How to Write an Amazing Introduction Paragraph Quick Write to Final Draft Paper

What’s included? The purpose of an introduction paragraph is to INTRODUCE your topic to your audience and state what you will prove (your thesis). For this paper, your introduction needs to include The Hook The Bridge or The Connector The Roadmap or Preview The Thesis Statement

The Hook A short story or anecdote A startling fact or statistic Sample Prompt: While some critics insist that Caesar must be the tragic hero of the play that bears his name, other critics see Brutus as the tragic hero. In your opinion, who qualifies at the true hero of Julius Caesar—Brutus or Caesar—and why? “Hooks” the reader’s attention. Some hook strategies include A short story or anecdote Example: The story of Julius Caesar is tragic and famous. In it, one man betrays his best friend while another betrays his country. Both men die because of their actions. A startling fact or statistic Julius Caesar wanted to be Rome’s king. As a result, conspirators, the victim’s best friend among them, assassinated Julius Caesar on the Ides of March (“A Quick Summary…”). A definition Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a man who rises to a great height only to fall because of a tragic flaw or hamartia (“Aristotle & the Elements of Tragedy…”). Note: In two of these examples, please take not that I cited my information. I got the information about Caesar’s assassination and the definition of a tragic hero from a source, and I must give credit to that source. If you get your hook from a source you haven’t used yet, remember to add it to your Works Cited page as well!

The Bridge Connects what you said in your hook to your topic It’s the sentence where you begin to introduce your topic. Ex: Many critics think that Julius Caesar, the man who betrayed his country, is the proper tragic hero of the play that bears his name. Others, however, think Brutus, the man who killed his best friend, is the true tragic hero.

The Roadmap These sentences will preview what is to come in your paper You will preview the 3 main ideas of your paper: EX: Both men are technically tragic heroes. (Illustrates the Problem) They both have tragic flaws; they both rise to a great height only to fall from it. (Reasons for the Problem) Who, then, is the audience supposed to learn from, applying lessons from the character’s mistakes to their own lives? (Why the Problem Is Unfair or Is Important)

The Thesis Statement Your point The reason you are writing your essay! EX: Though Julius Caesar suffers great tragedy, Brutus, the man who realizes he’s made mistakes and experiences remorse, is the true tragic hero of Julius Caesar.

The Whole Thing! The story of Julius Caesar is tragic and famous. In it, one man betrays his best friend while another betrays his country. Both men die because of their actions. Many critics think that Julius Caesar, the man who betrayed his country, is the proper tragic hero of the play that bears his name. Others, however, think Brutus, the man who killed his best friend, is the true tragic hero. Both men are technically tragic heroes. They both have tragic flaws; they both rise to a great height only to fall from it. Who, then, is the audience supposed to learn from, applying lessons from the character’s mistakes to their own lives? Though Julius Caesar suffers great tragedy, Brutus, the man who realizes he’s made mistakes and experiences remorse, is the true tragic hero of Julius Caesar.

Writing a Conclusion A quick “how-to”

You do not need to write… “In conclusion,” We know it is your conclusion

The Conclusion A conclusion should stress the importance of the thesis statement, give the essay a sense of completeness, and leave a final impression on the reader. Just as every essay has a clear beginning, it should have a clear ending. The last paragraph, also known as the conclusion, should make your essay sound finished.

The Conclusion The concluding paragraph typically has two parts: 1. The summary statement is 2-3 sentences which restate the thesis in a fresh way to reinforce the essay's main idea. 2. The clincher is a final thought which should create a lasting impression on the reader.

The Summary Statement The summary statement is an effective way to start your concluding paragraph because it helps to drive home the ideas you've expressed in your essay. Look at your thesis statement again and rework it in a new way. Avoid repeating key words and phrases from the thesis statement because you don't want the summary statement to sound boring or repetitive. Using a thesaurus is a good way to find new, interesting words.

Example Original Thesis: Though Julius Caesar suffers great tragedy, Brutus, the man who realizes he’s made mistakes and experiences remorse, is the true tragic hero of Julius Caesar. Summary Statement: Brutus suffers much more than Caesar did, making him the ultimate tragic hero of Julius Caesar. It is Brutus who realizes he has done wrong, not Caesar. It is Brutus who determines his life must be forfeit for his mistakes, not Caesar.

The Clincher The clincher is your last opportunity to connect with the reader. One way to make the most of this moment is to return to the technique you used for your hook. Open it back up to the real world. Last chance to show why/how we need change! Will be more than one sentence

The Clincher Example: Shakespeare would have wanted his audience to view Brutus as a cautionary tale: to see the value in human relationships over human duty. As the Elizabethan audience believed, it is much more tragic to bring about one’s own tragic fate than to have it happen blindly. Brutus is what humanity should strive not to be.

Whole Paragraph Brutus suffers much more than Caesar did, making him the ultimate tragic hero of Julius Caesar. It is Brutus who realizes he has done wrong, not Caesar. It is Brutus who determines his life must be forfeit for his mistakes, not Caesar. Shakespeare would have wanted his audience to view Brutus as a cautionary tale: to see the value in human relationships over human duty. As the Elizabethan audience believed, it is much more tragic to bring about one’s own tragic fate than to have it happen blindly. Brutus is what humanity should strive not to be.