Agenda Review Thesis Statements Setting Up Your Papers

Agenda: Review Thesis Statements & Setting Up Your Papers Brainstorm body paragraph topics

Thematic Topics • Brainstorm FIVE thematic topics with your neighbors.

Thematic Topics • Loneliness • Friendship • Love • Innocence • Home • Trust • Loyalty • Fate • Dreams • Hope • Money/poverty • Sacrifice • Survival • American Dream

Topic Theme Statement What is THE MEssage about dreams, loneliness, friendship, etc. ? Dreams often ______. Loneliness makes people ____. Friendships leads to _______.

Refine Language The language of a theme statement should be: • Universal • Defendable • Non-absolute • Concise and well-worded

Thesis Statement Steinbeck uses __Literary Element____ to convey _____THEME______.

Thesis Statement Steinbeck uses ___Literary Element___ to convey _____THEME______. Loneliness causes desperation. Devices (some ideas): dialogue foreshadowing tone repetition imagery/figurative language conflict symbolism Characterization Irony Allegory Point of View Dreams may not turn into reality. For EXAMPLE: Foreshadowing: Crooks says dreams don’t come true Lennie’s death/death of dream Events that show Lennie wrecking things Characterization: Curley’s wife George/Candy Lennie Crooks

Analyze how Steinbeck uses a literary element to develop a theme. Take a moment to get oriented: • Refine language • Share with a partner • Write it on a notecard to turn in to Ms. Mullen

The Paper Writing Process: 1. Pose a question (How does Steinbeck use a literary element to develop a theme? ) 2. Come up with a working answer. This is your thesis, but be flexible at this stage. 3. Put down on paper what you already know (that defends your answer). 4. Go find out more (which means go back through the book). 5. When you have a bunch of ideas, put them into clumps. (This forms your body paragraphs. ) 6. When you have some body paragraph clumps, take a look at all the headings and begin to put them into some kind of order. 7. Fine tune thesis.

Body Paragraphs

Topic Sentences:

Use Transitions (see list) • Use between ideas to help them flow • The best transitions relate to content • Don't get caught in thesaurus trap

Summary vs. Analysis • Summary- a brief restatement of facts • Analysis- drawing conclusions; opinion supported by fact • MORE ANALYSIS = GOOD! Aim for a 25% summary/ 75% analysis split Practice: Indicate summary OR analysis for 1 -6.

Concluding Sentences • • Bring your point home! Use similar approach but different wording than topic sentence Draw a conclusion Be more specific than in topic sentence. For example: No Curley's wife is a lonely character, and so is Crooks. Yes The main purpose of this example. . . Steinbeck effectively uses. . . One of the strongest. . . The reader can conclude. . . "best example" "strongest support" "overall impression"

Embedding & Citing Quotes • When choosing a quote, look for concise clear wording that makes a bigger impact when copied directly instead of being paraphrased. • Quote should fit in seamlessly with your ideas and not sound forced. • Quote does not need to be dialogue. • Pay careful attention to sentences before and after quote to make it flow • Sentence(s) before: provide some context & end with a lead in • Sentence after: analyze how quote relates to thesis • Do not use the phrase, "This quote shows. . . “

Embedding & Citing Quotes For example: Crooks shares his childhood memories with Lennie. He explains, "The white kids come to play at our place, an' sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice" (Steinbeck 70). As a child, Crooks was clearly not exposed to the level of segregation that exists at the ranch, which must have made it even more difficult to bear. The reader learns of Curley's wife's dreams when she tells Lennie her aspirations of becoming an actress. She tragically claims, "I coulda made somethin' of myself. . . Maybe I will yet" (Steinbeck 88). Virtually minutes after uttering this statement her dreams come to a very definite end with her death.

Guide to Integrating Quotations (handout) There are basically three ways to integrate quotes seamlessly into your writing.

Chocolate Chip Method George comforts Lennie by telling him that they will get “a little place” (Steinbeck 4) and Lennie can “tend the rabbits” (5).

Introductory phrase, using a word like says, shouts, or declares. Curley instructs, “Shoot for his guts” (Steinbeck 97).

Colon after a complete sentence Of all the characters, Crooks is the most realistic and cynical. He states plainly that their dreams are doomed: “Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head” (Steinbeck 74).

Long Quotation Format Of all the characters, Crooks is the most realistic and cynical. He states plainly that their dreams are doomed: I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. The come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head. (Steinbeck 74) The tragedy of the novel is that Crooks is right.

In-Text Citation “The quote” (Smith 100).

Help me find direct textual evidence. [I’m trying to illustrate how much Lennie looks up to George. ] …It is especially tragic because Lennie has complete trust in George’s guidance. In almost everything he does, he looks for George’s approval. In fact, in the opening of the novel, Lennie tries to imitate the way George sits: “He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, and looked over to George to see if he had it just right” (Steinbeck 4). Lennie admires George so much, he believes everything George does is the right thing to do. He has total and complete trust in …

Help me find direct textual evidence. [I’m trying to illustrate how much Lennie looks up to George. ] …It is especially tragic because Lennie has complete trust in George’s guidance. In almost everything he does, he looks for George’s approval. In fact, in the opening of the novel, Lennie imitates the way George sits as he “pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, and looked over to George to see if he had it just right” (Steinbeck 4). Even in this simple example, he wants to be like George.

Writing Workshop q. Finish brainstorming body paragraph topics q. Organize sequence of body paragraphs q. Decide which body paragraph you will fully develop. (It doesn’t matter if it’s your first or last. ) q. Then compose this paragraph. q. Outline the other body paragraphs, but make sure you keep things in the order you intended. q. Reference assignment packet formatting requirements. q. Check-in with Ms. Mullen!