The essay emerged as a distinct genre through the writings of Michel e Maontaigne, a sixteenth century French philosopher. He was the first “modern” writer to record his thoughts and experiences in an attempt to better understand human nature.
The essay’s start in England came as Sir Francis Bacon and Abraham Cowley adopted and extended de Montaigne’s format. By the eighteenth century, an increasingly literate public’s interest in reading to improve their own knowledge and awareness of their society advanced the informal essay’s use in journals and periodicals.
These essays were often critical of social trends and were more satirical or humorous than the earlier formal, personal essays. Jonathan Swift, Samuel Johnson and Oliver
Goldsmith are essayists of note from this era.
In the early nineteenth century, the Romantic Movement renewed interest in the essay as a flexible, personal form of writing. The informal essay grew in length, became more personal in tone and dealt with a wider range of topics than essays of the previous century. The Victoria era saw the essay permit an even wider variety of writing styles and deeply personal explorations of a variety of topics.
The twentieth century reveals the great flexibility of the form. There are many variations in style and subject, and the essay continues to be a convenient form of sharing thoughts and feelings.
Characteristics of the Essay
The essay
1.
expresses a point of view
2.
is controlled by a thesis or single impression
3.
can be divided generally into two categories – formal and informal (personal or familiar)
4.
varies considerably in length, but is brief enough to be read in one sitting.
5.
expresses the writer’s views on any aspect of life (practically unlimited subject matters)
6.
varies in style an strategies, depending upon its subject matter, audience and purpose
Five Paragraph Essay. http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/fiveparagraph.html
. November
2007.

A.
Narrative Essay – an essay that is written in story form
B.
Descriptive Essay – an essay that is written to explain or describe something to the reader
C.
Expository Essay – an essay that expresses and supports a key point
D.
Persuasive Essay – an essay that tries to convince the reader to take the writer’s position on a particular issue (usually controversial)
E.
Argumentative Essay – an essay that refutes the ideas or points of others to convince the reader to take the author’s point of view
a.
analyze the question – use dictionary, thesaurus, put the question into your own words b.
Brainstorm possible ideas for how to approach the question c.
Organize brainstorm ideas into an essay outline [this should include the quotes/ page references / book excerpts you will use to support your point] d.
Write a rough draft of the essay following your outline e.
Peer edit for feedback and match to the marking criteria to be sure you have incorporated necessary aspects f.
Revise based on peer feedback g.
Hand in a typed, double-spaced copy for teacher feedback h.
Take feedback, revise, complete a good copy
Five Paragraph Essay. http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/fiveparagraph.html
. November
2007.

Outline for a Five-Paragraph Essay
Title: ____________________
Includes a General Statement, Specific Statement setting the reader up of the thesis, Thesis
Statement
I.
Introduction
A.
Introductory statement
B.
Thesis statement:
Topic Sentence – clearly introduce
____________________________________________________________________ paragraph and make sure that it ties
____________________________________________________
[every body paragraph needs one]
II.
Body
A.
You should have 2 minor supporting details to EVERY Paragraph of the essay. Each minor supporting detail should include the following.
a. [evidence and specific examples from the text to prove/back up your idea.] b. EXPLANATION for WHY your evidence supports your idea]
B.
___________________________________________________________
1.
__Minor Support #1 (developed as above)_
2.
__Minor Support #2 (developed as above)_
3.
__Concluding statement, with transition to next body paragraph.
___
C.
____________________________________________________________
1.
____________________
2.
____________________ some kind of transition between your ideas within your paragraph.
III.
A.
Closing statement
B.
3.
Conclusion
____________________
Restate thesis:
The reverse of an introduction.
 Reword idea(s) in your thesis
This helps to avoid choppy writing
[paraphrase]_________________________________________________________  Final thoughts/
__________________________________________________ about the topic
 Gradually become more general
 Leave the reader with a prominent, lasting thought
Five Paragraph Essay. http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/fiveparagraph.html
. November
2007.

This is in relation to "The Hazards of Movie going"
Title: The Hazards of Moviegoing
I.
Introduction
A.
Introductory statement
B.
Thesis statement: I like watching movies but I prefer watching them at home.
II.
Body
A.
First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): just getting to the theater presents difficulties
1.
bad weather
2.
long drive and limited parking space
3.
long waiting to buy ticket
B.
Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): facing the problems of the theater itself
1.
old theater's problems such as smelly carpet, worn-out seat, etc
2.
new theater's problems such as smaller size, noise from next movie theater, etc
3.
both floors will be rubber-like dirty at the end of the movie
C.
Third Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): Some of the patrons are annoying
1.
bad behavior such as running, talking loud, etc
2.
human noise and disturbance
III.
Conclusion
A.
Closing statement
B.
Restate thesis: I prefer to watch movies at home where it is comfortable, clean and safe.
Five Paragraph Essay. http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/fiveparagraph.html
. November
2007.

Introductory paragraph
(Thesis)
First supporting paragraph
Second supporting paragraph
Third supporting paragraph
Concluding paragraph
I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture won the Oscar in
1980 or who played the police chief in Jaws, they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I want to go out to the movies. The problems in getting to the theater, the theater itself, and the behavior of some patrons are all reasons why I often wait for a movie to show up on TV.
First of all, just getting to the theater presents difficulties. Leaving a home equipped with a TV and a video recorder isn't an attractive idea on a humid, cold, or rainy night. Even if the weather cooperates, there is still a thirty-minute drive to the theater down a congested highway, followed by the hassle of looking for a parking space. And then there are the lines. After hooking yourself to the end of a human chain, you worry about whether there will be enough tickets, whether you will get seats together, and whether many people will sneak into the line ahead of you.
Once you have made it to the box office and gotten your tickets, you are confronted with the problems of the theater itself. If you are in one of the rundown older theaters, you must adjust to the musty smell of seldom-cleaned carpets. Escaped springs lurk in the faded plush or cracked leather seats, and half the seats you sit in seem loose or tilted so that you sit at a strange angle. The newer twin and quad theaters offer their own problems. Sitting in an area only one-quarter the size of a regular theater, moviegoers often have to put up with the sound of the movie next door. This is especially jarring when the other movie involves racing cars or a karate war and you are trying to enjoy a quiet love story. And whether the theater is old or new, it will have floors that seem to be coated with rubber cement. By the end of a movie, shoes almost have to be pried off the floor because they have become sealed to a deadly compound of spilled soda, hardening bubble gum, and crushed Ju-Jubes.
Some of the patrons are even more of a problem than the theater itself. Little kids race up and down the aisles, usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious noises. Adults act as if they were at home in their own living rooms and comment loudly on the ages of the stars or why movies aren't as good anymore. And people of all ages crinkle candy wrappers, stick gum on their seats, and drop popcorn tubs or cups of crushed ice and soda on the floor. They also cough and burp, squirm endlessly in their seats, file out for repeated trips to the rest rooms or concession stand, and elbow you out of the armrest on either side of your seat.
After arriving home from the movies one night, I decided that I was not going to be a moviegoer anymore. I was tired of the problems involved in getting to the movies and dealing with the theater itself and some of the patrons. The next day
I arranged to have cable TV service installed in my home. I may now see movies a bit later than other people, but I'll be more relaxed watching box office hits in the comfort of my own living room.
Five Paragraph Essay. http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/fiveparagraph.html
. November
2007.

Things to Remember:
 Major pieces of literature are always in italics if you are typing, underlined if you are writing by hand. Minor pieces of literature are in “quotations”
 DO NOT SIMPLY RETELL THE PLOT!!! You always assume in essay writing that your reader is familiar with the literature. When using examples from your literature, be specific and describe JUST enough of the example so your reader knows what part of the text you are referring to.
 Must be written in PRESENT TENSE. Therefore, if you are using a quote from a text, you need to modify that quote so that it is also in the present tense.
Grammar Don’ts:
 This is a formal piece of writing, no “you” , “I” etc.
 No contractions (can’t)
 It is would have, could have, should have, not would of, could of…
 Make sure you have subject agreement: everyone, everybody, someone, somebody is singular, therefore you need to use his/her, he/she not their
 Use the correct version of there, their (and just do not use they’re)
Five Paragraph Essay. http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/fiveparagraph.html
. November
2007.