5 Paragraph Essays

1. 5 Paragraph Essays

2. Paragraph 1: Introductory Paragraph Paragraph 2: Body Paragraph 1 Paragraph 3: Body Paragraph 2 Paragraph 4: Body Paragraph 3 Paragraph 5: Conclusion

3. Imagine Your Paper Is Like This: Intro The intro is like a funnel, starting broad and then getting specific. The last sentence is the thesis. Body Body Body The conclusion functions the opposite way. It starts specific with a restatement of the thesis, then gets broad, ending with a generalization. Conclusion

4. What is a Thesis? • A thesis is a statement of what you are trying to prove. • It is a clear, direct statement of what your paper is about. I should know exactly what the rest of your paragraphs will be after reading your thesis. • It should be the last sentence of your first paragraph.

5. What is a thesis? • A THESIS always has a WHAT and a HOW • WHAT = what you are attempting to prove about the novel • HOW = how the author exemplifies this in the novel

6. Sample Theses What do all of these have in common? In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise, the author presents the reader with a type of Christian allegory by presenting Harry as a Christ-like figure who must discover his power, sacrifice himself, and ultimately resurrect in order to save his friends. Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer reflects on the loss of innocence every boy experiences by presenting Tom’s encounters with parents, death, and romance in compelling, realistic ways. In John Steinbeck’s novella The Pearl, the author expresses his belief in the inherent greed of humanity by describing Kino’s transformation from a man of family, to a man of greed, and eventually to a man of regret and shame.

7. In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise, the author presents the reader with a type of Christian allegory by presenting Harry as a Christ-like figure who must discover his power, sacrifice himself, and ultimately resurrect in order to save his friends. Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer reflects on the loss of innocence every boy experiences by presenting Tom’s encounters with parents, death, and romance in compelling, realistic ways. In John Steinbeck’s novella The Pearl, the author expresses his belief in the inherent greed of humanitybydescribing Kino’s transformation from a man of family, to a man of greed, and eventually to a man of regret and shame.

8. Thesis Tips • Use the word “by” to separate your what and how. • In the what, always identify both the name of the novel and the author. • In the how, specifically outline what three specific things you will be writing about.

9. Intro Paragraph • Start broad, then get increasingly specific. • Shoot for at least 5 sentences. Start with a sentence or two about the historical context of the novel. Next, add a sentence or two about the author and his placement within the historical period as well as any details that describe his feelings about his world. End with your thesis, which clearly states what you are trying to prove about the novel.

10. Sample Intro paragraph The first half of the 20th century in America was a time of tumultuous change. Having just completed rebuilding a nation that was destroyed by the Civil War, American citizens next had to confront two World Wars and a Great Depression.

11. Sample Intro paragraph The first half of the 20th century in America was a time of tumultuous change. Having just completed rebuilding a nation that was destroyed by the Civil War, American citizens next had to confront two World Wars and a Great Depression. American author John Steinbeck lived through this period and viewed the future of America with grim pessimism. Part of the so-called Lost Generation of writers, he became disillusioned with life in America and the role greed and selfishness played in many Americans’ lives. He often reflected on this greed in his writing, perhaps never so effectively as in his allegorical novella The Pearl.

12. Sample Intro paragraph The first half of the 20th century in America was a time of tumultuous change. Having just completed rebuilding a nation that was destroyed by the Civil War, American citizens next had to confront two World Wars and a Great Depression. American author John Steinbeck lived through this period and viewed the future of America with grim pessimism. Part of the so-called Lost Generation of writers, he became disillusioned with life in America and the role greed and selfishness played in many Americans’ lives. He often reflected on this greed in his writing, perhaps never so effectively as in his allegorical novella The Pearl. In John Steinbeck’s novella The Pearl, the author expresses his belief in the inherent greed of humanitybydescribing Kino’s transformation from a man of family, to a man of greed, and eventually to a man of regret and shame.

13. Body Paragraphs • All three body paragraphs should follow the same formula. • Each paragraph is on a single, specific topic.

14. Remember the formula for the “perfect paragraph” and apply it. Topic Sentence + Relevant context + Primary Source Quote +Explanatory Inference + Conclusion Perfect Paragraph

15. “Perfect” Body Paragraph As The Pearl progresses, Kino is transformed by his greed into an enraged, vicious protector of his treasure, no matter the personal cost.

16. “Perfect” Body Paragraph As The Pearl progresses, Kino is transformed by his greed into an enraged, vicious protector of his treasure, no matter the personal cost. In one chilling scene, Juana sneaks off in the midst of the night to hurl the pearl back into the sea from whence it came. Kino, sensing her disloyalty, tracks her to the shore and reacts with untamed cruelty.

17. “Perfect” Body Paragraph As The Pearl progresses, Kino is transformed by his greed into an enraged, vicious protector of his treasure, no matter the personal cost. In one chilling scene, Juana sneaks off in the midst of the night to hurl the pearl back into the sea from whence it came. Kino, sensing her disloyalty, tracks her to the shore and reacts with untamed cruelty. The author writes, “He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side” (Steinbeck 59).

18. “Perfect” Body Paragraph As The Pearl progresses, Kino is transformed by his greed into an enraged, vicious protector of his treasure, no matter the personal cost. In one chilling scene, Juana sneaks off in the midst of the night to hurl the pearl back into the sea from whence it came. Kino, sensing her disloyalty, tracks her to the shore and reacts with untamed cruelty. The author writes, “He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side” (Steinbeck 59). The family man to whom the reader is introduced in the novel’s opening chapters has been fully transformed into a malicious hoarder of treasure. Kino becomes willing to injure his wife in order to protect both his pride and his prize.

19. “Perfect” Body Paragraph As The Pearl progresses, Kino is transformed by his greed into an enraged, vicious protector of his treasure, no matter the personal cost. In one chilling scene, Juana sneaks off in the midst of the night to hurl the pearl back into the sea from whence it came. Kino, sensing her disloyalty, tracks her to the shore and reacts with untamed cruelty. The author writes, “He struck her in the face with his clenched fist and she fell among the boulders, and he kicked her in the side” (Steinbeck 59). The family man to whom the reader is introduced in the novel’s opening chapters has been fully transformed into a malicious hoarder of treasure. Kino becomes willing to injure his wife in order to protect both his pride and his prize. In the smashing of her face, the author suggests how far men are willing to go in order to profit.

20. Conclusion Paragraph: Start with restatement of your thesis. Then, explain in a few sentences what lesson Hemingway is trying to teach the reader with this novel.

21. A Few More Reminders: • Do not use 1st or 2nd person point of view • Do not forget to put a citation after every quote. • Do not forget to use 12 point, times new roman, double spaced font with an MLA heading.