Today s Goals: 1. Review character analysis 2. Begin our next summative assessment a character analysis essay. Yay, essays!
Review: Character Analysis Steps to character analysis: 1. Choose a character. 2. Make a fact-based opinion statement about your character. 3. Support with textual evidence.
Review: Little Red Riding Hood Steps to character analysis: 1. Choose a character. Little Red Riding Hood 2. Make a statement about your character. Little Red Riding Hood is a victim of parental neglect. What makes a good statement? Good statement = a factbased opinion
Thesis Statement A thesis statement is a complete sentence (subject + verb). informs your reader what your literary analysis is going to be about. is the last sentence of the introduction paragraph. is an analysis or opinion that you (the writer) are going to support or prove. How does your character develop from the beginning to the end of the story? How does your character interact with other characters? How does your character advance the plot or develop theme?
Thesis Statement Examples Example thesis statements 1. Little Red Riding Hood is reckless. 2. It takes a village to raise Little Red Riding Hood. 3. Little Red Riding Hood is the third of three generations of fools. 4. Little Red Riding Hood shares many characteristics with Gretel. Where does a thesis statement belong in your literary analysis? Thesis Your thesis is an opinion about the personality or purpose of the character within the story.
Character Analysis Overview: Graphic Organizer Each shape represents one paragraph are the introduction and conclusion are the body paragraphs (3 minimum) Introduction Body paragraphs Conclusion
Introduction An introduction paragraph for a literary analysis should include 1. Hook catch your reader s attention (more than one sentence) 2. Author and Story Title 3. Brief objective summary focusing on your chosen character 4. Thesis statement (last sentence) Begins broad Ends with (narrow) thesis statement
Thesis Statement A thesis statement is a complete sentence (subject + verb). informs your reader what your literary analysis is going to be about. is the last sentence of the introduction paragraph. is an analysis or opinion that you (the writer) are going to support or prove. How does your character develop from the beginning to the end of the story? How does your character interact with other characters? How does your character advance the plot or develop theme?
What s next? Once you have a thesis statement, the remainder of your character analysis is going to be focused on supporting your thesis statement. Each body paragraph should support your thesis statement.
Topic Sentences Each of your body paragraphs (minimum of three) must support your thesis statement. Each of your body paragraphs must begin with a topic sentence. A topic sentence supports the thesis and includes the main point of the paragraph. 1 st point to support your thesis 2 nd point to support your thesis 3 rd point to support your thesis
Thesis and Topic Sentences: Examples Thesis Statement Little Red Riding Hood is reckless. Topic Sentences 1. She ignores warnings about Stranger Danger. 2. She approaches a wild animal as if he were a potential friend. 3. Once she recognizes that her grandmother is a wolf, she sticks around to ask questions just to make sure.
Thesis and Topic Sentences: Examples Thesis Statement Little Red Riding Hood is the third of three generations of fools. Topic Sentences 1. Little Red Riding Hood makes several foolish decisions on her way to Grandma s. 2. Little s mother is no more wise in the way she counsels her daughter. 3. It s easy to see that this generational trait probably began with Grandma.
Body Paragraphs Using Textual Evidence to Prove It
Supporting Evidence: In order to support your thesis statement and topic sentences, you will use textual evidence or quotes from your text. 1. A quote can be any written words from the text. 2. A quote does not have to be a character speaking (dialogue). 3. A quote should support your topic sentence.
Quotes When directly quoting the text, you must Use quotation marks to signify words that are not your own. Include the page number (in parentheses) of where you found the quote: The page number is part of the sentence; therefore, the period is after the parentheses. Example: Her mother admits that the woods are a dangerous place, yet still sends Little Red Riding Hood off with a cautionary Don t talk to strangers (1). BUT, if you summarize, don t use quotation marks, just include the page number Example: Instead of fleeing at the first sight of the wolf Note it! Note it! in her grandmother s house, Little Red Riding Hood asks a series of questions to clarify that the wolf is indeed not her grandmother (3).
Plopping Quotes Note it! No plopping! A quote should not just be plopped into a paragraph. A quote should be combined with two pieces of background information to form a complete sentence: Who When Quote + who + when = complete quote sentence
Plopping Quotes A quote should fit naturally into your writing and support the topic sentence. Topic Sentence #1: Little RRH ignores warnings about stranger danger. Quote to support: "Don't dawdle along the way and please don't talk to strangers! (1). Remember: No Plopping!
Example of plopping Little RRH ignores warnings about Stranger Danger. "Don't dawdle along the way and please don't talk to strangers! (1). But sure enough, she takes her time and talks to the first wolf she sees. The use of this quote is an example of plopping and what not to do. Why?
Example: Non-plopped Evidence Little Red Riding Hood is a victim of parental neglect. Her mother admits that the woods are a dangerous place, yet still sends Little Red Riding Hood off with a cautionary Don t talk to strangers (1). Her mother has also been negligent in teaching Little Red Riding Hood how dangerous wild animals can be. When she encounters the wolf in the woods for the first time, Little Red Riding Hood is polite, thinking that no harm will befall her, and answers his questions instead of having the proper fear of the carnivorous, forest-dwelling animal (2). Little Red Riding Hood s parents have also done her a disservice in not curbing her intense curiosity. Instead of fleeing at the first sight of the wolf in her grandmother s house, Little Red Riding Hood asks a series of questions to clarify that the wolf is indeed not her grandmother (3), putting herself in a very precarious situation.
Conclusion A conclusion should include Thesis statement restated* A connection to the hook restated* *Restated means to state again using different words A conclusion should not include Any new information Any repeated, word-for-word, sentences
You have two choices: A or B A: 1. Write your thesis statement. 2. Write your three topic sentences. 3. Find textual evidence quotes or summary of the text that support your topic sentences. B: 1. Find textual evidence quotes or summary of the text that support your topic sentences. Now, based on the patterns or groupings in the evidence you collected: 2. Write your thesis statement. 3. Write your three topic sentences.
Organization Just Do It TS I. Introduction A. Hook B. Author and Title C. Brief Summary D. Thesis II. Body A. Topic Sentence 1. Commentary 2. Textual Support B. Topic Sentence 1. Commentary 2. Textual Support C. Topic Sentence 1. Commentary 2. Textual Support III. Conclusion A. Restatement of thesis B. Tie back to the hook Topic Sentence Commentary Support Conclusion Hook Author/Title Summ. Thesis TS Topic Sentence Commentary Support Restate Thesis Connect to Hook Thesis Introduction Topic Sentence Commentary Support TS Body Paragraphs
Title When you give your essay a title, remember There is no punctuation/font funkiness It should be interesting and convey meaning Character Analysis and To Kill a Mockingbird Essay are bad titles