Writing Prompt:
Discuss the writer’s use of figurative language in one or two short stories.
In your thesis statement:
Be sure to identify the literature or works of literature.
Be sure to identify what you will prove.
Sample Introduction: (NOTE: This introduction has been revised from the sample presented in class. )
Writers use figurative language to create vivid impressions on their readers. This effect
can guide the readers to an understanding of the traits of one or more of the characters in the
literature. This result is evident in Isaac Bashevis Singer’s use of similes to develop the
washwoman’s inner strength in his short story, “The Washwoman,” and in Guy de
Maupassant’s use of imagery to develop Madame Loisel’s greediness in his story, “The
Necklace.”
Does the thesis statement answer the following questions?
What literature is being discussed?
What will this writer prove?
Body Paragraph Development
Topic Sentence
Example
Commentary that connects the example to the topic. (Two Sentences at least)
Repeat the above example and commentary sentences pattern
Concluding Sentence
When working on a body paragraph, keep in mind the thesis your essay will prove. In this sample paragraph of
the essay, the purpose is to focus on the use of similes to show the washwoman’s inner strength. Here is a
sample body paragraph. Please note that this paragraph has been revised from the one presented in class.
Singer uses similes to underscore the washwoman’s resolve. Singer comments on the
woman’s inner strength when he compares her ability to endure to that of a donkey’s. “No,
you may not fall. A donkey may permit himself to fall under his burden, but not a human
being.” Here, Singer focuses on the washwoman’s persistence. A donkey is usually associated
with stubbornness. The washwoman, too, is stubborn; however, she never gives up. A donkey
might stop or fall. The washwoman endures, regardless of the difficulty of the task. This
fortitude is also presented when the washwoman returns with a “gigantic bundle … her face
as white as a linen sheet.” The comparison to a white sheet reminds the reader of the age of
the washwoman and the harshness of the winter. Despite these challenges, the washwoman
was determined to complete her task. Through both comparisons, the washwoman’s tenacity
is highlighted, leaving a lasting impression on Singer as well as the reader.
NOTE: Pay attention to the development of the paragraph. Each example is supported by sentences that show
HOW the example prove the point made in the topic sentence and in the thesis sentence.