Student Sample for O.R. Intro & Thesis
What does the student do well?
In the movie V.I. Warshawski, Kathleen Turner once said, “Never underestimate a man’s ability to
underestimate a woman.” Her statement captures exactly how women have managed to empower
themselves in a patriarchal society, ultimately ruled by men. Throughout history, men have taken on
positions of power, forcing women to inhabit subordinate or supporting positions in society.
Consequently, men have earned the undisputed title as the dominant sex. However, few would agree
that women have accepted and embraced their subordination to men. Few would agree that they
women have accepted titles that label them as the weaker sex. In actuality, women use their
subordinate roles as a sort of disguise, exercising their powers over men by simply pretending their
male counterparts have the ultimate say. Women’s dialog with men in The Crucible by Arthur Miller,
My Cousin Vinny by Dale Launer, and in Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston all
illustrate how women manage to empower themselves by allowing men to enjoy the illusion of
control.
Sample Topic Sentence to begin a Body Paragraph
In Elizabeth Proctor’s dialog with her husband reveals how she manipulates him to
do what she wants.
Class Notes regarding O.R. essay dos and don’ts, based on the sample:
Includes an arguable thesis at the bottom of intro par
Includes a POD (plan of development) We know writer will mention women roles/power in The Crucible My
Cousin Vinny, and in Their Eyes Were Watching God .
Thesis includes authors and titles
Uses present tense when writing about literature
Uses active voice/avoids passive verbs (verb to be) is, are, be, being, etc.
Avoids personal pronouns, no “I” or “you”
Uses strong vocabulary, strong verbs
Underlines or italicizes book, play, film titles (essays, short stories, poems are put in
quotation marks)
Uses a “hook” or attention-getter at the beginning of the intro
Other reminders:
Make sure your essay begins with an intro paragraph, followed by at least 3 body
paragraphs and a conclusion.
Do not summarize. Use only relevant examples to support your argument
Use at least one quote in each BP. Integrate quotes smoothly. No “this quote says”
Ex: In her words to John when she says, “It is the magistrate that sits in your heart
that judges you,” Elizabeth demonstrates her ability to…