PEE(L) paragraphs

The PEEL paragraph is structured the way it is for good reason Your words Quotation Your words

Your own words need to ‘sandwich’ the quotation you have chosen Your own words need to ‘sandwich’ the quotation you have chosen. So you must have your own words ABOVE and BELOW the quotation. POINT EVIDENCE (Quotation) EXPLANATION LAYER OF MEANING or LINK TO POINT Not every quotation will have multiple meanings but it MUST link to the point.

ABOVE the quotation, you introduce your point ABOVE the quotation, you introduce your point. Preferably embed your quotation so it sounds like a part of your own sentence. BELOW the quotation you explain the quotation in relation to your point. The best form of explanation analyses the language and can also analyse sentence structure and punctuation.

DO NOT Simply rephrase the quotation Spot things (like similes) in the quotation without analysing WHY they are there Start an analysis with ‘this shows’ or ‘I think’.

Example Whilst the American Dream is often interpreted as representing the ideal of becoming wealthy or owning a great expanse of land, Steinbeck reminds the reader that even the smallest of dreams can be difficult to achieve. George talks about ‘a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs…’. His use of the word ‘couple’ emphasises the ambiguity of the dream, perhaps hinting at the fact the dream ranch later on is not real. The tragedy of the foreshadowing of the failed dream is reflected in the word ‘little’, reminding us of the dangers of any form of dream, no matter how small.

Editing quotations Just as with dialogue, you should never see quotations together on a line. “Hello” “Hi” NO! If you wish to edit a quotation, replace missing words with ‘…’ ‘…the rabbits in the cages…Tell about that George.’