Dang! I haven’t even finished my essay yet! These guys are toast!

…you provide your own formal interpretation of the topic

…you use the literary work to prove or substantiate your understanding of the topic

…try to prove the plot – we know how the series of events unfolded because we read the book (or watched the film).

…need to prove that the characters, setting, or themes existed in the literary work

…provide an interpretation of the plot, setting, character, conflict, and themes as they relate to the topic you are discussing

…develop elements that will prove your argument

…allows you, the writer, to provide your own understanding of the literary work in a properly structured format.

…Simply refer to the scene you have selected and EXPLAIN its importance - how it exemplifies whatever you are trying to substantiate.

When Morpheus takes Neo to a simulated version of the wastelands, Neo must come to grips with the awful truth – that he has literally been living in a dream-world and was, until recently, nothing more than a coppertop battery …

…re-connect to the author’s message and expand with the help of an anecdote or historical reference …

… The Wachowski brothers are making a point about how the truth often hurts. This is hardly profound, as we all have to confront one inconvenient truth or another by the time we’re sixteen. The fact that education is such a vital necessity is often a hard truth to have to accept when it’s Saturday night, you have a pile of homework due Monday morning, and your friends won’t stop calling to see if you’re available to party …

…re-direct from anecdote back to the main idea. You will notice that I compensated for a weak anecdote in the first sentence here … Luckily, I was able to steer the conversation back to the “dealing with the truth” theme. Take note of the transition sentence at the end …

But, for Thomas Anderson, the reality he chose to face was never known to him in any definite or indirect way. Neo isn’t avoiding the truth – he doesn’t know it yet. This is why some audiences might be put off by Morpheus’ approach, which appears to be lacking in compassion …

I’m in a new paragraph because I’ve switched my focus to Morpheus. I still writing about the same idea (“dealing with the truth”) and from here I can build a new idea (“the role of mentors is dealing with harsh realities”), or, I can transition to a new idea altogether, which is exactly what I’ve done below …

One might even go as far as to say that, given there is next to no fore-warning, Morpheus’ methods are just downright cruel. He repeatedly slams Neo with one dismal detail after another. The old saying, “thrown into the deep end,” comes to mind. But Morpheus isn’t naïve, he knows that nothing is worse than the thought of having to go back to the pod to live a lie. The only way Morpheus can make that distinct ion is if he tears off the figurative bandage with one clean stroke. If he eased his candidates into the experience, and allowed them to warm up to the truth a little bit at a time, the greater journey would never begin – they would just get scared and back down. This is why the two pills are so important, not to mention the opportunity to make a choice that Morpheus provides each potential member of his crew.

You can get your head around all this essay stuff … you just have to remember …

In order to be complete your essay must include the following :

…clearly introduces the topic, the literary work, and the author.

Example: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee presents prejudice and discrimination of black people.

The introduction allows you to give the reader the clear and specific direction of your essay. Try your best to write a reflection related to your topic to draw the reader’s attention and engage them.

…states the main purpose of the essay

…is often stated in the LAST sentence of your introduction

…answers the question: What will you prove/show through this essay about the literary work under discussion?

These two gentlemen are the Wachowski brothers – they wrote and directed The Matrix films. The question you have to answer is … why? What are they predicting? What are they saying about history and modern life? What lessons or morals are they trying to pass along? What do they want us to think about and how do we know? Your job is to explain exactly that – paying particular attention to something specific that the author’s are trying to accomplish. You should refer to “the Wachowski brothers” throughout your essay.

…is divided into no less than three (3) paragraphs

…is composed of paragraphs which begin with a topic sentence that clearly introduces the topic in the paragraph and end with linking sentences that introduce the next paragraph

…serves to PROVE your thesis NOTE: In order to prove your thesis, you must develop and

expand on the topic using examples and citations (quotes) from the literary work to substantiate your statements

Once a quote is cited, you must provide an interpretation, not a summary, about how this quote is relevant to the development of the topic and thesis

…is where you develop your ideas about the topic …is where you provide your own ideas by answering the following questions:

1. What is the topic? How is the topic relevant? 2. How does the topic relate to the literary work?3. How does topic affect the development of the literary

work as a whole?

4. What is my understanding of the topic and the literary work?

5. How does the setting affect the development of the topic?

6. How do the characters assist in the development of the topic?

You DO NOT, however, write your essay in a “question & answer” format. It must flow like the literary work itself.

Use the questions only as a GUIDE. They will help you to interpret

instead of summarizing!

The first sentence of the conclusion is a restatement of your THESIS.

Do not introduce any new information in the conclusion.

Restate your most important points as a means of bringing your argument to a close.

The conclusion is your last chance to prove your opinion to the reader!

THERE’S NO TURNING BACK NOW

SWEETHEART!

Introduction : Paragraph One1st sentence: General overview of the topic2nd & 3rd sentences: Introduction of the author and the literary workAdditional sentences: Description and/or development of the literary work as it pertains the topic. It’s where you introduce your argument.Final sentence: Restatement of the thesis .

Paragraph 2 – Development of first argumentTopic Sentence: Introduces only the argument in this paragraph. Development consists of ideas which support the topic sentence and thesis Choose 1 – 2 quotes from the literary work which will

develop/support this topic and establish a connection to topic/thesis

A linking sentence will reinforce what was stated in this paragraph and connect it to the following argument.

Paragraph 3 – Development of second argument

Paragraph 4 – Development of third argument

Restates the thesis

Summarizes the main points of your argument from each paragraph

Makes final concluding point

HOW IT LOOKS

INTRODUCTION

BODY

CONCLUSION

ARGUMENT 1

ARGUMENT 2

ARGUMENT 3

Quotes of four lines or less can be included in the body of your essay using quotation marks

Example: “He stood there until nightfall, and I waited for him. When we went in the house I saw he had been crying; his face was dirty.” (Lee 63)

Author’s last name and page reference

Intro

Cite

Explain

Relate

For citations that are MORE than 4 lines long, centre and single space the quote as shown below:

For reasons unfathomable to the most experienced prophets in Maycomb County, autumn turned to winter that year. We had two weeks of the coldest weather since 1885 (Lee 63)

Indent 10 spaces

Alfredo, B. Critical Interpretations of To Kill A Mockingbird. New York: Routledge, 1999.

Lee, H. To Kill A Mockingbird. Philadelphia: Warner Books, 1960.

Use MLA format.

Include the literary work in the works consulted list .

Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested.

In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Be sure to use double-spaced text.

Double space again and center the title. Don't underline your title or put it in quotation marks.

Double space between the title and the first line of the text.

Here is a sample first page of an essay in MLA style:

Ensure you have completed the following before you submit your essay for assessment to your teacher:

1. Double spaced your essay2. Microsoft Sans Serif , Verdana or Calibri, font size 12

3. MLA format throughout4. Labeled each page, including page 1, with your last

name and page number

5. Included a Works Consulted page

6. Cited the literary work in the works cited page and referenced it properly throughout

7. Have introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion

8. Clearly stated thesis

9. Edited for spelling and language errors (be careful of “typos”)

10. Stapled the essay in the correct order11. Spelled the teacher’s name correctly12. Indented each new paragraph 5 spaces to

show its beginning 13. Underlined all book titles throughout the

essay

The system would like to thank you for making a choice that will guarantee the following …

• Your suspension in a state of long-term infancy!

• Your inability to grow as an individual!

• The unlikelihood of you ever figuring out how strong you are and what you can do to improve things for other pod-slaves like you!

Life is but a dream … the Matrix way