Introduction and Conclusion Paragraphs “The Landlady”

The Introduction The introduction has a “hook or grabber” to catch the reader’s attention. Some “grabbers” include opening with a: strong statement/headline Quotation Anecdote/story Statistic/fact Rhetorical question Dialogue/conversation

Shocking Statement/headline Opening with a strong statement: (17 year old found stuffed in Bath, England) 17 year old found stuffed in Bath! Pun= play on words (bath vs. Bath) Bridge/link This could be a headline in a newspaper telling of the death of the protagonist, Billy Weaver. The author Roald Dahl creates a terrific short story using both foreshadowing and irony to create suspense and to amuse the reader.

Open with a strong statement/headline 17 year old last seen in Bath, England. Link/bridge: This could be the headline in the Bath newspaper about Billy Weaver. Now write the thesis: The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to amuse the reader.

Intro. example 17 year old found stuffed in Bath! This could be a headline in a newspaper telling of the death of the protagonist, Billy Weaver. The author Roald Dahl creates a terrific short story using both foreshadowing and irony to create suspense and to amuse the reader.

Quotation Opening with a quotation from the story or something related. “Truth is stranger than fiction,” said Mark Twain. In the case of “The Landlady” Twain would say fiction is stranger than truth. Now write your thesis:

Quotation “The supreme irony of life is that no one gets out alive.” Link: Billy Weaver does not get out alive, even though he looks lively. The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to amuse the reader.

Anecdote/Story The little boy did not come home school. His mother called the police by 5 p.m. He was never heard from again. Link: Billy Weaver in “The Landlady” also goes missing. The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to amuse the reader.

anecdote A store that sold stuffed animals once had a stuffed man for sale. When questioned about it, the owner insisted it was fake, but it looked so real. What a terrific place to hide a body. Just like in the short story“ The Landlady” by Roald Dahl; the murderer preserves the body for eternity. Dahl creates a wonderful short story through the use of foreshadowing and irony.

Statistic or fact 800,000 children are reported missing each year. Over 2,000 children each day are reported missing. (link) Billy Weaver is just one of these children who disappears, never to be heard from again. The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to amuse the reader.

Dialogue/conversation “Have your heard from Billy Weaver?” “No, He never showed up to his meeting.” “He’s probably drunk in some pub.” Link: Billy Weaver in “The Landlady” only wishes he had stayed at a pub. The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to amuse the reader.

Rhetorical Question What does a serial killer look like? (Link:) Most would say a terrifying, creepy man; this is not the case in “The Landlady” The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs the literary elements of foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to add a humorous tone.

Examples of a link, bridge, or transition to thesis Caught your interest? Read “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl. In the case of “The Landlady” fiction is stranger than truth. Like this little boy, the protagonist, Billy Weaver, in “The Landlady” will never be heard from again. Billy Weaver is just another statistic in the short story “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl.

Conclusion Conclusion Paragraph (4 sentences) Restate thesis in an original way. Answers how or why this is true. Give advice, or a recommendation, or a universal application on the subject. Go full circle. Relates back to your introduction.

Restate thesis in a new way The author Roald Dahl in the short story “The Landlady” employs foreshadowing to create suspense and irony to amuse the reader. Change the above thesis to sound new and fresh.

Answer how or why the thesis is true. Why is “The Landlady” a wonderful story?

Go universal or give advice How does this thesis relate to all stories? What advice would you give someone visiting a bed and breakfast?

Go full circle If you began you essay with something, end with the same idea. Example: Intro: Over 2,000 children go missing every day. End essay with: Poor Billy is just one of many who disappears each year.