How to Write a Strong Body Paragraph Body Paragraph Structure, Model Body Paragraph, and Quote Incorporation How to Write a Strong Body Paragraph

Body Paragraph Structure T: Topic sentence-Start with a transitional word or phrase, and then provide a clear and specific statement of what the subject of the paragraph will be. For your first body paragraph, your topic sentence should introduce the first similarity or difference that you listed in your thesis statement. E: Evidence-Provide at least 1 properly cited direct quote from one of your stories, along with additional specific supporting examples and details from the stories. The evidence that you include should support/prove your topic sentence. A: Analysis-Explain and discuss how the evidence that you provided supports the topic sentence. S: Summarize-Provide a summary of this paragraph’s point, therefore providing a sense of closure. This sentence should clearly indicate that you are moving onto your next point and smoothly transition to the next paragraph.

Model Thesis Statement The thesis statement provides the reader with a “map” for the essay by listing three subtopics. Even though in both Perrault’s “Cinderella; or The Little Glass Slipper” and the Grimms’ “Cinderella” the Cinderella character faces many of the 1) same obstacles, they have 2) different godmother figures and 3) magical transformations. Subtopics 1, 2, and 3 provide the “map” because the writer will address the points in this order in the essay. Subtopic 1 = Body Paragraph 1 Subtopic 2 = Body Paragraph 2 Subtopic 3 = Body Paragraph 3

Model Body Paragraph First off, in the French and German versions of the “Cinderella” story, Cinderella must overcome similar obstacles. The chores which both Cinderella characters must perform are perhaps the most comparable obstacle between the two tales. In the French text, Cinderella “scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and cleaned madam's chamber, and those of misses” (Perrault). The German Cinderella “had to do hard work from morning until evening, get up before daybreak, carry water, make the fires, cook, and wash” (Grimms). Both Cinderella characters are forced to complete household chores for their stepmother and stepsisters on their journeys. Not only must both face these same obstacles before they can reach their “happily ever after,” but both must also receive help from their godmothers. Topic Sentence: Clearly states that the topic of the paragraph will be how the obstacles are similar. Evidence: Quotes that support that the obstacles are the same: household chores. Analysis: Explains how the Evidence supports the Topic sentence. Summarize Sentence: Summarizes the paragraph’s point about the obstacles, and transitions to the next paragraph, which will be about the godmother figures.

Direct Quotes You must put any direct quote in quotation marks and quote it word for word, followed by a parenthetical citation. For your “Cinderella” Compare and Contrast Essay, your parenthetical citations will include one of the following: Author’s or authors’ last name Shortened text title enclosed You enclose one of the above in parentheses, which is followed by a period. (Last name). = (Perrault). (“Title”). = (“Cinderella”).

Quote Incorporation #1 If you are quoting something a characters says in a text, you can introduce the context and the speaker of the quote you are using in the sentence. Example: When her children inform her that their wicked stepmother has ordered that the she goat, who is in fact the mother of the children, be killed, the she goat says, “It is much better for me to die than to live such a life as this. Do not weep” (“Wicked”).

Quote Incorporation #2 Use the quote in the sentence as a description. Example: According to the French version of the “Cinderella” story, Cinderella has “unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper” and “was a hundred times more beautiful than her sisters” (Perrault). The quotes “unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper” and “was a hundred times more beautiful than her sisters” are from different parts of the text, but here they are effectively combined in order to describe the character from the story.

Quote Incorporation #3 Use part of a quote by omitting material in the middle using an ellipsis in its place. Example: In the German version of the tale, Cinderella “had to do hard work from morning until evening, get up before daybreak, carry water, make the fires, cook, and wash. Besides this, the sisters . . . scattered peas and lentils into the ashes for her, so that she had to sit and pick them out again” (Grimm). The original quote is “There she had to do hard work from morning until evening, get up before daybreak, carry water, make the fires, cook, and wash. Besides this, the sisters did everything imaginable to hurt her. They made fun of her, scattered peas and lentils into the ashes for her, so that she had to sit and pick them out again.” Notice that the bolded and underlined section was removed and replaced by an ellipsis. To make an ellipsis: spaceDOTspaceDOTspaceDOTspace

Quote Incorporation #4 Material that is longer than four typed lines should be arranged as a block quote. Step 1: Introduce the block quote with a colon. Step 2: Begin a new line (tap enter) Step 3: Indent one inch from the left margin. Step 4: Type the quote without adding quotation marks. Step 5: Parenthetical citation without a period.

Quote Incorporation #4 Only one block quote may be used in your essay. Example: Vietnam’s Cinderella endures the following cruelty: And she gave the little girl a dirty wretched place in the kitchen, and it was there that Tam was to live and work. At night, she was given a torn mat and a ragged sheet as bed and coverlet. She had to rub the floors, cut the wood, feed the animals, do all the cooking, the washing up and many other things. Her poor little soft hands had large blisters, but she bore the pain without complaint. Her step-mother also sent her to deep forests to gather wood with the secret hope that the wild beasts might carry her off. (“Tam and Cam”)