Name/Period: _________________________
Summer Reading Essay – Sample Writing
Directions: Make notes as we read these examples together. Ask questions to clarify why each example
is successful or not. Consider where each of these examples would fall on the scoring rubric.
Example: Intro Paragraph
In the story “A Temporary Matter”, by Jhumpa Lahiri, a couple’s relationship unwinds due to the
loss of their child. Both husband and wife have deep, conflicting emotions because of this and they deal
with them in different ways. Throughout “A Temporary Matter,” Shoba’s emotions of depression,
longing, and hopelessness drive her to stay busy all the time, confess everything to her husband, and
then to leave.
Notes:
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
Example: Thesis Statement
Kathy is driven to care for Tommy through her maternal instincts for him and the feeling of moral and
emotional obligation to protect him from pain.
Notes:
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
Example: Body Paragraph
Shukumar had promised to himself that he would never tell anyone his secret because he still
loved Shoba. However after Shoba informed him that she would be moving out Shukumar’s strongest
emotion was altered. He no longer love Shoba and therefore does not care about the reprocussions of
his secret. Shukumar’s impetus is his desire to bring sorrow to his wife and he is aware that “…he
promised himself that day that he would never tell Shoba, because he still loved her then, and it was
one thing in her life that she had wanted to be a surprise” (Lahiri 22). Shukumar no longer loved Shoba
and his reason behind keeping it a surprise from Shoba was gone. His non-existent love for Shoba now
forced him to break the promise he had made when he still loved her. Shukumar’s love is the strongest
reason for his actions.
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
Example: Body Paragraph
Shukumar’s decisions after the blackout ends are driven much more by his anger and pain than
by his logic. After the power in the house is restored, Shukumar wants to continue with the game but
Shoba does not feel the same. Shoba sits Shukumar down to talk and tells him that she has found an
apartment and is planning on moving out. In retaliation, Shukumar states,
“Our baby was a boy...His fingers curled shut, just like yours in the night.” (22). Shukumar’s decision to
break this news to Shoba was one purely based on emotion. If he had thought the decision through
using reason, he would have realized that nothing good would come out of uncovering old wounds. The
emotions of everything that had just happened in the past few nights such as beginning to talk to his
wife again, regaining some of his old feelings for her, and even making love to her caused him to
Keigher AS English II
overlook reason. By bringing up the baby, Shukumar hurt his wife and kept the couple from being able
to move on with their lives, even if that meant they did so separately. Shukumar then goes onto
remember that the reason he kept this information form Shoba in the first place was “because he still
loved her then” (22). Shukumar did not tell Shoba before because he use his better judgment and took
into account how much it would hurt her. However, his pain from being rejected by Shoba led him to
make a rash, unthoughtful decision. Shukumar’s decision to tell Shoba the sex of their baby clearly
demonstrates how his emotion clouded his judgment.
Notes:
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
Example: Body Paragraph
Although Miranda clings to and relies on Dev in many ways, she also displays feelings of
insecurity in their relationship. Spending her days thinking about Dev, Miranda goes to an Indian grocery
store and almost buys food for Dev but then doesn’t, “wondering how to explain what she’d been doing
in an Indian grocery” (Lahiri 99). This decision of Miranda’s proves how her fear of judgement or
embarrassment hold her back from things she would otherwise go through with. This action shows that
Miranda overthinks simple situations and isn’t confident in her and Dev’s relationship. She fears
rejection or judgement from Dev and therefore doesn’t feel confident enough to buy him food and
admit she went to an Indian grocery because of him. Lahiri uses this scene to reveal Miranda’s
insecurities in both herself and her relationship. Miranda’s decision at the grocery, is used to show that
the fear of rejection and self insecurities often hold people back in life.
Notes:
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
Example: Body Paragraph
Miranda’s desire to love and feel love illistrates just how willing she is to do anything to get it,
even ruin a marriage. When Miranda has a day to herself so [she] goes out shopping, the narrator states,
“Miranda went to Filene’s Basement to buy herself things she thought a mistress should have.” (Lahiri
92). Lahiri’s decision to put this quote in shows how naïve Miranda is and how willing she is to spend her
time and love on someone who will never return the favor. This shows just how insecure Miranda is
because she thinks she doesn’t deserve Dev so she has to go spend money to make herself worthy of
him. She wants to stay in this fantasy and affair because she doesn’t want to face the reality of having
no one who actually loves her the way she wants. Miranda’s insecurities allow her to rationalize and say
what she is doing is okay.
Notes:
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
Keigher AS English II