Writing a Multiparagraph Essay

1
Writing a Multi-paragraph Essay

• For Dummies, Smart People, and Everyone in
  Between.

2
This is how a multi-paragraph essay should look.
Introduction Paragraph
1st Body Paragraph
2nd Body Paragraph
3rd Body Paragraph
Conclusion Paragraph
3
Introduction Paragraph

• Your intro should start general and then get more
  specific.
• Talk about the general themes or topics of the
  book in a way that anyone can relate to.
• If you are talking about a work of literature,
  you should not mention the name of the work or
  any details about it until your thesis statement.
• Your thesis statement should be the final
  sentence in your introduction and should contain
  a debatable opinion.

• 1.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• Thesis

4
Look at this introduction. Is it general or
specific at the start?
The novel Touching Spirit Bear is about a boy
named Cole who gets in trouble with the law. The
reason he gets in so much trouble is that he has
had a hard life. When his father is not beating
him, his parents are totally neglecting him. Due
to this abuse and neglect Cole is extremely angry
and violent. Because of all this he is
eventually sent away to an Alaskan island as a
punishment for what he has done. In the novel
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikealsen, Cole
Matthews goes through a reincarnation of sorts
and becomes a completely different person once
his experience on the island is over.
5
Compare that introduction to this one. Which is
more general to start out with?
Reincarnation is the process of being reborn.
Some religions believe that one can die and come
back to life as another person. That is only one
view of what it means to be reborn. One can be
reborn by changing themselves to become a better
person. This is not an easy process, but it can
be done through hard work and dedication. In the
novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikealsen, Cole
Matthews goes through a reincarnation of sorts
and becomes a completely different person during
his experience on the Alaskan island.
6
Thesis Statement

• Perhaps the single most important sentence in
  your essay
• Gives you permission to talk about ideas and
  issues
• This sets the topic for your entire essay
• It should be general enough to allow you to
  discuss all the issues you want to cover in your
  essay
• It should be a debatable opinion using powerful
  words and strong language

7
Which Thesis Statements follow the guidelines for
good thesis statements?

• In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben
  Mikaelsen, the main character is a boy named Cole
  Matthews.
• In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben
  Mikaelsen, Cole Matthews is forever changed
  during his stay on an isolated Alaskan Island.
• In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben
  Mikaelsen, the main character is an angry young
  man named Cole Matthews who gets sent to an
  Alaskan island for savagely beating another boy.
• Cole Matthews, the main character in the novel
  Touching Spirit Bear by author Ben Mikaelsen,
  experiences a rebirth due to his experiences on a
  remote Alaskan Island.

8
Body Paragraph 1 - 3

• Should begin with a topic sentence that supports
  your thesis
• This sentence sets the topic for this entire
  paragraph
• It should contain concrete details which
  illustrate or support your topic sentence
• Those concrete details should be followed by
  commentary sentences which explain their
  importance
• Commentary sentences should be original ideas or
  thoughts not directly expressed in the book if
  you are writing about one.
• Good commentaries go beyond the obvious, and try
  to explain deeper themes and meanings.

1
2
3
9
This is what your body paragraph should look like.

• Topic sentence
• Concrete Detail 1
• Commentary 1A
• Commentary 1B
• Concrete Detail 2
• Commentary 2A
• Commentary 2B
• Concluding Sentence

10
More about Body Paragraphs

• The Topic sentence of each paragraph should be a
  commentary type sentence expressing an opinion
  which supports your thesis
• It should not be just a concrete detail
• A good conclusion should wrap up what was learned
  or pointed out in the entire paragraph
• Think of this sentence as a summary of your
  paragraph.

11
Using Transition Words in your body paragraphs

• It is important to use transition words when you
  switch between concrete details
• They can also be used between commentary
  sentences that do not build on one another
• Or they can help to transition between one
  paragraph and the next

12
Example of how to properly use transitions

• Use a transition when joining two commentary
  sentences that do not build on one another.
• Example
• When Holmes first meets Dr. Mortimer he says, I
  observe from your forefinger that you make your
  own cigarettes. (p 9) Holmes has the ability to
  notice details that most people overlook, and
  this is a skill he is most proud of.
  Additionally, these observational skill assists
  him in solving difficult mysteries.
• Use a transition between one chunk in your
  paragraph and another.

13
How to use Transitions (2)

• Use a transition between one chunk (1cd 2cms)
  in your paragraph and another.
• Example (TS)One way in which Cole transforms
  while on the island is that he learns to control
  his anger better. (CD1)After Edwin teaches him
  about soaking in the cold pond, Cole uses this
  ritual to help him begin each day. This was the
  first day he felt angry since Edwin and Garvey
  left. This was also the first day he had skipped
  going to the pond. (p 180) (CM)Using the pond
  in the mornings helps Cole to rid himself of
  anger by going numb. (CM)When he does not soak
  in the pond his anger returns because he has not
  taken the time to clear his mind and focus on
  what he needs to do to have a good day.
  (CD2)Similarly, Cole also uses the dances that
  Edwin taught him about to end his day and review
  what he has learned about life. When he tells
  Edwin, Garvey and Peter what he learned from the
  mouse dance he said, Mice are survivors that
  make the best of whatever they have. (p 230)
  (CM)With each dance Cole not only learns
  something about the world around him he also
  learns something about himself. (CM)Furthermore,
  with each dance he does he learns more about
  himself, and as he learns more about himself he
  is better able to deal with his anger.

14
Using lead ins before quoting from a novel or book

• A lead in set the scene for a quote
• It tells the reader where in the story the quote
  happened
• It also can provide important background details
  so that the quote is more understandable

15
Example of how to properly use a lead in

• Quote I observe from your forefinger that you
  make your own cigarettes. (p 9)
• Adding a lead in In the novel, when Sherlock
  Holmes first meets Dr. Mortimer he says, I
  observe from your forefinger that you make your
  own cigarettes. (p 9)
• Quote Indeed, sir! May I inquire as to who
  has the honour to be the first? (p 10)
• Adding a lead in Later, when Dr. Mortimer says
  that he came to Holmes seeking the second highest
  mind in Europe, Holmes responds by saying,
  Indeed, sir! May I inquire as to who has the
  honour to be the first? (p 10)

16
Conclusion Paragraphs

• Conclusion should wrap up the essay
• It should move from specific to general
• It should leave the reader with something to
  ponder or think about
• It should not just be a complete restatement of
  the introduction paragraph

1. Restate the thesis 2.
3. 4.
17
Restating the Thesis

• The first sentence in your conclusion should
  restate the thesis statement of your essay
• Restate means, using fresh new words, remind the
  reader the point/opinion of your essay
• If you are doing a response to literature
  essay, you do not need to repeat the name of the
  novel or the author in your restatement of the
  thesis
• Try to think of an overall universal moral or
  message that you can talk about to round out your
  conclusion

18
Compare the Conclusions

• Thesis In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben
  Mikealsen, Cole Matthews goes through a
  reincarnation of sorts and becomes a completely
  different person once his experience on the
  island is over.
• Conclusion 1 Due to his experiences on the
  Alaskan island, Cole is completely transformed
  and becomes reborn as a truly compassionate and
  caring human being. He would not have been able
  to make these miraculous changes had he never
  visited the island. Cole changed because he
  worked hard to overcome his past and the hard
  life he had before coming to the island. We
  learn that to change you must work hard.

19
Compare the Conclusions

• Conclusion 2
• In the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben
  Mikealsen, Cole Matthews goes through a
  reincarnation of sorts and becomes a completely
  different person once his experience on the
  island is over. Cole accomplishes a dramatic
  personal transformation through both hard work,
  persistence, and with the help of others. This
  type of personal change is a difficult thing. It
  can only happen if one believes in themselves and
  is open to examining past mistakes and problems
  in order to find solutions. The real lesson that
  can be learned from this novel is that by letting
  go of anger one can begin to see the
  possibilities of life.