9-24-14 Group Analysis
“Be compassionate…and take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those
lessons, this world would be so much better a place” (Albom 163).
You have just finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie, a personal memoir about Mitch
Albom’s final course on life with his dying professor, Morrie Schwartz. Through this
book, Albom is able to catalogue the remarkable personal philosophies of Morrie. For
this essay, you are going to discuss one of these major life philosophies, incorporating
many of Morrie’s aphorisms (or personal belief statements) to support your claims.
The Process:
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Brainstorm a list of Morrie’s aphorisms
Group these aphorisms into general topics (see chapter titles for guidance)
Select ONE topic for the focus of this essay
Write a thesis statement
Write two-three topic sentences to support the thesis
Find at least two quotes from the book to support each topic sentence
Write essay with drafts
Format works cited page
The Requirements:
 Write a 4-5 paragraph essay analyzing one of the major life philosophies presented in
the book, Tuesdays with Morrie
 Follow standard academic writing format and organization for all paragraphs
 Use textual evidence (quotes—2 per topic sentence) to support your claims and
develop your analysis
 Follow the MLA format (manuscript form, internal documentation, works cited
page)
 Follow standard grammatical and mechanical conventions
 Write a hand written draft in class
 Type up a 2nd draft at home for in-class revision work
 Submit a final typed and revised essay
Brainstorming:
What does Morrie believe? Use the chapter topics for guidance and jot down any
aphorisms that you can remember.
The World:
Feeling Sorry for Yourself:
Regrets:
Death:
Family:
Emotions:
Fear of Aging:
Money:
Love:
Money:
Marriage:
Our Culture:
Forgiveness:
Now, select one belief that you feel is most important or with which you most connect.
Topic: _________________________________________________________________
Now, make a claim about that topic.
Claim: _________________________________________________________________
Combine these two ideas together to form a thesis statement.
EXAMPLE
Topic: Our culture
Claim: People need to reject our culture
Thesis: Tuesdays with Morrie shows the importance for people to reject popular
culture in favor of self-created values.
Write your thesis.
Thesis: _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Once you have a thesis, you need to write at least two topic sentences to support your
thesis statement. Think of two different aspects of your topic—think of two different
ways this philosophy is shown.
EXAMPLE: the media motif / the Nightline interviews
How is your philosophy shown in the book?
1st Specific Aspect of Topic: _______________________________________________
2nd Specific Aspect of Topic: _______________________________________________
Now, combine these specific aspects with the overall philosophy for a topic sentence.
EXAMPLE: Through the media motif, it is evident that people need to reject the popular
culture around them and embrace one that is self-created. / The importance of rejecting
popular culture is also shown through the Nightline interview conversations.
1st Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2nd Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Comp 11B: Tuesdays with Morrie
“This I Believe” Writing Part I
Textual Evidence:
Find at least two direct quotes from the book to support each of your topic sentences. Be
sure to include page numbers for your in-text citations.
1st Topic Sentence:
Quote #1—
Page #
Quote #2—
Page #
2nd Topic Sentence:
Quote #3—
Page #
Quote #4—
Page #
Introduction Paragraph
Begin with an attention getter. This part of the introduction should relate to your topic,
not specifically the book. You should use “show, don’t tell techniques” and get the
reader’s interest through an anecdote or detailed description.
Attention Getter: ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to transition into the author and title information. Say how this topic (the
one that you just described in your attention getter) is also shown in the book by the
author. Remember to underline or italicize book titles.
Transition Sentence: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to give background information on the book. Introduce the characters and
tailor you plot summary around your topic. Be sure to use some of the key words from
your thesis.
Background Information: _________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Did you use those key words from your thesis? If not, add some more lines that focus the
reader on your topic.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Thesis (it is the one from the other page—just copy it down): ______________________
________________________________________________________________________
First Body Paragraph:
Copy down your first topic sentence—you already wrote this on the other page.
1st Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now give another line that explains this idea a bit more and/or better sets up the context
for your first example (which is your first quote).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to insert your first quote by connecting it to a sentence that you write.
Specify when this quote was used in the book or what character said these words. At the
end of the quote put the page number in parenthesis. For example: Morrie explains to
Mitch, “You have to work at creating your own culture” (156).
Quote #1: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to explain the quote. How do the words quoted support your topic
sentence and your thesis statement? Explain it. Be specific and develop your analysis.
Analysis of Quote #1: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to transition into your next example. Give some context for this example.
Transition Sentence: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to insert your second quote by connecting it to a sentence that you write.
Specify when this quote was used in the book or what character said these words. At the
end of the quote put the page number in parenthesis. For example: Morrie explains to
Mitch, “You have to work at creating your own culture” (156).
Quote #2: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to explain the quote. How do the words quoted support your topic
sentence and your thesis statement? Explain it. Be specific and develop your analysis.
Analysis of Quote #2: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to close this paragraph with a concluding sentence. Try transitioning into
the next paragraph. Say that not only does this idea show your topic, but also this next
idea.
Concluding Sentence: ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Second Body Paragraph:
Copy down your first topic sentence—you already wrote this on the other page.
2nd Topic Sentence: _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now give another line that explains this idea a bit more and/or better sets up the context
for your first example (which is your first quote).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to insert your first quote by connecting it to a sentence that you write.
Specify when this quote was used in the book or what character said these words. At the
end of the quote put the page number in parenthesis. For example: Morrie explains to
Mitch, “You have to work at creating your own culture” (156).
Quote #3: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to explain the quote. How do the words quoted support your topic
sentence and your thesis statement? Explain it. Be specific and develop your analysis.
Analysis of Quote #3: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to transition into your next example. Give some context for this example.
Transition Sentence: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to insert your second quote by connecting it to a sentence that you write.
Specify when this quote was used in the book or what character said these words. At the
end of the quote put the page number in parenthesis. For example: Morrie explains to
Mitch, “You have to work at creating your own culture” (156).
Quote #4: _______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to explain the quote. How do the words quoted support your topic
sentence and your thesis statement? Explain it. Be specific and develop your analysis.
Analysis of Quote #4: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to close this paragraph with a concluding sentence. Try transitioning into
the next paragraph. Say that not only does this idea show your topic, but also this next
idea.
Concluding Sentence: ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion Paragraph:
Begin this paragraph by rephrasing your thesis statement. It is not your thesis in the
exact same wording as it is in your introduction paragraph, but it still needs to include all
of your key words and a claim.
Restate Thesis: __________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to generalize your topic. Don’t talk about the specific characters or
specific plot points. Instead, take your topic and discuss it in terms of society as a whole
or the future. Write two to three sentences.
Generalize your topic: ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Now you need to connect back to your attention getter. Reference that initial image that
you created and leave a final impression with your reader.
Connect to Attention Getter: _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Works Cited
Write a practice citation for the book Tuesdays with Morrie. This needs to be the last
page of your essay on a page by itself.
Author last, First name. Title of the Book. City: Publishing Company, Year.
________________________________________________________________________
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