Elements of a Good Essay

A Strong Essay

A strong essay consists of five paragraphs. Each paragraph should have 3-5 sentences.

Introduction

Body Paragraph A

Body Paragraph B

Body Paragraph C

Conclusion

Each body paragraph should have a topic sentence!

Thesis

The kind of essay you are writing is called an analytical essay.

After you have done your brainstorming, look closely at the essay prompt and identify what it wants you to do.

How does Emily Dickinson use concrete nouns to express abstract ideas?


Okay, so I’m supposed to talkabout Emily Dickinson...



I will have to identify and talk about her concrete

nouns...but what should I say about them?



I will have to identify and talk about her concrete

nouns...but what should I say about them?

Abstract ideas...so that means I need to talk about the connection between her concrete

nouns and abstract ideas!

Change the question into a statement


In Emily Dickinson’s poem “Poem #288”, she uses concrete nouns to express abstract ideas.

Your Turn

Identify the most important parts of this prompt and underline them.

Change it into a question.

Explain verbally to Ms. Sanders what this prompt is asking you to do. What information and connections do you need to find?

Explain how “The Blue Stones” is an allegory that warns us about the dangers of jealousy and greed.

Change the question into a statement


In Emily Dickinson’s poem “Poem #288”, she uses concrete nouns to express abstract ideas.

Make a T-chart of the concrete nouns and abstract ideas. You can also use this list to find support for your body paragraphs later.

Body Paragraphs

Now that you have your thesis, you can decide what you need to put in your body paragraphs.

You will need a topic sentence for each of your body paragraphs. Therefore, you should find three pieces of evidence that you could use, one for each paragraph.

Introductory Paragraph

In your introductory paragraph, you need to accomplish two things:

Give the reader your thesis statement.

Orient the reader to what you will talk about. Briefly summarize the topic sentences that you have talked about.

Body Paragraph

The body paragraphs are when you have a chance to go into more detail!

Here is a good pattern for your body paragraph to follow. Most body paragraphs are about 3-5 sentences:

Topic Sentence (Evidence that supports your thesis)

Elaboration Sentence #1



Example

In Emily Dickinson’s poem “Poem #288”, she uses concrete nouns to express abstract ideas. The speaker of the poem prefers to live a quiet life, and demonstrates this by expressing a desire to be “Nobody”, a person who does not attract the attention of others. In contrast, she compares “Somebody”, a person who seeks attention, to a frog croaking in a bog “the livelong June”. These concrete images convey the speaker’s desire for solitude and anonymity.

The Order for Writing an Essay

(1) Pick a topic

(2) Draft an outline of the subject's main ideas

(3) First write the introduction

(4) Write the body with each paragraph focusing on one idea

(5) Work on a strong conclusion

(6) Revise and double-check that sentences reflect your initial ideas

(7) Edit and Proofread. Check for grammatical and typographical errors

Example

Emily Dickinson uses the terms “Nobody” and “Somebody” to express her preference for anonymity over celebrity. The poem’s opening line, “I’m Nobody!”, shows that she does not want to call attention to herself. Although it is usually considered a bad thing to be a “Nobody,” she wishes to stay that way: “Don’t tell! they’d advertise”. It is also clear that the speaker has no desire for notoriety, saying, “How dreary--to be--Somebody!”

Example

Emily Dickinson uses the terms “Nobody” and “Somebody” to express her preference for anonymity over celebrity. The poem’s opening line, “I’m Nobody!”, shows that she does not want to call attention to herself. Although it is usually considered a bad thing to be a “Nobody,” she wishes to stay that way: “Don’t tell! they’d advertise”. It is also clear that the speaker has no desire for notoriety, saying, “How dreary--to be--Somebody!”Whoops, one problem here...I haven’t really made it

clear that I’m talking about the connection between

concrete nouns and abstract ideas!

Example

Emily Dickinson uses the terms “Nobody” and “Somebody” to express her preference for anonymity over celebrity. The poem’s opening line, “I’m Nobody!”, shows that she does not want to call attention to herself. Although it is usually considered a bad thing to be a “Nobody,” she wishes to stay that way: “Don’t tell! they’d advertise”. It is also clear that the speaker has no desire for notoriety, saying, “How dreary--to be--Somebody!”Whoops, one problem here...I haven’t really made it

clear that I’m talking about the connection between concrete nouns and abstract ideas!

Example

Emily Dickinson uses the concrete nouns “Nobody” and “Somebody” to express her preference for the more abstract concept of anonymity. The poem’s opening line, “I’m Nobody!”, shows that she does not want to call attention to herself. Although it is usually considered a bad thing to be a “Nobody,” she wishes to stay that way: “Don’t tell! they’d advertise”. In contrast, “Somebody” represents a notorious person, but the speaker has no desire for notoriety, saying, “How dreary--to be--Somebody!”

Check your Body Paragraph!

Write your topic sentence.

Find support for that sentence in the text.

Write your body paragraph. Use quotations directly from the text, or paraphrase to help you support your argument.

Check to make sure your whole paragraph matches your thesis statement!

The Concluding Paragraph

The first sentence of the concluding paragraph revisits the thesis statement made in the first paragraph (although don’t copy and paste it directly -- rewrite it!). (1-2 sentences)

Give a brief summary of the three main points that you made in your body paragraph. (3-4 sentences)

The last sentence should give a tone of finality to your paper.

The concrete nouns that Emily Dickinson uses in Poem #288 draw a connection to abstract ideas. Her desire to remain “Nobody” and her unwillingness to be “Somebody” show her preference to remain anonymous. Likewise, by comparing “Somebody” to a frog that croaks in front of an admiring bog, she makes it clear that she prefers being unknown to singing her own praises. Dickinson’s use of these nouns shows the speaker of the poem to be both intriguing and unusual.

Elements of a Good Essay

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