Sample Body Paragraphs for the 3 Short Story Essay Topics

Write an essay on one of the following topics: (A) 3 short stories that share a common theme

Topic Sentence For One Body Paragraph: “The Last Leaf” has the theme of friendship. Supporting Detail #1  When the girl gets sick, her roommate shows her friendship by doing everything she can to take care of her. She puts aside her own feelings in order to save her friend. Quote and Page #:  “After the doctor had gone Sue went into the workroom and cried a Japanese napkin to a pulp. Then she swaggered into Johnsy's room with her drawing board, whistling ragtime” (25). Supporting Detail #2  When the girl gets sick, the old man proves to be a good friend because he puts aside his own concerns in order to help her get well. He ends up making himself fatally ill trying to save her. Supporting Detail #3  The girl only gets better when she realizes how much her friends care about her. In the end, the theme of friendship is shown to be the most important message of the story. It seems to be saying that anyone can survive anything as long as they have friends.

Write an essay on one of the following topics: (B) 3 short stories that each rely on symbolism

Topic Sentence For One Body Paragraph: There is symbolism in “The Last Leaf.” Supporting Detail #1  In the story, the girl tells herself and her roommate that she will hold out and stay alive until the last leaf falls. The dying of the last leaf symbolizes her dying as well. Quote and Page #:  "Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too. I've known that for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?” (14) Supporting Detail #2  The actual living leaves all fall away, as they are expected to do. The painted leaf, however, survives the winter storms and now symbolizes living. When the girl sees this leaf, she thinks it is a good sign and gets better. Supporting Detail #3  Overall, the leaf is a symbol that represents survival. The girl is dying because she loses the will to live. She has no hope and doesn’t want to fight. The one everlasting painted leaf symbolizes how even when things are rough (the weather for the leaf, the sickness for the girl) you can have hope that you will get through it and survive.

Write an essay on one of the following topics: (C) 3 short stories that use irony in significant ways.

Topic Sentence For One Body Paragraph: There is irony in “The Last Leaf.” Supporting Detail #1  When the girl is sick and almost dying, the gruff unsocial neighbor from downstairs paints the leaf so that it never falls. It is very ironic that when he does this one good deed he is repaid by getting sick from the rain and cold. Quote and Page #:  “Look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn't you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it's Behrman's masterpiece--he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell“ (27). Supporting Detail #2  Ironically, because of his kind gesture the girl gets better, but the old man ends up dying of pneumonia. Supporting Detail #3  This is situational irony because for the whole story we were expecting the girl to die. It is ironic that the very thing that saved her life is what killed the old man