Short Story Connection Essay
50 POINTS. DUE ____________________
Choose one short story we have read together this year that impacted you more than any other we have read together. Why or
how did this story affect you, make you think and/or compare parts of the story to parts of your own life?
Here’s some help with getting you started on drafting a good thesis statement for this essay:
1. In prewriting, “work backwards” to explore reasons this story hit home with you. What important thoughts about who
you are, or about how life works, come to mind when reading the story? List them.
2.
Draft a thesis statement that nails down the specific, meaningful reaction you have to the story (“The story showed me
that _______ , _____ , and ______ can lead a person to ________ .” Or “’______________’ by _______ ______
showed three key elements of _(an important element/issue in life—like ‘friendship’): ___________, __________,
and _________.”) These are suggestions for wording—feel free to construct your sentence differently, but be sure to
assert a meaningful argument, one that needs support—not a simple truth.
Directions for constructing the essay:
Draw your reader into the essay with a vivid description, amazing fact related to your topic, or an interesting quotation. State
the title and author and BRIEFLY summarize (3 - 5 sentences max.) the plot of the story that made the greatest impression on
you. State (in a thesis statement) your argument on the story’s theme (the important truth about human nature and/or life
illustrated by the story—dig deep!).
Support your statement with at least two full paragraphs. These supporting paragraphs should be built around at least one
quotation from the story that shows why your thesis is true. Another supporting paragraph might be built around a brief and
specific example from your own experience to show how the experience is like that of a character in the story, and to show how
idea of your thesis is true.
In your conclusion, link to your opening, revisit your thesis, and wrap-up with an idea that provides closure for the
argument/discussion.
Your essay should be between 250 and 500 words, typed and DOUBLE spaced. You may handwrite or print the essay neatly in
black ball-point ink, but I encourage you to word process—DOUBLE space in either case. 250 - 500 words covers about one
or two pages. Do not write more! Quality over quantity! Argue your point; don’t summarize too much. Use one side of the
page only. See “Formatting Guidelines” handout for help with creating a professional final draft.
A successful essay might look like this:
Title That Reflects Subject and Thesis
Attention-getter (vivid description, amazing fact, a quote) …
Give “Title”, author, BRIEF summary of plot … transition to thesis statement …
Thesis statement on theme goes here (make sure it’s a complete thought)
State point of paragraph (reason thesis is true)
Support with evidence (properly formatted quotations from the literature and specific references to details of your
related experience)
Explain connections to thesis
State point of paragraph
Support with evidence
Explain connections
State point of paragraph
Support with evidence
Explain connections
LINK to attention getter (remind reader of the essay’s beginning)
REVISIT thesis and possibly give another example, connect to your own experience?
WRAP-UP—leave reader with an interesting/important/humorous thought relating to your subject—sometimes a
quotation works well