An effective introduction
All you need is a beginning
statement that launches the topic,
a few elaborative statements to
amplify the topic, and a powerful,
theme-based thesis statement.
An effective introduction
Being part of a family is common to the
human experience.
Starting the introduction can be
accomplished a number of ways: a general
statement, a quote, a statistic (rare in literary
analysis), an observation. Then there should
be a few sentences that build off the general
idea (thematic topic) asserted in the first
sentence. These sentences elaborate on the
topic, and foreshadow some of what will be
specifically discussed in the rest of the paper,
to help the reader’s brain forecast the paper’s
content for better clarity.
An effective introduction
Being part of a family is common to the
human experience. However, not all
families are alike, nor are they created
equally. Some individuals struggle to
rise above the decisions and
reputations of their relatives, just as
others are nurtured, sheltered, and
prepared for life by loving parents and
siblings. Just the word “family” can give
rise to a full range of emotions, from
shame to pride, obligation to gratitude.
An effective introduction
Being part of a family is common to the human
experience. However, not all families are alike, nor
are they created equally. Some individuals struggle
to rise above the decisions and reputations of their
relatives, just as others are nurtured, sheltered, and
prepared for life by loving parents and siblings. Just
the word “family” can give rise to a full range of
emotions, from shame to pride, obligation to
gratitude. In life, as in literature, the emotional
connection derived from family relationships is
undoubtedly significant to the formation of an
individual’s personality and esteem.
An effective introduction
Being part of a family is common to the human
experience. However, not all families are alike, nor
are they created equally. Some individuals struggle
to rise above the decisions and reputations of their
relatives, just as others are nurtured, sheltered,
and prepared for life by loving parents and siblings.
Just the word “family” can give rise to a full range
of emotions, from shame to pride, obligation to
gratitude. The world of literature reflects the truth
of how familial relationships influence and shape
both character and identity in the lives of individual
family members.
About those Body Paragraphs

Major Works: 4-5 paragraphs



No mini-introductions, just a sentence (or maybe two) of
transition—Example: “Few literary works emphasize the
influence of family greater than the Classical tragedy of
Oedipus Rex.” Example2: “Oedipus faced the truth of his
family, allowing him to face the uncomfortable truth of his
identity; equally discomforting for Hamlet, the truths of his
gave rise to more questions than answers—questions
regarding life, death, and the meaning of his existence.
Not sure where to get ideas of what to talk about?
Consider the prompt and how all aspects of the work
contribute to it—how do the characters, setting, point of
view, and plot reflect the theme that you are investigating.
Minor Works: 2-3 paragraphs
Choices


Your paper must include a well-developed introduction that ends with a
thematic thesis statement, as well as a solid concluding paragraph.
Between those two paragraphs, you must discuss 6 works that compose
the paper’s BODY—for major works, write 4-5 paragraphs, and for minor
works, write 2-3 paragraphs;

Body paragraphs should deal with various aspects of the book’s
content. You may choose from the following considerations: character,
setting, point of view, conflict, diction, use of detail, imagery, language,
and syntax;
For each body paragraph, discuss the element/device incorporating at
least THREE examples from the text. Use this formula to guarantee that
you are truly discussing analytically (not telling the story!):

Make an introductory statement (topic sentence)

Make your first observation (statement of fact, example, detail)

Then write a sentence of commentary that explains the significance of
the observation in terms of your thesis

Make a second observation

Write a commentary statement for the second observation

Make a third observation

Write a commentary statement for the third observation

Write a final commentary statement that considers the three
observations in direct relation to the thematic thesis statement of the
paper.
Body Paragraph Example
(topic sentence) F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fascination with the Roaring
Twenties was obvious, as he receives credit for naming that era the “Jazz
Age.” (observation) A period of decadence and opulence, it provided the
perfect backdrop to Jay Gatsby’s tragedy. (commentary) Gatsby’s failure
to consider the future as he obsessively endeavored to cross paths with
his beloved Daisy matches the general mood of the time, where many
people reveled in abundance without concern for the future. (observation)
Narrator Nick Carraway comments that the conduct of Gatsby’s party
guests was both wasteful and messy: “they conducted themselves
according to the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park”
(41). (commentary) In this manner, Gatsby’s extravagant, continual
parties at his ostentatious mansion in West Egg, where new money
attempted to brush up against the generational wealth of East Egg,
indicate carelessness and excess that afforded opportunities for people to
indulge their more base desires. (observation) Yet, nothing lasts forever,
and consumption leads to waste, clearly made evident through the Valley
of Ashes. (commentary) As a particularly important aspect of the novel’s
setting, it is a physical manifestation of wastefulness in that time, and
mirrors how Gatsby wasted much of his life attempting to resurrect a love
affair that had long since expired. (final commentary related back to the
thematic thesis) Throughout the novel, the decadence, carelessness, and
wastefulness of the 1920s surround and amplify how Gatsby’s obsession
leads to his ruin.
An Effective Conclusion
Re-word and re-state your thesis,
then add a sentence for each
work discussed—showing how the
common theme unfolds in that
particular work, then finish with a
generalized statement that applies
the theme to life, the world, or
people today.
An effective Conclusion—easier
than the Introduction!
In life, as in literature, the influence of
family is undeniable.
An Effective Conclusion
In life, as in literature, the influence of
family is undeniable. Families can be the
source of grief and even insanity, as in
Hamlet. In Crime and Punishment, thoughts
of his mother and sister moved him to such
passionate anger that he was able to commit
two murders—a true testament to a family’s
emotional bond. A family’s multi-generational
effort to outsmart fate destroyed Oedipus’
entire family. Where Sophocles depicted the
destructive nature of family, Alice Walker
reveals how family bonds can heal through
love in The Color Purple.
An Effective Conclusion
In life, as in literature, the influence of family is
undeniable. Families can be the source of grief and
even insanity, as in Hamlet. In Crime and Punishment,
thoughts of his mother and sister moved him to such
passionate anger that he was able to commit two
murders—a true testament to a family’s emotional
bond. A family’s multi-generational effort to outsmart
fate destroyed Oedipus’ entire family. Where
Sophocles depicted the destructive nature of family,
Alice Walker reveals how family bonds can heal
through love in The Color Purple. Clearly, the health
of a family contributes or detracts from the health and
potential of all its members; in so many ways, family
provides the context for how and why individuals are
who they are.