Critical Analysis of Short Stories Essay Mr. LoNigro English 10

10th Grade Critical Analysis of Short Stories How do the short stories illustrate the treatment (or mistreatment) of others? Step 1: Examine your annotations on all three stories Step 2: Break down two aspects of each short story that represent the character actions & themes (find quotes that illustrate this), especially in regard to the treatment of others Step 3: Connect this concept to modern day (showing your ability to analyze text)

What’s in an introductory paragraph? The first paragraph of your essay should include… Attention-getter (1-5 sentences) Bridge (1-2 sentences) Thesis (1 sentence)

1. Attention-getter Should be 1-5 sentences Should get the reader interested and make them want to read your essay! You can use… An interesting quote An anecdote (quick story or scenario) A shocking fact An interesting insight about your topic No personal pronouns! (1st = I, me, my, we, us, our, ours; 2nd = you, your, yours)

1. Attention-getter (example) From the time humans came into existence, they longed for companionship. As they evolved, they began hunting in packs for protection, they developed emotional connections with each other, and they formed families and groups to support one another. Inarguably interacting with one another is part of the human DNA.

2. Bridge Should be 1-2 sentences Should briefly connect your attention-getter to your thesis (like a bridge connects 2 pieces of land!) It should… Funnel your reader from your attention-getter to your thesis Introduce the author’s you will be writing about Provide a little background on your essay

2. Bridge (example) From the time humans came into existence, they longed for companionship. As they evolved, they began hunting in packs for protection, they developed emotional connections with each other, and they formed families and groups to support one another. Inarguably interacting with one another is part of the human DNA. Despite this need for sincere camaraderie, human beings often mistreat one another. Many authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Shirley Jackson, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman have written about the awful ways humans can treat one another in ordinary life.

3. Thesis Statement Should be the last sentence of your introductory paragraph Should contain the three stories you will examine in your essay: “The Masque of the Red Death” – E.A. Poe “The Lottery” – Shirley Jackson “The Yellow Wallpaper” – Charlotte Perkins Gillman Should explain what people can learn about the treatment of others from each story… Should be clearly and eloquently stated – NO DEAD WORDS!!!

3. Thesis Statement (example) From the time humans came into existence, they longed for companionship. As they evolved, they began hunting in packs for protection, they developed emotional connections with each other, and they formed families and groups to support one another. Inarguably interacting with one another is part of the human DNA. Despite this need for sincere camaraderie, human beings often mistreat one another. Many authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Shirley Jackson, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman have written about the awful ways humans can treat one another in ordinary life. “The Masque of the Red Death,” “The Lottery,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper,” are three stories that illustrate how people will mistreat those closest to them when they are pushed to their limits.

Body Paragraphs Each body paragraph should… Begin with a transitional word or phrase Have a topic sentence that mentions the story being analyzed and the focus of the paragraph Have at least 2 specific, concrete examples AND quotes from the text from the story that support your thesis (treatment or mistreatment of others) End with a clincher sentence that brings it all together

Body Paragraphs For each of your two examples, you must… Introduce the example or set it up with a signal phrase Include a quotation from the text that illustrates this example Cite the quote using an in-text citation Use author’s last name and pg. number - (Poe 2). Explain how that quote illustrates your thesis (treatment or mistreatment)

Closing Paragraph Your last paragraph should… Include a closing transition Rephrase your thesis statement in different words Have one sentence of summary for EACH of your three body paragraphs Return back to your attention-getter idea to bring the essay full circle

Special Reminders Thesis must: be clear, be one sentence, be located last in the intro, and include the two stories being examined MLA Formatting of quotes – Example: (Poe 3). Must be exactly as they appear from text and have “quotation marks” *If using an outside source, cite using www.easybib.com and add to last page of essay Avoid 1st and 2nd personal pronouns I, me, my, mine, we, us, you, yours, ours All quotes MUST have a step-up that explains the context… In the story, Prince Prospero says “………….” (Poe 4). Jackson proves this by having her character, Tessie, exclaim “……….” (Jackson 2). Transitions – at beginning of each body paragraph; within body paragraphs Vary sentence structure, type, length; word choice