This is what we have been working
towards…
 You will write a formal, literary essay
 You will choose from several topics based on
your literature circle novel


We will begin by looking at the structure of
a formal literary essay. For this
assignment, you will write five paragraphs:



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Introduction + thesis (last sentence)
Body paragraph one
Body paragraph two
Body paragraph three
Concluding paragraph
We will use The Hunger Games as our
example
 You will be able to create an argument about
character, theme or dystopian setting
 We will focus on character for our example

CHARACTER
 What a character says (speech)
 What a character does (action)
 What a character thinks (thoughts)
 What others say about him/her
 The character’s appearance and
surroundings
What do you think the author is trying to tell
you as reader?
 How do characters contribute to the theme?
 How does the setting contribute to the
theme?
 How does the society contribute to the
theme?
 How does the theme develop throughout the
novel?

How is the setting a dystopia?
 Are there specific examples that match
your notes on dystopian characteristics?
 How does this setting contribute to the
novel?
 How does this setting affect the
characters?

GENERAL
SPECIFIC
• move from general to specific
• be at least THREE sentences
1. a captivating “hook”
2. Introduce novel: the author and title of the
work, and include general setting, plot,
purpose of the novel
3. the thesis statement
In 1848, Karl Marx wrote in The Communist
Manifesto, "The history of all hitherto existing
society is the history of class struggles." Suzanne
Collins’ futuristic society in The Hunger Games
shares these same class struggles, where the
government of Panem institutes a bloody battle to
the death each year to quash any citizen or district’s
thoughts of rebellion. Katniss, a young woman from
District 12, starts to resist her overpowering
government. (thesis statement)
 Must
be absolutely clear
 Must be specific and concise (don’t
use unnecessary words)
 Must state your overall argument
 Must outline the three aspects of
your topic that you will be discussing
 Katniss
represents an attitude of
rebellion towards the government
of Panem in The Hunger Games,
which is evident in her cynical
outlook on the government, her
lifestyle choices in District 12, and
her attitude toward the Hunger
Games themselves.
•Each body paragraph develops ONE aspect of thesis
statement
•Each one will begin with a topic sentence (transition
word, overall argument, thesis aspect)
•Body sentences will use point, proof, explanation
method
•End with a concluding sentence that summarizes the
paragraph
•Use transition words to connect points
•BONUS: Use linking words in either the topic or
concluding sentences to link paragraphs together
Make a POINT
 Provide a QUOTATION introduced with
context that proves your point (use proper
citation format)
 EXPLAIN the significance of your proof, and
LINK it to your point AND your overall
argument

Point: To start, Katniss shows her cynical attitude
towards the government by thinking negatively
about the Capitol.
Proof with Context: Katniss makes it clear that she
has always thought about they way things are and
the fear her family experiences: “When I was
younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I
would blurt out about District 12, about the people
who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city
called the Capitol” (6).
Explanation and Link: Even at a young age, Katniss
starts to think about her poor way of life and her
controlling government. These thoughts of hers start
to show her rebellious nature.
SPECIFIC
GENERAL
move from specific to general
be at least THREE sentences
1. Restatement of thesis (fresh, new way)
2. Final thought about the novel
3. Connect overall topic to self, society, and/or
world
Katniss is a rebellious character, noticeable in her
sceptical attitude toward the government, her
defiant lifestyle, and her hatred of the Hunger
games themselves. She helps to shape the
reader’s understanding of The Hunger Games
and becomes a critical voice in Panem. Her story
of courage echoes that of many young women
who grow up in modern societies which try to
control their citizens.
• Formal writing rules
• Integrate and cite quotations properly
– quotations CANNOT STAND
ALONE!!
• Create an effective title
• Use all process work