- Hook/general statement about your prompt/topic -- This could be your definition or idea of what the key prompt word means (like loneliness - our class sample)
- narrow to literature
- tie in your specific text (Catcher) - introduce it and the writer
- BRIEF summary of the novel
- narrow into thesis
- THESIS -- argument: include the text, an idea/opinion about the prompt, how you're going to prove it (WHAT, HOW, WHY/SO WHAT?)
Sample Thesis:
In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, loneliness is shown to negatively impact the protagonist through a, b, and c.
OR (idea based approach)
In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, loneliness negatively affects Holden, the protagonist, ultimately leading to horrifying consequences, such as delusions and depression.
SAMPLE INTRODUCTION:
Loneliness is an awful feeling, which countless people have experienced and continue to experience. Due to its prevalence and timelessness, loneliness is often depicted in literature, through characters who are alienated from others or who struggle to form relationships with those around them. In his most famous novel published in 1951, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger depicts this feeling of loneliness through his protagonist. The novel follows Holden Caulfield as he struggles to find himself over the course of three days in New York City after having been kicked out of his school. He attempts to converse and thus connect with a range of people, but finds himself constantly lonely, pushing him further into depression and despair. In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger shows the negative effects of loneliness through the protagonist's internal conflict, his interactions with minor characters, and symbolism.
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* SO many other features you could discuss -- review!
*then you go into the body, starting with a body paragraph for text 1, and how one of your chosen textual elements shows your argument/theme/prompt link (negative effects of alienation in this case)
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BODY paragraph 1 (sample):
Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger's protagonist, Holden Caulfield, faces the negative effects of loneliness due to his own internal conflict. First of all, the novel is told through first-person stream-of-consciousness narration, which exposes Holden's inner thoughts and fears. He expresses to readers that X (EXAMPLE). The use of/fact that he does/says X shows that he feels isolated from others. Holden struggles like this with himself constantly, as he is unsure about where he is going with his life. For example, when Holden is doing X (context/set up quotation), he (EXAMPLE from the text of Holden's internal struggle). The fact that he does/says/thinks X (link to example) shows how lonely he is, as he is clearly (link to topic sentence/thesis). Furthermore, Holden's .... (another transition word to tie in a new example, set up point, explain, link back, and repeat as needed!)
BODY paragraph 2 (another feature)
SAMPLE TS for BODY 2:
Furthermore, Holden's interactions with various characters throughout the novel continue to display his loneliness and its effects.
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* Note that some of your examples will be quotations, and some will be descriptions of situations or symbols - try to get a mix of the 2 in. Regardless, make sure they are fully analyzed and explained to link to your argument (explanations can be 1-3 sentences long)
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CONCLUSION
- re-state your thesis
- discuss the presentation of prompt/issue in the novel
- extend your ideas out (So what? What can we learn from this novel in relation to the prompt/issue being examined?)