Writing an
English Literary
Essay
The 5 paragraph essay
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction
Body Paragraph 1
Body Paragraph 2
Body Paragraph 3
Conclusion
AND, don’t forget to give your essay a title!
Introduction
General
Hook statement
Plan of development
Specific
Thesis
statement
Introduction - Lead
 Must start with a lead statement, or “hook”.
 It gives 2 or 3 general statements related to your topic.
 It does not include the title of the novel/play you are
studying. Nor does it contain the name of the author
or characters from the work.
 Purpose: To capture the reader’s interest and lead
them into your thesis statement.
Introduction - LEAD
How do I create a lead?
1.
Write out your thesis statement.
2. Underline all of the nouns in your thesis statement.
3. Compose general statements about one or more of
those nouns.
Introduction –
Plan of Development
 1-2 sentences that briefly touch on the proofs you will
use in your essay – but don’t give too much away!
 Explain any terms that might be unfamiliar to the
reader.
Introduction –
Plan of Development
How do I create a plan of development?
1.
Decide on the proofs you will use to support your thesis.
2.
Summarize these into short phrases.
3.
Write a sentence that includes these phrases.
Example:
The antagonist lacks courage, honesty and imagination (all nouns)
OR
The antagonist is not courageous, honest and imaginative (all adjectives)
Introduction: Thesis Statement
 This is where you boil your argument down to one,
clear statement.
 It is the most important part of the introduction. The
entire essay hinges on it!
 This is what you will prove in the Body of your essay.
Introduction – Thesis Statement
How do I create a thesis statement?
1.
Read the essay question carefully and clarify what it
is you are being asked to prove.
2. Usually the thesis in inherent in the question.
Formula for a Thesis Statement
Formula for a Thesis Statement
GENERAL TOPIC NARROW &
SPECIFIC
NARROWED
FURTHER
POINT(S)
your opinion
your feeling
or features of
the topic
teenagers in
secondary
school
who take drugs
need intervention,
counseling,
peer mediation
(some aspect of
the topic)
TEENAGERS
teenagers in
Secondary
School
Thesis:
Teenage students in secondary school who take drugs need
intervention, counseling and peer mediation in order to break their
habit.
Example
Consider the following opening sentence:
 Throughout the history of mankind, individuals have
been subjected to inequity and discrimination.
 This is a very broad statement. It relates a large and diverse
social problem (discrimination) to history. Adding one or
two more general statements will help narrow down your
topic.
 Through the ages, this problem has decreased, but has
always been evident.
Example
 The next sentence will be decisive as it ties the topic to
the literature being studied:
 Throughout the history of mankind, individuals have been
subjected to inequity and discrimination. Through the ages,
this problem has been decreasing but has always been
evident. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the battle
for equality is portrayed through the characters in the
small southern town of Maycomb.
Example
 The focus has been narrowed down to a lack of
equality and the novel, so it is now time to make the
argument; the thesis statement that will define the rest
of your paper.
Example
 Throughout the history of mankind, individuals have been
subjected to inequity and discrimination. Through the
ages, this problem has been decreasing but has always been
evident. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the battle for
equality is portrayed through the characters in the small
southern town of Maycomb. By focusing on the lives of
Tom Robinson, Mayella Ewell, and Dolphus Raymond,
Harper Lee illustrates the ugly nature of discrimination.
Formula for a Thesis Statement
A specific subject (narrow topic)
+ the features you want to discuss
= an effective thesis statement
Important Facts
 A thesis statement is an arguable idea, an
opinion, not a fact.
 A thesis statement is specific and narrowed and is
not a broad generalization.
 A thesis statement covers only one topic.
 The thesis must not be expressed as a question.