ENG 1DI HOW TO WRITE A FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY

 The thesis is a specific statement that expresses an opinion about your topic, without using “I believe” or “I think”.  It tells your reader what your essay will argue.  It should be one sentence long  Your thesis statement is always the last sentence of your introduction  In a five paragraph essay, your thesis statement should be supported by three reasons/points.  Start your introduction with a hook that introduces the topic of your essay, but don’t state your thesis yet! THESIS STATEMENT AND INTRODUCTION

Your introduction should follow the structure below: Sentences #1 and #2: Hook Start with a hook that introduces the topic (heros), but does not state your thesis. Transition into your three main points by introducing the character you will analyze (Hercules). Sentences #3 - #5: Three Reasons/Main Points In a separate sentence for each, state your reason/point and two sub-points. You will have three reasons/points, and each will be accompanied by two sub-points. Sentence # 6: Thesis State your thesis. Start your sentence with a transition. Example: Clearly INTRODUCTION

Example: Hook: Best known as the strongest of all mortals, Hercules is one of the most famous characters in Greek mythology. It is commonly accepted that Hercules is a strong and brave character, but to determine if he is a true hero, one must assess whether or not he fulfills the pattern of an archetypal hero. An archetype is a constantly recurring symbol or motif in literature that has specific qualities. Reasons/Points: a)Hercules has the birth and destiny of a hero because he is the son of a God and because at birth an attempt is made to kill him. b)Hercules has the challenge and goal of a hero because he has a purpose to his journey and because he makes a journey to the underworld and attempts to bring back an item. c)Hercules faces the obstacles of a hero as he faces many difficulties on his journey and he falls under the control of an enemy THESIS: Clearly, Hercules is a hero because he follows the quest of a traditional hero THESIS STATEMENT AND INTRODUCTION

Each of your three body paragraph should follow the structure below: Sentence # 1: Topic sentence  states the REASON/POINT, and two sub-points, (from your introduction) you will discuss in the paragraph Sentence # 2: Point  State the sub-point from your topic sentence that you will discuss first Sentence # 3: Proof  Offer evidence to support your reason/point Sentence # 4: Comment  Explain HOW your evidence supports the evidence/proof *REPEAT Point, Proof, Comment FOR 2 nd /3 rd sub-point* Last Sentence: Concluding sentence  Summarize the paragraph’s reason/points and connect it back to the thesis statement BODY PARAGRAPHS

 Example: Hercules has the birth and destiny of a hero because he is the son of a God and because at birth an attempt is made to kill him. Hercules is the son of a God because he is the son of Zeus. His mother, Alcmene, was married, but while her husband was away Zeus visited her with “his appearance and voice altered so that he resembled her husband perfectly” (Creighton 96). Zeus tricked Hercules’ mother into believing he was her husband, and thus became the father of Hercules. Being the son of Zeus, the most influential God, makes Hercules follow the birth and destiny of a hero’s quest. Secondly, at birth, an attempt is made to kill Hercules. Hera, angered by her husband Zeus’ infidelity, sent snakes to destroy Hercules as he slept in his cradle. Hercules grabbed the snakes by their necks and “held fast until his playmates’ lashings subsided and their bodies became limp ropes” (96). If Hercules had not possessed great strength, at only eight months old, these snakes would have surely killed him. Hercules surviving an attempted murder as a child, shows that he follows the birth and destiny of a hero. Clearly, Hercules is a hero because his birth and destiny follows the quest of a traditional hero. BODY PARAGRAPHS

 The first sentence in your concluding paragraph should restate your thesis statement. Try to use different phrasing. Never start your concluding paragraph with, “In this essay, I have proven that... :  Restate your three reasons/points and two sub-points.  The last sentence(s) should conclude your essay with a general statement that leaves the reader thinking about the point of your essay. For example, If you are writing about a traditional hero, you could ask the reader to consider who would be considered a hero in today’s society Never, never, never, ever, ever, even in your wildest dreams, in spite of peer pressure, introduce new information in the concluding paragraph. CONCLUSION