People are drawn to stories—consider opening with a descriptive narrative to draw the reader into the topic. Make sure what you write is relevant to the thesis!
The smell of blood was heavy in the air. In front of Napoleon, a pile of corpses sent a clear statement to the rest of the survivors, who looked on in shock. The rest of the animals vaguely remembered some rule about not killing other animals—but since Napoleon had ordered the killings, the rule must not be what they had remembered.
What NOT to do: Imagine…

Consider a generalization that can be made about your thesis—what universal statement is implied in your thesis? Open with this generalization, then focus in on a specific.
In society, people put trust in leaders and laws. Leaders are trusted to make the best decisions for the group, and laws are turned to as a guide for how to act. However, when leaders are corrupt and laws are manipulated, society suffers
.
What NOT to do: Since the dawn of mankind…

Two keys to success with a quotation: (1) choose one that is relevant to your overall point and (2) make sure to transition into your synopsis.
“Man serves the interests of no creature except himself… among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades” (812). These words from Old Major may have inspired the animals to rebel, but by the end of George Orwell’s novella Animal Farm, it was clear that man was not the only animal guilty of such selfishness.
What NOT to do: “Life is a box of chocolates,” –Forrest
Gump. The animals on Animal Farm…

A bold, controversial statement (related to your topic) can draw your reader in, but make sure you aren’t offending your audience or turning them against you immediately.
Power can either corrupt or unify a society. When it falls in the wrong hands, it can destroy all that citizens work for. This rings very true in George
Orwell’s novella…
What NOT to do: Blood! Gore! Throats torn out! …

If done poorly, a question as a hook can ruin a paper.
However, it is possible to pose a question that does engage the reader.
– The key: the whole essay should be aimed at developing an answer to that question.
– Never ask a question directly to the reader using “you”!
– Never ask “Have you ever…?”
– Never ask “What if…?”
What NOT to do:
– Have you ever seen a pig walking on two legs?
– What if the animals on a farm overthrew the farmer?
– What would you do if you noticed rules were changed

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