the
hollow
and
the
analytic
men
paragraph
Writing an Analytical Paragraph
using Quotes
Below is a paragraph template of how to incorporate and analyse texts using direct quotes. Example
paragraph parts are in italics.
State It. Clearly state the topic of the paragraph in 1-2 sentences, for example:
Our world is overly obsessed with the fictitious ideal of perfection.
Introduce It. Clearly introduce textual evidence (quotes, passages) that will be
used, for example:
Nalo Hopkinson's short story, A Habit of Waste, comments on this over-obsession
by depicting a near-future world where individuals can download perfection and
wear it like a new pair of underwear.
Prove It/Analyze It. Provide textual evidence to prove the topic of your
paragraph AND Examine/analyze/explain how the evidence relates/proves the topic, for
example:
Even-though she is writing about a near-future dystopic society, where "they
downloaded me" is a distinct and real possibility, Hopkinson is clearly criticizing
the current trends in media and lifestyle fixations for creating racist and selfloathing attitudes. When Hopkinson writes, “I ordered the catalogue from
MediPerfiction," she is critiquing the infomercials that target our desire for the
medi-perfect or perfictional physique by standardizing “arrow slim” and “creamy
brown” as ideals over the “that back-to-Africa nostalgia shit (and) nappy-headed
nonsense.” Hopkinson is not comfortable with this promise of a fast-food makeover that creates an unreal sense that perfection is within our grasp - if we have
money or credit - because it is not creating a confident culture, rather, it is
magnifying the fears and insecurities of the citizenry. Hopkinson is arguing that,
ironically, the promise of perfection is creating greater imperfection.
Conclude It. Conclude the paragraph by connecting the last thought to the first
thought, for example:
Perfection is simply “perfiction”.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
Our world is overly obsessed with the fictitious ideal of perfection. Nalo
Hopkinson's satiric short story, A Habit of Waste, comments on this overobsession by depicting a near-future world where individuals can download
perfection and wear it like a new pair of underwear. Even-though she is writing
about a near-future dystopic society, where "they downloaded me" is a distinct
and real possiblity, Hopkinson is clearly criticizing the current trends in media and
lifestyle fixations for creating racist and self-loathing attitudes. When Hopkinson
writes, “I ordered the catalogue from MediPerfiction," she is critiquing the
infomercials that target our desire for the medi-perfect or perfictional physique by
standardizing “arrow slim” and “creamy brown” as ideals over the “that back-toAfrica nostalgia shit (and) nappy-headed nonsense.” Hopkinson is not
comfortable with this promise of a fast-food make-over that creates an unreal
sense that perfection is within our grasp - if we have money or credit - because it
is not creating a confident culture, rather, it is magnifying the fears and
insecurities of the citizenry. Hopkinson is arguing that, ironically, the promise of
perfection is creating greater imperfection. Perfection is simply “perfiction”.
PREPARING FOR AN ANALYTIC ESSAY
1. Think critically about what you know - from personal experience -and
what you’ve learned - from texts and discussions - about the topic
and argument (point of analysis).
2. Make quick notes that detail all that you already know and have
learned.
3. Collect proofs. Identify quotes (direct textual evidence)and
passages that reflect the topic or argument. This may be a timeconsuming task, but it is essential and extremely worthwhile.
4. The collection or quotes and passages may be large, but this allows
you to pick and choose when you need to “PROVE IT”.
5. Use your collection of quotes.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE ANALYTIC BODY PARAGRAPH
When you think body paragraph, think ‘mini essay’.
STATE IT. topic sentence states the topic/argument of the paragraph
and guides the direction of the paragraph’s content. The topic
sentence reflects ‘proof’ of the thesis. What do you want to prove?
INTRODUCE IT: Always written in ‘your own words’. Introduces
evidence or support that will be used to prove thesis and reflect
topic of the paragraph. What are some general ideas about the topic?
What evidence/proof will be introduced?
PROVE IT. Hard evidence from text, either in the form of a direct
quotation from the text (word-for-word) or in the form of an example
(in your own words, but still acknowledged). This component adds
strength to your thesis.
ANALYZE IT. Analyze how &/or why your proof helps to support your
thesis. This is an essential component as it shows how the evidence
supports the theory/argument THE WAY YOU INTERPRET IT. Without it, the
evidence may be interpreted differently. What does the quote/proof
mean? How does proof prove topic/argument?
CONCLUDING IT: concluding sentence wraps up the ideas expressed in
the paragraph. What is a new and interesting way to reword the topic
sentence?
THE HOLLOW MEN
T.S ELIOT
Mistah Kurtz-he dead
A penny for the Old Guy
I
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us-if at all-not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.
II
Eyes I dare not meet in dreams
In death's dream kingdom
These do not appear:
There, the eyes are
Sunlight on a broken column
There, is a tree swinging
And voices are
In the wind's singing
More distant and more solemn
Than a fading star.
Let me be no nearer
In death's dream kingdom
Let me also wear
Such deliberate disguises
Rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves
In a field
Behaving as the wind behaves
No nearer Not that final meeting
In the twilight kingdom
III
This is the dead land
This is cactus land
Here the stone images
Are raised, here they receive
The supplication of a dead man's hand
Under the twinkle of a fading star.
Is it like this
In death's other kingdom
Waking alone
At the hour when we are
Trembling with tenderness
Lips that would kiss
Form prayers to broken stone.
IV
The eyes are not here
There are no eyes here
In this valley of dying stars
In this hollow valley
This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms
In this last of meeting places
We grope together
And avoid speech
Gathered on this beach of the tumid river
Sightless, unless
The eyes reappear
As the perpetual star
Multifoliate rose
Of death's twilight kingdom
The hope only
Of empty men.
V
Here we go round the prickly pear
Prickly pear prickly pear
Here we go round the prickly pear
At five o'clock in the morning.
Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom
Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response
Falls the Shadow
Life is very long
Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom
For Thine is
Life is
For Thine is the
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
PRACTICE ANALYTIC WRITING
1. Use one of the Literary Theory questions and write a thesis
statement, for example:
Q: Is T.S. Eliot’s Hollow Men a metaphor for the modern mind?
THESIS: T.S. Eliot’s poem is a metaphor for the conflict between the primal, id-based spiritual mind and the superego
driven industrial mind - that a modern mind is trying to
reconcile by continuously groping for meaning and substance in an
industrial, hyper-technologized world.
2. Choose a quote from from T.S Eliot’s, Hollow Men, that relates/
reflects/proves the thesis statment.
3.
q u o t e
4. Use the organizer, below, to construct a clear and organized
analytic paragraph. Use the organizer as rough draft.
paragraph
part
STATE IT: introduces
the topic/argument of
the paragraph and guides
the direction of the
paragraph’s content. The
topic sentence reflects
‘proof’ of the thesis.
focus question
What do you want to prove?
original writing
<insert a powerful SIMPLE SENTENCE>
paragraph
part
focus question
original writing
What are some general ideas
about the topic? What
evidence/proof will be
introduced?
<insert ONE or TWO SIMPLE SENTENCES>
ANALYZE IT. Analyze
how &/or why your proof
helps to support your
thesis. This is an
essential component as
it shows how the
evidence supports the
theory/argument THE WAY
YOU INTERPRET IT.
Without it, the evidence
may be interpreted
differently.
What does the quote/proof
mean? How does proof prove
topic/argument?
<insert a powerful SIMPLE sentence>
<insert a COMPOUND sentence>
<insert a BALANCED or ANTITHESIS sentence
CONCLUDING SENTENCE:
wraps up the ideas
expressed in the
paragraph.
What is a new and
interesting way to reword
the topic sentence?
<insert an ANAPHORA sentence>
INTRODUCE IT. Always
written in ‘your own
words’. Introduces
evidence or support that
will be used to prove
thesis and reflect topic
of the paragraph.
PROVE IT. Hard
evidence from text,
either in the form of a
direct quotation from
the text (word-for-word)
or in the form of an
example (in your own
words, but still
acknowledged). This
component adds strength
to your thesis.
5. Revise and edit. Use the sentence patterns to strengthen the
overall structure of the paragraph .
6. Word process. Use Courier or Courier New size 12 font. Double
space.
L E A R N I N G
G O A L S
• that you can analyse/assess (judge/evaluate) themes, ideas, issues and
language in texts (t)
• that you can collect information from texts to develop ideas for writing (k/
u)
• that you can organize and plan your writing to ensure that the final product
is organized, clear and effective (c)
• that you can revise and edit your writing to ensure that it 1) is clear and
organized, 2) uses correct grammar (sentence structure, punctuations
spelling), and 3)use literary devices and rhetorical sentence patterns (c)
• that you can use writing form (analytic paragraph), stylistic devices
(rhetorical sentences/literary devices) and write for an intended audience
(the teacher)
HOW WILL YOU HELP YOURSELF BE SUCCESSFUL?
>
>
>
>
HOW WILL YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL?
>
>
>
>