Introductory Paragraphs Or “Do you want to starve?”

What goes in my introduction? Hook Captures the reader’s attention Thesis Statement The last sentence in the introduction

Types of Hooks Quote Sums up or gives the flavor of the paper Use only if it is short and VERY applicable to the topic. – You must relate it to your thesis. – Ex. “Peace is the only battle worth waging” - Albert Camus

Types of Hooks Comparison comparing your general idea or thesis to something more familiar to the reader – Ex. Since the beginning of the written word, great writers have gifted readers with characters who captivate or teach lessons that shape who we are as humans. Writers such as Hemingway, Chaucer, and Tolstoy have crafted characters who become tools to teach us and enlighten us, yet no writer posesses the ability to use characters to point the reader to truth more than William Shakespeare.

Types of Hooks Metaphor/Simile a more specific type of comparison Ex. Like looking at our refection on a quiet, still stream, the reader is able to see the wisdom and reality of the human condition thanks to Shakespeare’s expertise. As we read we are escorted down an unfamiliar path, yet our guide will surely lead us into a place of profound understanding and wisdom, which we will receive from the most unexpected of travelers

Types of Hooks Anecdote – Ex. The written word is a powerful tool. Often underutilized, literature has the ability to help us see more clearly. A child gains his first understanding of life as he knows it through the pictures and messages of books. Even the most basic of books can effectively teach a lesson or provide truth to the reader in an indirect or unusual fashion, but legendary writers take this to the next level. Shakespeare is one such writer who is a master at…..(thesis goes here).

Questions to ask? Did you hook your reader? Did you avoid rambling? Did you clearly and creatively make it known what you will prove in your essay?

Sample Introduction Ex. Since the beginning of the written word, great writers have gifted readers with characters who captivate or teach lessons that shape who we are as humans. Writers such as Hemingway, Chaucer, and Tolstoy have crafted characters who become tools to teach us and enlighten us, yet no writer possesses the ability to use characters to point the reader to truth more than William Shakespeare. It is through a journey of the unexpected that Shakespeare masterfully uses the most unlikely of characters to impart the most profound truths.

Grab that fork!