For Miss Pro

TOPIC SENTENCES for INTRO PARAGRAPHS should begin broadly with a statement similar to one of these: George Orwell’s A Hanging is about an observer’s revelation during an execution. OR

An elderly woman faces adversity on her journey to get medicine for her grandson in Eudora Welty’s A Worn Path. These two sentences represent basic information that needs to be established immediately at the start of a paper. Granted, there is no argument in either of these sentences. But intro paragraphs are there to set up the argument, so begin with the most general information (hence, the upside triangle represents starting broadly and narrowing to a thesis). All introduction paragraphs should end with a THESIS STATEMENT. This is your overall argument for the paper. If you are not sure what to write between your intro topic sentence and your thesis, you can always preview your individual points. Essentially, this means you preview your body paragraph topic sentences. BODY PARAGRAPH topic sentences must have main ideas. They must both express the part of the story you are focusing on in the paragraph (subject), AND what you are arguing about that part (main idea). Each body paragraph main idea is a “part” of your thesis, and as you prove each part, you move your paper in the direction of proving your overall argument (your thesis). DEVELOPING IDEAS Below are some examples of may own brainstorming for ideas. Your process may be different, and your ideas may be different. Still, showing you my process on paper may help you, as this brainstorming helps me figure out how to break up the stories and what to say about them. I don’t clearly finish the process with precise sentences, because I want you to develop your own. Still, you can use anything here as your own--

BRAINSTORMING ORWELL Notes for developing an overall thesis (the direction of my paper)—I interpret Orwell to be making a statement against capital punishment. He does this by giving readers the experience of an execution through the eyes of the narrator. The narrator becomes emotionally involved in the execution, and he wants the readers to experience that involvement. --I should not bring in any opinions or outside commentary on capital punishment, as I am interpreting Orwell’s meaning, not arguing the practice.

--I cannot consider whether or not the prisoner is being justly executed, because that information is not provided (and it is a different place and time than my own). NOTES to Use for Developing Points for Body Paragraphs-- First body paragraph will focus on the puddle. This is where the narrator’s emotional involvement begins, because he notices the prisoner step aside to avoid the puddle. Bad Topic Sentence: The narrator watches as the condemned man avoids a puddle on the way to the gallows. This sentence does identify the part of the story for the paragraph (subject), but it does not contain an argument—there is no main idea.

Better Topic Sentence: The narrator’s emotional involvement begins when he connects with the condemned man on the way to the gallows. The bold part of the sentence is the main idea. (don’t bold in your papers) Second body paragraph will focus on the growing emotional involvement of the narrator during the execution. His empathy for the prisoner expands to include the guards, and he notices that they don’t like having to perform executions as a daily routine. He becomes one of them, as he feels what they feel. His involvement leads to the next part of the story—the most striking commentary on the situation—the coping.

Third body paragraph will focus on the coping after the execution. Recount the earlier parts--At the puddle, Orwell realizes that it is wrong to kill a man, because he empathized with the prisoner. During the execution, he becomes one with the prison personnel, and realizes that it is even greater cruelty to have others carry out the killing—cruel to the killers as well as the killed. In the last part of the story, he has to cope with the feelings from the event, because he has fully experienced what they have--the daily routine having produced a kind of callousness out of necessity. To the reader, this is the most disturbing part, as their actions after the execution seem the opposite of what a person should feel. But it is a coping mechanism—a reaction to an unnatural situation. Thus, it is extremely cruel to use others to kill as part of a daily routine (which, by extension, is a commentary on the abuse of power in colonialism, but that may not be relevant to develop in such a short essay).

BRAINSTORMING WELTY Notes for developing an overall thesis (the direction of my paper)—Welty’s theme seems to be one of endurance/perseverance. Jackson encounters all manner of obstacles on her journey, but she never gives up. What motivates her? Is this the last journey of love for an old woman with a grandson who has already died? NOTES to Use for Developing Points for Body Paragraphs-- First body paragraph will focus on the first part of the story—the first series of obstacles.

Jackson overcomes natural obstacles, as she begins her journey.

What do these natural obstacles represent/symbolize? Second body paragraph will focus on overcoming society (prejudice). It starts with the hunter, but may also include the receptionist at the clinic.

Jackson overcomes the social obstacles. Again, do these obstacles symbolize oppression/violence/death? Third body paragraph will focus on overcoming herself (age/memory). Just as she reaches her goal, she cannot remember what she’s come for. Has she really come for medicine? What motivates her to finally overcome? Is love the ultimate direction for this essay?

Looking back across the earlier points, it seems there is always an aspect of Phoenix overcome herself in each part of the story. Is there an overall theme in this that can be used to form a stronger thesis?