Writing Wednesday
Introductions, Conclusions, &
Thesis Statements
Introductions
Example:
GENERAL: society/broad
•Function of myth in society
•Heroes in myth & society
•Heroes in Greek mythology
•Homer’s Odyssey
SPECIFIC: thesis statement
•Thesis: Odysseus as a
flawed hero in Homer’s
Odyssey.
Introductions Cont.
• Roughly 5 - 7 sentences for “healthy” intro.
• Intro. Checklist:
• Must include title & author
• Essay’s purpose
• Thesis statement
• Avoid trite “hooks”
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•
•
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(not no hooks at all, just not cliched hooks)
Rhetorical questions
Quotes
Let your diction, voice, and purpose be the “hook”
“avoid” is different than “never”
Sample Intro. Paragraph
•
Humans are undoubtedly social beings; they depend on
one another and thrive upon interaction. People are not
meant to be alone, and isolation often leads to negative
consequences, ranging from depression and anger, to
desperation and even violence. Certain members of society
are forced into isolation due to discrimination. This was
particularly true during the Depression plagued 1930’s, an
era author John Steinbeck analyzes in his many novels. In
his short but striking novella, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck
reveals the dreadful effects of loneliness on the human
condition through the flawed and rejected characters of
Crooks and Curley’s Wife.
Conclusions
• Converse of Intro:
Restatement of thesis (in
different words)
•Akin to intro, healthy conclusions
are roughly 5 - 7 sentences
•Leaves readers with your voice &
purpose
•Finish strong!
•Never write, “In conclusion” or
ANYTHING that sounds like it…
•No quotes; ALL OPINION
Broad/reference to society;
gives essay PURPOSE
Thesis Statements
• Sentence (or two) that tells the reader what
the essay is about/what to expect
• “Tip of triangle” because it is specific!
• Should be last sentence(s) of intro. ¶
• Theses need “prewriting”
• Start basic so you have a clear idea what your
paper will be about
• Then re-word it and formalize it; adding details if
necessary
• Does more than tell what the paper will be about;
it reveals how well it will be written
Elements of a Thesis
• 3 Main Components:
• 1: Subject
• 2: Commentary
• Very important & often left out
• Theses lacking commentary usually precede entire
essays lacking commentary
• 3: Proof you plan to use to prove thesis
• Not always necessary, but helps you stay organized.
• Can include without ‘essay mapping’
• e.g.- no need to list paragraph topics
Sample Theses
• In his novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck
reveals the dreadful effects of loneliness on the
human condition through his socially rejected, flawed
characters.
• In the enthralling epic, The Iliad, Homer exposes the
struggles Achilles faces as the warrior battles his
inner demons and raging emotions. When Achilles is
devastated over the loss of Patroclus and finds
empathy in Berseus, Achilles realizes that fame is not
as important as he once believed.
• Note: do not need to include title & author in thesis, as the
above theses do.
Flawed Thesis
• Example:
• In his novel, Of Mice and Men,
Steinbeck’s characters are extremely
lonely.
• Does not go beyond stating the obvious
• Lacks commentary; thus, it lacks PURPOSE
• Will likely lead to a paper that lacks
commentary and leans heavily on summary.