TIPS ON HOW TO CONSTRUCT A
FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY
by Miss Long
(adapted from the Guide to Literary Analysis by The Poway Unified School
District)
Five paragraph essay:
 Introductory paragraph
 Body paragraph 1
 Body paragraph 2
 Body paragraph 3
 Concluding paragraph
The structure
THE INTRO. PARAGRAPH
The intro. paragraph should…
 begin creatively in order to catch your
reader’s interest.
 provide essential background about the
literary work.
 prepare the reader for your thesis.
Ways to hook ‘em in!

1) A startling fact or bit of information
Ex. Nineteen citizens were hanged, and another was pressed to death, during the
Salem witch scare of 1692.
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2) A meaningful quotation (from the work or another source)
Ex. “To be, or not to be, that is the question” {3.1.57}. This familiar statement expresses
the young prince’s moral dilemma in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet.
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3) A universal idea.
Ex.The terrifying scenes a soldier experiences on the front probably follow him
throughout his life—if he manages to survive the war.
AVOID SWEEPING GENERALIZATIONS (i.e. “Since the dawn of time,” “From the
beginning of history,” etc.)

4) An analogy or metaphor
Ex. Life is like a box of chocolates: a person never knows what he is going to get. This
element of uncertainty plays a major role in many Shakespearean dramas.
Start with one of these
words if you’re stuck.
 Imagine
 Consider
 Suppose
The THESIS
 It’s the subject and overall opinion of your
essay.
 For a literary analysis your major thesis must
 (1) relate to the prompt.
 (2) suggest the organization of the paper.
 The thesis is usually the last sentence of your
introductory paragraph.
Go from BROAD to SPECIFIC
 Start your intro. paragraph with a broad statement.
 Connect it to the story.
 Build on that connection by hinting at your thesis
with a key word or idea.
 Give your thesis at the end.
Sample intro. paragraph
 Start your intro. paragraph with a broad statement.
 Consider what would happen if a person received a gift of a
million dollars. How would that person change?
 Connect it to the story.
 This is essentially what happens to the character of Pip in Great
Expectations. He does change – for the worse.

Build on that connection by hinting at your thesis with a key word or idea.
 He believes that the most important thing a person can offer is
money and ignores who the person is on the inside.
 Give your thesis at the end.
 The minor character Joe serves an important role in the novel by
helping Pip learn that a person’s worth comes from their
character rather than from wealth.
THE BODY PARAGRAPHS
Body paragraphs:
The “meat” of the essay
 These paragraphs contain
 specific supporting examples .
 your analysis.
 All body paragraphs MUST support the thesis.
 Their function is to support the main argument of
the essay.
Body paragraphs: The essentials
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1. topic sentence that supports the thesis
2. lead-in to concrete detail
3. 1st specific, concrete detail or quotation
4. commentary/analysis of the concrete detail
5. transition and lead-in to next concrete detail / quotation
6. 2nd concrete detail /quotation
7. commentary/analysis
8. transition and lead-in to next concrete detail / quotation
9. 3rd concrete detail /quotation
10. commentary/analysis
11. concluding or clincher sentence
Topic sentences…
 are the first sentences of a body paragraph
 identify one aspect of the major thesis
 state a primary reason why the major thesis is
true
Getting to a topic sentence
 Go back to your thesis statement.
 Think about this: how are you going to prove
what you’ve stated in the thesis?
 Pre-write three ways your thesis is true.
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From a character’s development?
From conflict?
From symbols?
From setting?
Getting to a topic sentence
 Go back to your thesis statement.

The minor character Joe serves an important role in the novel by helping Pip to
learn that a person’s worth comes from their character rather than from wealth.
 Think about this: how are you going to prove what you’ve
stated in the thesis?

In this case, how will you prove that Joe helps Pip learn that a person’s worth
comes from their character?
 Pre-write three ways your thesis is true (these will be your
topic sentences).

1.) He shows Pip that it’s possible to be a good person even though he
himself doesn’t have a lot of money.
 2.) He is a good role model for Pip as he is content with his humble life.
 3.) Through the way Joe treats others, he shows Pip that money is
ultimately unimportant.
Quotation/detail integration:
Remember the Oreo
 Concrete details are specific examples from the
work that provide evidence for your topic
sentence.
 Concrete details can be a combination of
paraphrase and direct quotation from the work.
Quotation/detail integration:
Remember the Oreo
 Start with a LEAD-IN (the cookie)
 prepares the reader for the concrete detail
 introduces the speaker, setting, and/or situation.
 Topic sentence: He shows Pip that it’s possible to be
a good person even though he himself doesn’t have
a lot of money.
 Ex: Joe does the best he can to provide for
his family and make the most out of what
he has.
Quotation/detail integration:
Remember the Oreo
 Then, the quotation (the cream filling).
 Remember: NEVER “throw in” a quotation.
 It should be connected to a sentence somehow.
 Topic sentence: He shows Pip that it’s possible to be a good
person even though he himself doesn’t have a lot of money.
 Lead-in: Joe does the best he can to provide for
his family and make the most out of what he has.
 Quotation: While eating their dinner of bread and butter,
for example, Pip and Joe made a game out of it by taking
a bite and “by silently holding [the meal] up to each
other’s admiration” (Dickens 9).
Quotation/detail integration:
Remember the Oreo
 Finish with your COMMENTARY (the other cookie)
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Explain the concrete detail.
Tell the reader how YOU believe the concrete detail proves the topic
sentence.
Topic sentence: He shows Pip that it’s possible to be a good person even though
he himself doesn’t have a lot of money.
 Lead-in: Joe does the best he can to provide for his family and
make the most out of what he has.

Quotation: While eating their dinner of bread and butter, for example, Pip
and Joe made a game out of it by taking a bite and “by silently holding [the
meal] up to each other’s admiration” (Dickens 9).
 COMMENTARY: Pip enjoys this game because he
appreciates the effort Joe is making to make
the humble meal fun.
Transitions:
Some ideas
 Addition
furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover, similarly
 Consequence
accordingly, as a result, consequently, therefore, thus
 Illustration
for example, for instance, as an example, in this case
 Emphasis
above all, chiefly, especially, particularly, singularly
 Restatement
in essence, in other words, namely
 Time
at first, first of all, to begin with, in time, later on, meanwhile, next, then,
soon, later, while, earlier, simultaneously, afterward
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Body paragraphs: How to end one
 At the end, tie all of the concrete details and
commentary back to the thesis.
 Ex: Thus, by being a good person, Joe provides
Pip with a perfect example of how being a good
person is more important than having lots of
money.
COMING TO THE END –
THE CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
Concluding paragraph
 The last paragraph in your essay.
 This paragraph should begin by echoing your
major thesis without repeating the words
verbatim.
 Thesis: The minor character Joe serves an important role in
the novel by helping Pip learn that a person’s worth comes
from their character rather than from wealth.
 Concluding sentence: Through the way he lives his life and
treats others, Joe helps Pip to see that people’s true worth
comes from who they are and not from their income.
Concluding paragraph
 Broaden from the thesis statement to answer the
“so what?” question your reader may have after
reading your essay.
 The conclusion should do one or more of the
following:
 1.) Reflect on how the essay relates to the book as a whole.
 2.) Evaluate the author of the book’s goal or message.
 3.) Connect back to your creative opening.
 4.) Give your opinion of the novel’s value or significance.
Concluding paragraph sample
 Through the way he lives his life and treats others, Joe
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helps Pip to see that people’s true worth comes from who
they are and not from their income.
When Pip first obtains his large sum of money, he loses
sight of this fact and links the worth of a person to the
worth of that person’s bank account.
With Joe’s help, Pip eventually sees the error of his ways
and makes a change.
This is the true value of the novel Great Expectations.
Through Joe, Dickens shows his readers that it is what is
on the inside that counts, a lesson that rings true even
today.