Elizabeth Amondaray

Poinsettias: The relation between character and setting.

Introduction to Literature Portfolio Assignment N 2

For future papers and essays, remember the following tips for systematic writing:

Systematic introductions: 1) Start with some background to the topic chosen. 2) State you hypothesis (the main point you want to make) 3) Specify the main points, issues or aspects to explore in the paper to prove your

hypothesis (this will sort of outline the paper to the reader and help you organise your paper)

Systematic bodies: 1) Start with a topic sentence containing the main idea of the paragraph. 2) Include a supporting sentence, expanding on the topic sentence (here you

generally make the most of the possibility to analyse the text in detail with your personal interpretation.

3) Quote from the text. Here you generally quote from the text to illustrate how what you established in both the topic sentence and the supporting sentence stands. Always reference the quotation (say in which page number it is in the story)

4) Analyse the quotation, as a whole, and the key words in detail. This is what allows the true literary analysis. You discuss the value of words, symbolism, etc.

5) Give closure to your paragraph, or main idea, and work on a transition towards the next paragraph (the next idea)

Systematic conclusions: 1) Restate the introduction (mainly the hypothesis) to show that you have proved

your point. 2) Summarise the main points developed throughout the essay and reinforce them.

This give further strength to your arguments. 3) Explore the subject matter further. Here you may bring the paper to a closure at

the same time as you give your main point another turn of the screw.