HOW TO WRITE ESSAYS ON LITERATURE

 
 The Five Paragraph Theme

Example Outline for The Crucible

How to Write Essays on Literature

Opening Paragraph

  1. How to write a thesis statement.
    1. Examine the question carefully.
    2. Write one sentence that includes part of the question that should begin to answer that question.
    3. The sentence should list at least three ideas that will be further developed (Controls or A, B, C; these should be parallel terms.)
  2. How to start.
    1. Ask yourself:

                                                              i.      What must the reader know about my topic before I begin?  (Title, author, setting, brief summary of plot 3-4 sentences)

                                                             ii.      How can I grab my reader’s attention about this topic?

                                                            iii.      What would make me interested in reading this paper?

                                                           iv.      Why is this topic important?

    1. Make a list of the answers to these questions.
    2. Now write your paragraph in this order:

                                                               i.      Attention getter

                                                             ii.      Necessary background

                                                            iii.      Thesis statement with at least three controls

 

 

 

The Essay Body

  1.  How to write the body
    1. Each of the three ideas from the thesis statement must be developed here: idea A is first paragraph, idea B is second paragraph, and idea C is third paragraph.
    2. Using the same words from the thesis, write your three topic sentences.
    3. To add interest, keep the same idea but vary words slightly, either through sentence order or synonyms in the topic sentences.
    4. Now, find support from the book for each topic sentence.
    5. Use concluding sentences for each paragraph.
    6. Now write each paragraph, incorporating examples and quotes in the paragraphs.  Be sure to begin with a transition and a piece of the thesis and a control for your topic sentence.

     

     

The Conclusion

How to write the conclusion

  1. First, rewrite the thesis statement, introducing it with an appropriate transition.
  2. Ask yourself:  So what?
    1. What has the author accomplished by presenting this idea?
    2. Why is this important?
    3. What was the author trying to prove?
    4. What was the author trying to make us see or understand?
    3.

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The Five-Paragraph Theme Outline 

(For Persuasive Essay, add opposing arguments section.)

 

Title:  (Your title should be attention-getting and compact.   If you have trouble coming up with a title, take a significant "kernel" from your lead or thesis statement.

 

Intro. Paragraph:

A.     Lead 

B.     Explanation of lead (two sentences)

C.     One or two sentences to move into thesis statement.

D.     Thesis statement:

a.       Author’s name

b.      Title of work

c.       Thesis statement

d.      Three controls

Body:

Paragraph 1

A.     Topic sentence with transition, “piece of the thesis,” and first control.

B.     Explanation of quote in context. (Can be more than one sentence.)

C.     Quote

D.     Explanation of quote as it refers to the thesis. (Should be more than one sentence.)

E.      Concluding sentence which includes a transition, “piece of the thesis,” and first control.

 

Paragraph 2

A.     Topic sentence with transition, “piece of the thesis,” and second control.

B.     Explanation of quote in context. (Can be more than one sentence.)

C.     Quote

D.    Explanation of quote as it refers to the thesis. (Should be more than one sentence.)

E.     Concluding sentence which includes a transition, “piece of the thesis,” and second control.

 

Paragraph 3

A.      Topic sentence with transition, “piece of the thesis,” and third control.

B.     Explanation of quote in context. (Can be more than one sentence.)

C.     Quote

D.     Explanation of quote as it refers to the thesis. (Should be more than one sentence.)

E.      Concluding sentence which includes a transition, “piece of the thesis,” and third control.

 

Conclusion:

A.     Topic sentence with transition.

B.     Connection with lead/title. (Should be more than one sentence.)

C.     Restatement of thesis.

D.     Conclusion.

 

 

Example Outline

The Crucible Essay

Question:  What role does hysteria play in The Crucible?

 

Thesis: In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, hysteria is used to initiate false accusations, to distract the court from the truth, and to justify the hangings.

Lead:

Definition—Hysteria:  excessive or uncontrollable emotion such as fear or panic.

  Or

Quote—“I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!”

 

Title:  Use idea from thesis or lead.

            Example:  Hysterical Hangings

 

Quotations:  Choose quotations that support your thesis.

First Control—to initiate the false accusations

 Hale:  You have sent your spirit out upon this child, have you not?     Abigail:  She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer.  (Act One, p. 44)

Second Control—to distract the court from the truth

Abigail:  But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face.  Envy is a deadly sin, Mary.  (Act Three, p. 115)

Third Control—to justify the hangings

Danforth:  Do you know, Mr. Proctor, that the entire contention of the state in these trials is that the voice of Heaven is speaking through the children?  (Act Three, p. 88)

 

The Body:  Proof of your thesis in three paragraphs

 

     Each Body Paragraph--

Topic Sentence:  Transition, main idea of thesis, and control

A.     Explanation of what is happening at the time of the quotation

B.     The quotation (Act and page)

C.     Explanation of how the quotation supports the thesis

Concluding Sentence:  Transition, summary of findings

 

Example Outline for Body Paragraph One:

  1. First, in The Crucible, hysteria is used to initiate the false accusations.
  1. In Act One of the play, Rev. Hale questions Tituba about her influence in the girls’ involvement in witch craft.
  2. Hale questions, “You have sent your spirit out upon this child, have you not?  Are you gathering souls for the Devil?” (Act One, p. 44)
  3. Abby hysterically responds, “She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer.”  (Act One, p. 44)
  4. Using this hysterical cry, the girls begin to erroneously blame many of the women of the town of witchery. “I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!”  (Act One, p. 48)
  5. As shown, the hysteria of Abby and the girls begins the false accusations of witchcraft for many innocent people.

 

Continue with body paragraphs two and three

 

Concluding Paragraph:

A.     State the thesis with a different wording.

In Arthur Miller’s famous play The Crucible, hysterical reactions from the girls and citizens of Salem begin the cycle of false allegations and death.

B.     Return to title or lead.

Excessive and uncontrollable emotion, hysteria, ruined the lives of many innocent individuals.

C.     Extend to example or reference to today.

Do such witch hunts occur in today’s world?  (Give example and its affects on innocent people.)

D.     Make a summary statement.

In his play from the 1950’s, Arthur Miller effectively proves that unfounded hysteria can hurt many innocent people.

 

 

Bibliography

Miller, Arthur.  The Crucible. New York:  The Penquin Group, 1988.

 

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