How do you eat an elephant One bite

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

An effective introduction All you need: 1. a beginning statement that launches the topic 2. a few elaborative statements to amplify the topic 3. a powerful, theme-based thesis statement.

An effective introduction Ø Starting the introduction can be accomplished a number of ways: l l l Ø a general statement a quote a statistic (rare in literary analysis) an observation a relation to humanity or the world at large Then there should be a few sentences that build off the general idea (thematic topic) asserted in the first sentence. These sentences elaborate on the topic, and foreshadow some of what will be specifically discussed in the rest of the paper, to help the reader’s brain forecast the paper’s content for better clarity.

An effective introduction (? ) John Donne once wrote, “No man island, Entire of itself. ” Isolation is not the best way of life for humans. Some people choose to isolate themselves, while others find themselves isolated due to external factors such as work, environment, and so on. In either case, the longer an individual stays on his own, the more problems arise.

An effective introduction (? ) John Donne once wrote, “No man island, Entire of itself. ” Isolation is not the best way of life for humans. Some people choose to isolate themselves, while others find themselves isolated due to external factors such as work, environment, and so on. In either case, the longer an individual stays on his own, the more problems arise. In life, as in literature, the emotional connection derived from interaction with fellow humans is essential for all aspects of a person’s mental, emotional, and physical health.

An effective introduction (? ) In the television series “Gossip Girl, ” Dan Humphrey tries desperately to be a part of the Upper-East side clique, but no matter what he does, he never truly fits in, ultimately left an outsider. Wealth and social status have always been determinates of one’s lot in life. While in many cultures it is almost impossible to change one’s social status, climbing the ladder of success is foundational to the American Dream. And, though one might not realize it until it’s too late, drastically changing one’s environment necessarily impacts that person internally. Trying to change one’s social status not only impacts that person’s morality and self-perception, doing so also affects people and situations beyond the mere individual.

An effective introduction (? ) There is one common aspect of life that all men share: a home. Whether the structure is a cave, a craftsman style with a white picket fence, or a medieval castle, a true home consists of the memories made in that place or the loved ones who share that common roof. Houses may not stand forever, but the memories made there can live on. Families may not always be present, yet their presence can still be felt. Recollections, reminders, and images of one’s physical or symbolic home are powerful instruments in providing inspiration, resolve, and comfort.

Weekend homework: Ø Write your theme and thesis statement at the top of a piece of paper. Ø Create a very brief outline of the literary devices/techniques AND textual evidence about which you will write in each body paragraph.

Weekend homework example: Ø Ø Ø Theme: Alienation Thesis statement: Trying to change one’s social status not only impacts that person’s morality and self-perception but also affects people and situations beyond the mere individual. Major Work 1: The Great Gatsby l BP 1 Topic sentence (literary device): Setting • East Egg vs. West Egg • Valley of Ashes vs. New York City l BP 2 Topic sentence (literary device): Character • Jay Gatsby • Nick Carraway l BP 1 Topic sentence (literary device): Conflict • Tom Buchanan vs. Jay Gatsby • Myrtle Wilson vs. George Wilson Major Work 2: The Crucible Major Work 3: Jane Eyre

Body Paragraphs Your paper must include a well-developed introduction that ends with a thematic thesis statement, as well as a solid concluding paragraph. Ø Between introductory and concluding paragraphs, you must discuss 5 works that compose the paper’s BODY: 3 major works of 3 paragraphs each, and 2 minor works of 2 paragraphs. l Body paragraphs should deal with various aspects of the book’s content. Consider the following: character, setting, point of view, plot, conflict, diction, use of detail, imagery, language, syntax, and many more! Ø

About those Body Paragraphs Ø Major Works: 3 paragraphs l l No introductory paragraphs for each work. Just a sentence (or maybe two) of transition in the first paragraph of each new work. • From intro to BP 1: “Few literary works emphasize the influence of family greater than the classical tragedy Oedipus Rex. ” • From BP to BP: “Oedipus faced the truth of his family, allowing him to face the uncomfortable truth of his identity; equally discomforting for Hamlet, the truths of his family gave rise to more questions than answers—questions regarding life, death, and the meaning of his existence. l Ø Not sure where to get ideas of what to talk about? Consider the prompt and how all aspects of the work contribute to it— how do the characters, setting, point of view, and plot reflect theme that you are investigating? Minor Works: 2 paragraphs

Body Paragraphs For each body paragraph, discuss the literary element with “chunks” of evidence: a quote or example from the text and 2 sentences of commentary. Ø Use this formula to guarantee that you are truly discussing analytically (not just re-telling the story!): l Topic sentence: introductory statement that includes the literary element to be discussed; l First example of the literary element (statements of fact, examples, quotes, summary); l Two sentences of commentary that explain the significance of your examples in terms of your theme; l Provide another example from the text, followed by two more commentary statements; l Write a final commentary statement that asserts how this selected device or element, based on the examples provided, reveals theme in that particular work (relates back to your T. T. S. ). Ø

Body Paragraph Example Topic sentence: Another means by which Sartre reveals his theme is through the development of the setting. From text: The characters are isolated in an empty room with two strangers, yet they still retain access to the living world by means of their thoughts (Sartre). Commentary 1: This time they are forced to spend with people they have come to despise makes the fires of hell burn even hotter. Commentary 2: However, the temporary mental release of their current surroundings which comes when they view their loved ones on Earth proves that they are seeking the strength to carry on from their memories of family. From text: Though nearly entirely unadorned, the room which they occupy does consist of a bell by the door, but “[one] can never be sure about that bell. There’s something wrong with the wiring, and it doesn’t always work” (Sartre). Commentary 1: The broken state of the bell shows that the help the guests need cannot come from the world they are in. Commentary 2: Their only access to the real world remains in seeing their families’ lives, and this illustrates their dependence on their past homes. Final commentary relating this paragraph’s content back to thematic thesis: One cannot always find relief in his immediate surroundings; the comfort he needs is at home.

Body Paragraph Example Topic sentence: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fascination with the Roaring Twenties was obvious, as he receives credit for naming that era the “Jazz Age. ” A period of decadence and opulence, it provided the perfect backdrop to Jay Gatsby’s tragedy. Observation: Narrator Nick Carraway comments that the conduct of Gatsby’s party guests was both wasteful and messy: “they conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with an amusement park” (Fitzgerald 41). Commentary 1: Gatsby’s failure to consider the future as he obsessively endeavored to cross paths with his beloved Daisy matches the general mood of the time, where many people reveled in abundance without concern for the future. Commentary 2: In this manner, Gatsby’s extravagant, continual parties at his ostentatious mansion in West Egg, where new money attempted to brush up against the generational wealth of East Egg, indicate the carelessness and excess that afforded opportunities for people to indulge their more base desires. Observation: Yet, nothing lasts forever, and consumption leads to waste, clearly made evident through the Valley of Ashes. Commentary 1: As a particularly important aspect of the novel’s setting, it is a physical manifestation of wastefulness in that time. Commentary 2: The Valley of Ashes, a site of waste and loss, mirrors how Gatsby wasted much of his life attempting to resurrect a love affair that had long since expired. Final commentary relating this paragraph’s content back to thematic thesis: Throughout the novel, the decadence, carelessness, and wastefulness of the 1920 s surround amplify how Gatsby’s fixation leads to his ruin.

An Effective Conclusion Re-word and re-state your thesis. 2. Then add a sentence for each work discussed, showing HOW the common theme unfolds in that particular work. 3. Finish with a generalized statement that applies theme to life, the world, or people today. This is GREAT time to refer back to your opening idea, so that it’s NOT RANDOM and never referenced again. 1.

An effective Conclusion: easier than the Introduction! Clearly, prolonged isolation brings about disastrous effects.

An Effective Conclusion Clearly, prolonged isolation brings about disastrous effects. Hamlet cut himself off from practically every close attachment in seeking vengeance for his father, and it destroyed him and his family. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov’s intentional separation from society distorts his mentality and morality so much that he believes he can and should commit murder. The forced isolation of Celie in The Color Purple nearly destroys her. “Miss Brill” illustrates how prolonged solitude distorts an individual’s self image. In the case of “Richard Cory, ” unswerving admiration of the title character as a perfect young man confines him to a level of existence he cannot maintain. Conversely, in “A Story of an Hour” the feelings of being trapped in a marriage show a different, yet still disturbing, portrait of the effects of prolonged aloneness.

An Effective Conclusion Clearly, prolonged isolation brings about disastrous effects. Hamlet cut himself off from practically every close attachment in seeking vengeance for his father, and it destroyed him and his family. In Crime and Punishment, Raskolnikov’s intentional separation from society distorts his mentality and morality so much that he believes he can and should commit murder. The forced isolation of Celie in The Color Purple nearly destroys her. “Miss Brill” illustrates how prolonged solitude distorts an individual’s self image. In the case of “Richard Cory, ” unswerving admiration of the title character as a perfect young man confines him to a level of existence he cannot maintain. Conversely, in “A Story of an Hour” the feelings of being trapped in a marriage show a different, yet still disturbing portrait of the effects of prolonged aloneness. There can be no question that as social creatures, all humans need the interaction and accountability that cannot be found in extended time alone.

Some notes as you type your final draft: Ø Ø Ø Ø For the topic sentences of the body paragraphs, remind me WHAT you are saying ABOUT your THEME, every other paragraph or so. l Not just: “Shelley uses setting to reveal theme of isolation. ” l Instead: “Shelley uses the contrast of light and dark settings to reveal the toll isolation has taken on the monster. ” In the topic and concluding sentences, do not use the exact same words to say the exact same idea in every paragraph. This is a practice in varying your verbiage, expanding your vocabulary, substituting synonyms (see what I did there? ). The transition sentence is for you to mention the previous work, make a comparison or contrast, then introduce the next work. State and properly punctuate the title and author in each transition, not topic sentence Ø Don’t be Sarah Moore, describing 3 rd period when I wasn’t here: “it's a riot, no one is listening to the sub and everyone is putting their major work titles in quotation marks” Maintain consistent verb tense (past or present) and pronoun agreement (someone DOES NOT = their) Avoid passive voice! It’s wordy bird and difficult to read. (“can be interpreted”=NO!) Finally, SUMMARY IS NOT ANALYSIS!

And you think working at your home is tough?