St. Francis Prep
Giknis
English 11
Regents Exam Essay Returns, Fixes, and Notes
1. Intro paragraphs for this essay are easy. Starting essays can be hard. Make this your easy default
opening. Here is the format:
a. Write the quote WORD FOR WORD in the context of a sentence.
i. EX: Jimmy Lawrence once wrote, “There are two rules in life: never pass a bathroom and
never trust a fart.”
b. Next, restate (interpret) the quote IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
i. EX: What he means by this is that life is much simpler than people make it seem, and it
primarily revolves around human bodily functions.
c. State if the quote is true/valid, or false/invalid.
i. EX: This quote by Lawrence is certainly true.
d. Tell specifically what you will say in your paragraphs to support your quote, including titles and
authors. It is not enough to just mention the books. You’re not using the entire
books as evidence, so specify which parts you WILL be using.
i. EX: The setting and irony used by Twain in his The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and
McCarthy’s use of flashbacks and conflict in The Road confirm this quote’s validity.
e. Full intro:
Jimmy Lawrence once wrote, “There are two rules in life: never pass a bathroom and
never trust a fart.” What he means by this is that life is much simpler than people make it seem,
and it primarily revolves around human bodily functions. This quote by Lawrence is certainly
true. The setting and irony used by Twain in his The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and
McCarthy’s use of flashbacks and conflict in The Road confirm this quote’s validity.
2. The first sentence of your body paragraphs (the topic sentence or TS) shouldn’t involve summary or
information about the novel. It should do three things:
a. Start with a transition (TRANS)
b. Mention the stance on the quote you’re trying to prove
c. Say what specific piece of evidence the paragraph is discussing
d. EX:
i. To begin with, Lawrence’s quote is clearly supported by the ironic situations used by
Twain in his The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
ii. ANOTHER EX:
1. Furthermore, Lawrence’s idea that life is relatively simple with the right
perspective is reinforced by the setting of Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn.
iii. BAD EXAMPLE:
1. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel about a boy and a runaway slave
rafting down the Mississippi in an effort to escape their oppressive situations.
3. When you’re thinking of what to write, you need to think in terms of SPECIFIC INCIDENTS that
support your point, NOT about the book as a whole.
a. EX for critical lens: “…the difficulty in life is the choice.”
i. I’m immediately thinking of what this quote means…something about how life is easy
except for having to make moral decisions…I think I can agree with this and prove it.
ii. OK, now I’m thinking what works that deal with choices like this
St. Francis Prep
Giknis
English 11
1. AHF immediately comes to mind.
a. OK, what are two specific parts that deal with choice?
i. “Go to hell” incident
ii. Jim’s choice to help Tom
b. Next I’m thinking of literary devices I can use in these.
i. “Go to hell” deals with…irony? Setting? Conflict?
ii. Jim’s choice to help Tom…conflict? Irony? Characterization?
2. OK, what else can I use?
a. Ummm…how about Macbeth?
i. What parts?
1. His indecision to kill Duncan?
2. Banquo’s choice to confront Macbeth
ii. Now Lit. D.
1. Ummm…conflict? Protagonist? Dramatic irony? Plot?
Foreshadowing?
2. Again, both internal and external conflict, dramatic irony?
Soliloquy?
3. Now I’m writing about just these incidents, working to include these literary
devices and letting the reader know what I’m going to be discussing using topic
sentences.
b. Let’s walk through one together. Critical lens: “A person is a person through other persons”