Response to Literature Essay Writing

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Response to Literature Essay Writing
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Thesis with 3 major reasons
Reason 1 discussed in this paragraph
Reason 2 discussed in this paragraph
Reason 3 discussed in this paragraph
Final thoughts
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Introductory Paragraph -- Like a funnel, start
with a broad connection to the topic and then
hone in on your point (thesis).
Diagram
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INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH the first paragraph in
your essay. It begins creatively in order to
catch your readers interest (HOOK), provides
essential background about the literary work, and
prepares the reader for your major thesis. The
introduction must include the title, author, and
genre (TAG) of the work as well as an explanation
of the theme to be discussed. The major thesis
goes in this paragraph, usually at the end.
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• HOOK (also CREATIVE OPENING) the beginning
  sentences of the introduction that catch the
  readers interest. Ways of beginning creatively
  include the following
• A startling fact or bit of information
• 2) A snatch of dialogue between two characters
• 3) A meaningful quotation (from the work or
  another source)
• A universal idea
• 5) A rich, vivid description of the setting
• 6) An analogy or metaphor

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A startling fact or bit of informationThe
Americans of 1776 had the highest standard of
living and the lowest taxes in the Western
World!2) A snatch of dialogue between two
charactersMother frowned, You mean your troops
are stealing from your own people?A starving
man will steal food from babies, Sam replied.
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3) A meaningful quotation (from the work or other
source)General Putnam, on Sams execution He
is thinkingif he executes somebody hell shorten
the war and save more lives one mans agony is
like anothers, one mothers tears are no wetter
than anybody elses.4) A universal
ideaAlthough the survivors may reap the benefits
of war, the casualties see no such benefit.
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A rich, vivid description of the settingIt was
an exercise in contrasts. The sun was shining
and the birds were chirping as Tim approached the
church, flanked on one side by the trainband and
the other by the graveyard. 6) An analogy or
metaphorProtests are battles in a war of
conscience.
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• TAG -- acronym for title, author, genre
• (Genre -- tell whether the literature
• selection is a novel, play, short story, poem,
  essay, etc.)

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Connection

• 2nd part of intro
• transition statement from hook to the topic
• must include TAG (title, author, genre)

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T My Brother Sam Is DeadA James Lincoln
Collier and Chistopher CollierG historical
fiction novel

• Weve beaten the British! Weve beaten the
  British! Such were the exuberant, opening words
  of Sam Meeker in Collier and Colliers historical
  fiction masterpiece, My Brother Sam Is Dead.

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Summary

• 3rd part of intro
• follows the hook and connection
• 2-3 line summary of topic

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Hook, TAG, Summary

• Weve beaten the British in
  Massachusetts! (2). Such were the exuberant,
  opening words of Sam Meeker in Collier and
  Colliers historical fiction masterpiece, My
  Brother Sam Is Dead. Sixteen year-old Sam
  Meeker, who comes from a family of Loyalists,
  enlists in the Rebel army. This story follows
  Sam and his brother, Tim, along with their
  parents, through the ever-changing landscape of
  the Revolutionary War.

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THESIS STATEMENT a statement that provides the
subject and overall opinion of your essay. Many
thesis statements explicitly outline the major
points of the body paragraphs.
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Thesis with Subtopics

• The devastation of war is exemplified
  throughout this novel. Mankinds worst behaviors
  are revealed, family relationships are
  threatened, and communities are irreparably
  damaged because of war.

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Mother frowned, You mean your troops are
stealing from their own men? Sam replied,
A starving man will steal food from babies.
Mans callousness in war is demonstrated in this
dialogue from the historical novel My Brother Sam
Is Dead by Collier and Collier. Sixteen
year-old Sam Meeker, who comes from a family of
Loyalists, enlists in the Rebel army. This story
follows Sam and his brother, Tim, along with
their parents, through the ever-changing
landscape of the Revolutionary War. The
devastation of war is exemplified throughout this
novel. Mankinds worst behaviors are revealed,
family relationships are threatened, and
communities are irreparably damaged because of
war.
Intro Paragraph

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Thesis with 3 major reasons
Reason 1 discussed in this paragraph
Reason 2 discussed in this paragraph
Reason 3 discussed in this paragraph
Final thoughts
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BODY the support paragraphs of your essay. These
paragraphs contain supporting examples (concrete
detail) and analysis/explanation (commentary) for
your topic sentences. Each paragraph in the
body includes (1) a topic sentence/support
thesis, (2) integrated concrete details/examples,
(3) commentary/explanation for details/examples,
and (4) a concluding sentence.
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Body Paragraphs - two minimum
Begin with a topic sentence which supports the
major thesis statement from the introductory
paragraph.
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TOPIC SENTENCE the first sentence of a body
paragraph. It identifies one aspect of the major
thesis and states a primary reason why the major
thesis is true.
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Topic Sentence

• The horrors of war bring out the worst in man.

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LEAD-IN/TRANSITION phrase or sentence that
prepares the reader for a concrete detail by
introducing the speaker, setting, and/or
situation.
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CONCRETE DETAIL a specific example from the work
of literature used to provide evidence for your
topic sentence/support thesis. Concrete detail
can be a combination of paraphrase and direct
quotation from the work.
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Concrete Detail with lead-in/transition

• For example, ten-year old Jerry Sanford is taken
  prisoner on a British prison ship where he
  eventually dies of typhus. His body is
  unceremoniously thrown overboard in a weighted
  sack.
• The horrifying aspect of war is again
  demonstrated with the death of Ned, Samuel
  Smiths negro slave. As Tim witnessed, The
  sword flashed in a bright arc, the fastest thing
  I ever saw. Neds head jumped off his body and
  popped into the air (144-5).

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COMMENTARY your explanation and interpretation
of the concrete detail. Commentary tells the
reader what the author of the text means or how
the concrete detail proves the topic sentence and
supports the thesis. Commentary may include
interpretation, analysis, argument, insight,
and/or reflection.
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Commentary

• For example, ten-year old Jerry Sanford is taken
  prisoner on a British prison ship where he
  eventually dies of typhus. His body is
  unceremoniously thrown overboard in a weighted
  sack. There is no reason why a young boy should
  suffer this fate solely because he was a friend
  of a Rebel. Even more degrading is he never is
  afforded a proper burial.

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CONCLUDING SENTENCE/CLINCHER last sentence of
the body paragraph. It concludes the paragraph by
tying the concrete details and commentary back to
the topic sentence and/or thesis statement.
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Concluding Sentence

• As Susannah Meeker states, War turns men into
  beasts (140). The actions of the characters in
  this novel certainly support this statement.

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Body Paragraph 1

• The horrors of war bring out the worst in man.
  For example, ten-year old Jerry Sanford is taken
  prisoner on a British prison ship where he
  eventually dies of typhus. His body is
  unceremoniously thrown overboard in a weighted
  sack. There is no reason why a young boy should
  suffer this fate solely because he was a friend
  of a Rebel. Even more degrading is he never is
  afforded a proper burial. The horrifying aspect
  of war is again demonstrated with the death of
  Ned, Samuel Smiths negro slave. As Tim
  witnessed, The sword flashed in a bright arc,
  the fastest thing I ever saw. Neds head jumped
  off his body and popped into the air (144-5).
  It is not enough to take his life he is
  mutilated by the British soldier. As Susannah
  Meeker states, War turns men into beasts (140).
  The actions of the characters certainly support
  this statement.

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Suggested Outline for Body Paragraphs
Topic Sentence -- a major reason of support for
thesis statement. Lead-in/Transition to Concrete
Detail 1 (sentence or
phrase) Concrete Detail 1
sentence Commentary/support sentence for
CD1 Commentary/support sentence for
CD1 Lead-in/Transition to Concrete Detail 2
(sentence or phrase)
Concrete Detail 2 sentence
Commentary/support sentence for CD2
Commentary/support sentence for CD2 Concluding
sentence -- summarizes and transitions to next
paragraph
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Concluding Paragraph
Echo your major thesis without repeating words
verbatim.
Then, broaden from the thesis to answer the so
what? question for your reader.
Reflect on how your topic relates to the book as
a whole, give your opinion of the novels
significance, or connect back to your creative
opening.
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Concluding Paragraph

• In conclusion, war is horrific. It brings out
  the worst in man, it tears families apart, and it
  permanently damages communities. Later in his
  life, Tim reflects, There might have been
  another way, besides war, to achieve the same
  end (211). Does man have choices when it comes
  to war? My Brother Sam Is Dead thoughtfully
  ponders this question.

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Thesis with 3 major reasons
Reason 1 discussed in this paragraph
Reason 2 discussed in this paragraph
Reason 3 discussed in this paragraph
Final thoughts
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Credit PowerPoint by Anita Mattos April,
2006 Based in part on Poway Unified School
District A Guide to the Literary-Analysis Essay
which was based in part on Cobb Countys A
Guide to the Research Paper, Upland High
Schools Student Writers Handbook, and the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.