How to Write Body Paragraphs

Transcription

1 How to Write Body Paragraphs

2 Body Paragraph Order Essays typically have at least 3 body paragraphs. Your essay will have 3 body paragraphs because you have 3 points in your thesis statement. The order of body paragraphs follows the order of your thesis points.

3 Body Paragraph Order Thesis Statement Example: Ninth grade students should continue to read The Necklace because it effectively teaches the following short story elements: internal conflict, symbolism, and situational irony. The first point in the thesis is that The Necklace effectively teaches the short story element internal conflict, so the first body paragraph will be about this topic.

4 Body Paragraph Structure The strongest body paragraphs follow this structure: Point Evidence Explanation Link

5 Point The first part of your body paragraph is your topic sentence. In your topic sentence, you state the point of the paragraph. You should start it with a transitional word or phrase. Then you should provide a clear and specific statement of what the subject of the paragraph will be. For your first body paragraph, your topic sentence should introduce the first short story element that you listed in your thesis statement.

6 Point Example Thesis: Ninth grade students should continue to read The Necklace because it effectively teaches the following short story elements: internal conflict, symbolism, and situational irony. Thesis Point #1 = The Necklace teaches internal conflict. Body Paragraph #1 Point: First of all, The Necklace should be read by all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element internal conflict.

7 Evidence Once you have stated the point of the paragraph, you should provide thorough, specific, and direct examples and details from the text. This is evidence that supports and proves your point. It is here that you will provide at least 1 properly cited direct quote from your story. This direct quote from the short story should prove your point.

8 Evidence Example Body Paragraph #1 Point: First of all, The Necklace should be read by all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element internal conflict. Body Paragraph #1 Evidence: When the narrator first introduces Mathilde, he explains that She suffered constantly, feeling that all the attributes of a gracious life, every luxury, should rightly have been hers (de Maupassant 333). Later in the story, when she borrows a necklace from Madame Forestier, she tried on the jewelry before the mirror, hesitating, unable to bring herself to take them off, to give them back (de Maupassant 336).

9 Explanation After you have provided evidence, you must explain and discuss how the evidence you provided proves your point. You want to prove that your topic sentence is a true statement, that it is a fact. For this essay, a definition of the short story element that you are discussing in this paragraph would fit well in the explanation part of your body paragraphs.

10 Explanation Example Body Paragraph #1 Point: First of all, The Necklace should be read by all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element internal conflict. Body Paragraph #1 Evidence: When the narrator first introduces Mathilde, he explains that She suffered constantly, feeling that all the attributes of a gracious life, every luxury, should rightly have been hers (de Maupassant 333). Later in the story, when she is borrowing a necklace from Madame Forestier, she tried on the jewelry before the mirror, hesitating, unable to bring herself to take them off, to give them back (de Maupassant 336). Body Paragraph #1 Explanation: Internal conflict occurs when a character endures a struggle within him or herself. In these examples, Mathilde experiences an inner struggle with her desire to live a life more luxurious than her own, one more like her friend s.

11 Link The link sentence is the last part of a body paragraph. This sentence should conclude this paragraph by providing a summary of the paragraph s point. This sentence should also clearly indicate that you are moving onto your next point and smoothly transition to the next paragraph.

12 Link Example Body Paragraph #1 Point: First of all, The Necklace should be read by all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element internal conflict. Thesis: Ninth grade students should continue to read The Necklace because it effectively teaches the following short story elements: internal conflict, symbolism, and situational irony. Body Paragraph #1 Link: The Necklace definitely teaches what an internal conflict is by describing how dissatisfied Mathilde is with her lifestyle, but it also teaches students about symbolism.

13 P.E.E.L. Body Paragraph First of all, The Necklace should be read by all ninth graders because it helps them learn about the short story element internal conflict. When the narrator first introduces Mathilde, he explains that She suffered constantly, feeling that all the attributes of a gracious life, every luxury, should rightly have been hers (de Maupassant 333). Later in the story, when she is borrowing a necklace from Madame Forestier, she tried on the jewelry before the mirror, hesitating, unable to bring herself to take them off, to give them back (de Maupassant 336). Internal conflict occurs when a character endures a struggle within him or herself. In these examples, Mathilde experiences an inner struggle with her desire to live a life more luxurious than her own, one more like her friend s. The Necklace definitely teaches what an internal conflict is by describing how dissatisfied Mathilde is with her lifestyle, but it also teaches students about symbolism.

14 Short Story Locations and Citation Instructions The Sniper -p. 10 (blue book) The Cask of Amontillado -p.61 The Most Dangerous Game - p.215 The Necklace - p.333 The Scarlet Ibis - p. 385 How to quote: Find a phrase, sentence, or sentences that you want to use in your essay. Write that and put quotation marks around it: How to make a citation: After you ve written your quote, include the following: (Last name of author Page number).