Formal Outline

Ovalle1

Alejandra Ovalle

English 1302

Professor Dybala

Research Paper Formal Outline

The following outline provides the structure for your research paper and ensures that you complete all nine required paragraphs. You may alter the order of the quotes or present additional quotes if you prefer in the body of the essay, but you must include at least two quotes in each body paragraph of the confirmation section and at least one quote from the secondary source in the concession paragraph and one in the refutation for a total of a minimum of ten quotes in the paper—four-six from the primary source and six or more from a variety of secondary sources. You may include additional quotes in paragraph two on the author’s background or other pertinent background information. Well-developed papers may include as many as twenty quotes, but you must introduce the quote in the same sentence that you state it and discuss each part of it in the next 1-3 sentences before introducing another quote.

Your paper should include nine paragraphs and six to eight typed pages followed by the works cited page. A 12 point, Times New Roman font is required. The entire paper is double-spaced including the heading. Do not quadruple space before the title or between paragraphs. Use MLA style citations to document all direct quotes, summaries or paraphrased information from a source.

Note that each letter in the outline precedes one sentence so that paragraph one will have 3-4 sentences, paragraph two will have 5-7 sentences, paragraphs three-six will have 9-11 sentences, paragraphs seven-eight will have 7-9 sentences, and paragraph nine will have three sentences.

I. Introduction

A. State the author, title and an intriguing aspect of the literary work to arouse interest

in your topic. “Sonny’s Blues” the short story by James Baldwin’s shows the narrators feeling towards his brother and how he never had much interest in him.

B. Narrow the topic with a more specific focus or question.

Why was the narrator feeling this way about his brother and denied having any hope in him?

C. State the thesis by narrowing the topic more specifically and stating your claim

(argumentative interpretation) followed by a minimum of four subtopics that chart the organizing principles of your essay.) While it would have been easier to handle his heroin addiction, Sonny would have made better progress if his brother would have helped him because sonny had a dream of becoming a jazz musician, he would have been helped with his drug problem, he needed more attention from his brother , and he would have not felt so alone.

II. Exposition (Ethical appeal)

A-G. In 7 sentences present any background information about the author or the historical period or any definitions of terms to prepare the reader for your interpretation (next to each letter below).

Include a topic sentence that describes the kind of information you are including. Add an in-text citation for the source(s) of the information and a works cited entry on the last page of your paper for the complete bibliographic information.

A. State the topic: What kind of background information will you describe?

Who was James Baldwin and what was he known for?

B. Discuss the significance of this background info.

James Baldwin was a writer and playwriter, he was born on August 2, 1924, in Harlem, New York. He is known for his work of “Notes of Native Son, The Fire Next Time and Go Tell It on The Mountain.”

C. Introduce a quote and state it followed by an in-text citation in MLA style

(last name #). “People who treat other people as less than human must not be surprised when the breed they have cast on the waters comes floating back to them, poisoned.” ( Baldwin 10)

C. Discuss the most relevant aspects of the quote.

I think one of the most relevant aspects to this quote is how during this time there was a lot of racism, and this quote has a lot to do the way you treat someone that's the way they're going to treat you.

E. Relate this information to your thesis.

F. I think that if sonny's brother would've treated him in a different way and would have supported him Sony would have a different life and a different way of thinking.

G. Sum up the significance of this information to your interpretation of the short story.

In this quote that I chose it basically says to treat people the way you want to be treated because if you treat people in a bad way then it might come back to you and someone might treat you like that and you would not like it so I feel that Sony's brother if he put that quote to practice he would have had a better relationship with his brother.

III. Confirmation Section—

Four body paragraphs that provide the best evidence (right reasons) to accept your interpretation of the short story. The four paragraph body should include at least one quote from your primary source in each paragraph and one or two quotes from secondary sources in each paragraph. If you only include two quotes, you are still required to include a minimum of nine sentences (A-I), so you will have to analyze each quote with two or more sentences. Then, synthesize your information and add the transitional closing statement.

A. Topic Sentence-Re-introduce the first subtopic stated in your thesis and add your

argumentative claim. I believe Sonny would have reached his dream sooner of becoming a jazz musician with the support of his brother.

B. Add information to further clarify the significance of this claim

Sonny's brother was very distant with Sonny they would barely talk or be in communication.

D. Introduce and state a quote from the story as evidence of your claim.

“I was thinking that this would probably turn out to be one of those things kids go through and that I shouldn't make it seem important by pushing it too hard.” (Baldwin 9)

E. Discuss the quote in 1 or 2 sentences.

In this quote when he says “probably turn out to be one of those things’ kids go through”, you can see that the narrator is taking sonny's dream as a joke like if it's a phase he's going through that he's eventually going to get bored and leave.

E. Introduce an additional quote from secondary source #1 (journal article/library

resource) to support this claim.

“The history of jazz is reminiscent of human development both individual and intergenerational.”

F. Discuss the quote in 1 or 2 sentences.

this quote explains how jazz is related to human development and how it can have an effect and a person, that is not just music it shows how many people fight their depression or any other moment of their life with music.

G. Introduce another quote from a secondary source to develop your interpretation.

“The same process of investigation, of inclusion and exclusion, that underlies the history of jazz criticism can be applied to sociological and psychological studies that consider questions of psychic roots and foundation.

H. Discuss a particular word choice in the quote to zoom in on its significance.

psychological studies is a word choice that catches my interest because you can see how music helps a person with their state of mind or with their emotions.

I. Close the discussion with 1-3 sentences explaining your interpretation of the

significance of these three quotes and how they provide evidence to support your

topic sentence. In these three quotes they are mainly about how jazz, or music has to do with psychology and human development. This connects to my topic because there are many ways that music help with your state of mind or your emotions which is something that I think Sonny takes very seriously because he sees that music gives him a new perspective in life. J. K. Closing sentence

Therefore, I believe that sonny’s brother should have supported more and taken sunny series about his dream to become a jazz musician.

IV. Confirmation (2nd subtopic)

A. Topic Sentence-Reintroduce the second subtopic stated in your thesis and add your

argumentative claim. Sonny's drug problem comes from the unaffectionate and uncaring nature of his family.

B. Add a detail to clarify the significance of this claim.

Since Sonny was younger, he didn't have the affection from his parents and now that he's older he doesn't have it from his brother either. When sonny is in trouble instead of asking his brother to help him, he doesn't because he doesn't have that connection or that bond with his brother.

C. Introduce and state a quote from the primary source as evidence of your claim.

“And at the same time, I couldn't doubt it. I was scared, scared for sunny period he became real to me again.”

D. Discuss your general interpretation of the quoted passage.

When his brother is on the subway and he sees the newspaper about his brother's arrest he is surprised, but in this quote, he says that he became real again. You can see how he forgot about his brother how he wasn't even existing for him until he saw the newspaper and he remembered he had a brother he existed again he became “Real” like he mentioned.

E. Continue to discuss the quote by analyzing the significance of several key words in

the quote. The word real is what interest me more because you can see how he forgot about his brother and now how something has reminded him out of nowhere he's real he's a person now to him. For something to be real again for someone you can see that that person doesn't care or wants to forget something about that person.

F. Introduce a quote from another analytical article (secondary source #2) to add expert evidence and support your claim.

“Suffering, misunderstanding, and brotherly division are some of the most potent themes of James Baldwin's short story “Sonny’s Blues.”

G. Fully discuss the quote in 1-2 sentences.

H. In this quote it basically gives like a summary of the story that it has to do with suffering, misunderstanding, and brotherly division. For this particular section I want to focus on the brotherly division because that is one of the reasons why Sonny has a drug problem because of the lag of attention from his brother and when he was younger from his parents as well.

I. Conclude the paragraph with a discussion of the relationship of these two quotes or add a 3rd quote to further support the topic sentence. Do not end the paragraph

with a quote.

J. For these two quotes that I used they both explain sonny's drug problem it gives evidence of why he has a problem and I believe that if his brother would have put more attention or would have stayed in Sonny's life, Sony would probably have a different way of looking at life and felt more support from his brother and even ended his drug problem.

K. The final sentence of the paragraph should be your emphasis on your claim and your transition to the next paragraph.

I believe that his brother not being in his life had to do with a lot of Sony's problems.

V. Confirmation (3rd subtopic)

A. Topic Sentence-Re-introduce the third subtopic stated in your thesis and add your argumentative claim. Since sonny's brother is a teacher, he doesn't have much time to be able to help sonny which causes sunny to fall into his drug problem.

B. Add information to further clarify the significance of this claim

Sonny needs attention since he was a young boy, he wasn't given much attention or affection and now that he's older it's the same thing his brother doesn't have time and doesn't give him the affection he desires.

C. Introduce and state a quote from the story as evidence of your claim.

“I didn't write Sony or send him anything for a long time. When I finally did, it was just after my little girl died, he wrote me back a letter which made me feel like a bastard.” (Baldwin 254)

D. Discuss the quote in 1 or 2 sentences.

In this quote sonny's brother doesn't know much about him and hasn't talked to him in a while. You can see that he doesn't have any type of relationship with his brother and that he doesn't care to have a relationship with his brother even though his brother wrote back to him he didn't answer.

E. Introduce an additional quote from secondary source #3 (journal article or library resource) to support this claim.

“Despite Sonny's spiral towards destruction, the greater example of a loss of grace is paradoxically found in his brother, then aerator. Then aerator, a successful, “moral” men compared to those around him, cannot abide his own brother's falling, and this leads to an inability to extend grace to others.

F. Discuss the quote in 1 or 2 sentences.

his brother does not accept sonny’s falling since the narrator is a successful and moral men compared to those around him or in this case compared to Sony. He doesn't accept or he doesn't understand why somebody would fall or why they would have a drug addiction.

G. Introduce another quote from a secondary source to develop your interpretation.

It is the extension of mercy, even when that mercy is unearned.” (Stone 252)

H Discuss a particular word choice in the quote to zoom in on its significance.

Unearned is a particular word choice that interests me because that is something that I think the narrator should have implied on his brother. Even though his brother did what he did the narrator should have given him mercy and understood his situation and tried to help him get out of that addiction

I. Close the discussion with 1-3 sentences explaining your interpretation of the

significance of these three quotes and how they provide evidence to support your

topic sentence. J. I believe that the narrators should have been more understanding with his brother and knowing that an addiction is not something easy to get rid of. Which is one of the reasons why I think Sony fell again because he didn't have support from his brother or didn't have that affection that he needed since he was a young boy. K. The final sentence of the paragraph should be your emphasis on your claim and your transition to the next paragraph. Sunny needed his brother's attention and support to help him with his problem, but sunny knew that he had to face these problems alone, since he was alone.

VI. Confirmation (4th subtopic)

A. Follow the pattern in the previous body paragraphs to develop the 4th subtopic.

Sonny felt alone during his whole life starting from his childhood to where he is now.

B. Since Sonny was a little boy, he had no authority figure and when his mother talked to his brother, she told him to take care of Sonny and to lookout for him, which was something he didn't do.

C. “I won't forget,” I said. “Don't you worry, I won't forget. I won't let nothing happen to Sonny.”

D. The narrator made a promise to his mother that he would take care of Sonny and his mother warned him to not let him fall an even when he got eviler to not let it get to him and keep on fighting for his brother.

E. “As he risks expression, his brother, the narrator, recognizes that “his life contained so many others.” ( McParland 132) F. Looking back to what his mother used to tell him about his brothers Sony later on in the story he recognizes the music in many other things have to do with sonny's problem and how him relating to music helps Sonny.

G. “when Sonny finds his groove, he is no longer separate. And becoming the music an expressing emotion, the member of the jazz and ensemble become more than separate selves.

H. Expressing emotions is something that catches my eye because Sony feels alone and with music, he is able to express his emotions and with the music he feels less lone like in the place he belongs.

I. These events like when the narrators talking with his mother about never leaving Sony alone and helping him. Then their Raider breaks his promise because he doesn't know anything about Sonny for a long time. This also so show how Sonny feels alone but with music he feels in peace and doesn't feel so alone anymore.

I

K. Sonny finds comfort in music and when he is playing his music he doesn't feel so alone anymore.

VII. Concession —Address the strengths of another interpretation of this story

A. Topic Sentence: Acknowledge a counterargument to your argumentative thesis that presents a strong alternative interpretation. State the author and title of this secondary source and its greatest strength. You will discuss the source in both the concession and the refutation paragraphs.

“In Lost and Found: The Fall of Grace in SONNY’S BLUES” by Catlin Stone they say that a tragic event may seem unrelated to the brother’s reconciliation, but it reveals that it is symbolic and paradoxical.

B. In 1-3 sentences, discuss the strengths of this alternative view to your thesis.

C. This is an alternative strength because the brothers are far apart and the tragic even D. with grace is something that can bring them closer together.

E. Introduce a quote from an alternative interpretation of the story (secondary source #5). “ He disapproves of Sonny’s dreams and his lack of graciousness adds strain to their already tenuous relationship.”

F. Explain a significant aspect of this quote.

He disapproves of his brothers dream but him not knowing that with him becoming a musician it can help him with his addiction.

G. Transition to your refutation of this alternative interpretation.

His brother should of instead supported his brother and not let hm fall like he promised his mother.

VIII. Refutation—Reject the interpretation of the article that you acknowledged in

your concession by revealing its flaws.

A. Topic Sentence: State the major reason the concession to a counterargument is not as powerful as the thesis that you have asserted.

The major reason why the counterargument is not more powerful than my thesis because my thesis portraits exactly what I want to explain in this essay.

B. Emphasize why your thesis is more accurate than this alternative.

My thesis is more accurate than the alternative because it has more reason to back up what I am trying to explain.

C. Explain any flaws or oversights in the other interpretation.

In the other interpretation it doesn’t have many evidence I can follow up on.

D. Introduce and state a quote from the secondary source #5.

“ he turns his back on what he knows is right and starts using drugs, breaking the law and putting himself not only imprisoned there on a path to his own physical and destruction.”

E. Analyze the weakness in this quote.

The weakness in this quote is seeing how he fell into drugs and by him falling into drugs he is breaking the law and putting himself in danger.

F. Continue to analyze the quote.

You also see that by him falling he is breaking a law not only in society but also related to Christians because in the church drugs and those type of things are breaking the Christian law.

G. Reaffirm the strengths of your thesis.

It was hard for Sonny not to fall, he wanted to because a musician, he could have had help with is drug problem, he needed more family affection, and he felt alone.

IX. Conclusion: Do not introduce new evidence or quotes in the conclusion.

A. State the thesis in a new way with a bolder and more definitive purpose.

Even though it was difficult for Sony to into his drug addiction, the way he could have often help by that is by him becoming a musician and pursuing his dream, he needs more support from his brother and him not being alone and not felling alone.

B. Add a memorable comment to direct the reader’s attention more fully on your

interpretive message. Do not introduce new evidence or quotes in the conclusion

When someone is in a dark place it is not best to leave him alone because being alone can give you many dangerous thoughts. C. Close with a significant final message to the reader about the value of the literary work. Literary work allows someone to step back in time and to see other experiences that can be helpful in your day to day life.