your claim in the multi-part
format, though you should smooth it out a bit. You might also use this space for the entire Intro
Paragraph.
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