Schaffer Essay Writing
Parts of an Essay
Introduction
Thesis statement
Body Paragraphs
BT-Body thesis (TS-topic sentence)
CD-Concrete details
CM-Commentary
CS-Concluding sentence
Introduction
1
stparagraph of the essay
Includes a clear thesis statement
Should have a hook, attention
grabber, or some universal
statement about the topic
Should also include some
Introduction- Thesis Statement
The thesis statement is usually the last
sentence in your introduction
Says what your essay is going to be
about
Includes topic, opinion and sometimes
examples
Introduction- Sample
Joe Larson Period 3
September 23, 2003 Mrs. Blomquist
Literary Analysis Essay: “The Cold Equations”
Writers of short stories use carefully chosen techniques to captivate their readers and transport those readers into
another world. Tom Godwin takes his readers to a futuristic world where the fate of a character lies more in the hands of nature than in those of humans. In “The Cold Equations”
Tom Godwin uses conflict, symbolism and irony to
Body Paragraphs
Five sentences: one chunk; Eight
sentences: two chunk; 11 sentences: three
chunk
Each paragraph should be at least 100
words long (for a two-chunk)
Body thesis should mention which topic is
being dealt with in that particular paragraph
CDs should be integrated quotes
Body Paragraphs- BT and TS
Body thesis and topic sentence are the
same thing.
The body thesis is a sentence that
expresses an opinion about the topic of
the body paragraph.
Body Paragraphs- CDs
Are usually well integrated quotations about which you
have plenty to say in your commentary.
They are on the topic of your thesis and body thesis. If
you are writing about how the symbolism in a story
reveals the theme, your CDs must have something to do with symbolism in the story. They should also be quotes that allude to the theme of the story you are writing
about.
With your lead-ins, please explain what is going on with
your quote. What happened before? Who is involved? When is this happening? That helps your reader (me) to understand why you chose the quote you chose.
Body Paragraphs- CDs
Synonyms
Evidence
Reasons
Examples
Support
Proof
Body Paragraph- CDs
Integrated Quotations
Give a little background for your quote:
While he lived with his daughter, Mr.
Carpenter realized that “all he had to do
was look as busy as possible in a chair
without rockers” (314).
Explain what’s going on around your
quote
Body Paragraphs- CMs
Synonyms
Insight
Analysis
Interpretation
Inferences
Body Paragraphs- CMs
Is your opinion, interpretation, insight,
analysis, explication, reaction, feelings,
evaluation or reflection about the topic.
Explains your quote. Why is it
important? What does it reveal about
the character, theme, tone, etc?
Body Paragraphs- CMs
Does not include words like: I, me, we, us, would,should, could, may, or might. These words encourage you to leave the story and become preachy or make assumptions that are not there.
Avoid if- then scenarios: example- If the old manwould have lived with his daughter, he would have
been much happier. Instead, try- Because the old man refused to live with his daughter, he missed out on a loving home and a good relationship with his family. Remember, if you are stuck, use "This shows that..." to start your commentary. You are stating what the
quote shows about your topic and the story. Take out
Body Paragraph- Sample
1
st
Chunk
Conflict is the basis of the theme in “The Cold Equations” because of the futility of the internal conflict, man v. self, and the desperation in the external conflict, man v.
nature. When the main character realizes that he has no choice but to jettison the girl, he dreaded that he would “only have the memories to remind him; only the nights of fear, when a blue-eyed girl in gypsy sandals would come into his dreams to die again” (22). It does not
matter how much the main character wants to save the girl because the laws of nature have decided that she cannot be on the ship. His internal conflict is futile
Conclusion
The final paragraph
Do not repeat key words, but
repeat key ideas in new ways
Bring closure to the essay
Add universal statements, allude
to themes and include final
Conclusion- Sample
When man and nature compete,
nature has the advantage. Tom Godwin
carefully chose to set the story in space
to illustrate how dependant man is on
nature. He effectively used conflict,
irony and symbolism to capture the
reader’s interest and reveal the truth
that there are some things in the
