The “Link” Saving the reader from an untimely death…

“Link” We must understand that we are writing for a stranger! –This person knows NOTHING of the story or the class. –You say “Mme. Loisel,” and they say, “Bless you. Here’s a tissue.” Reader=Clueless. –Therefore, you have to really explain things for your dolt-of-a-reader to understand them. You …so then she loses the necklace at the ball! Your reader

“Link” What would happen if your reader tried to go from the text to your ideas on his own? This road is the text. This is your reader. This road is your abstract ideas. These are shark- infested waters. Ah! Help me! HE WOULD PLUMET TO HIS UNTIMELY DEATH! AHHHHHH!

“Link” Please don’t kill your reader. Link: Explains the connection between your textual evidence (direct quotation) and your abstract ideas (your argument). This road is the text. This is your reader. This road is your abstract ideas. These are shark- infested waters. Wow, I completely understand the connection now! LINK!

Example Let’s pretend that you are the reader: You are supposed to read a paper based on the short story “Two Kinds.” –“But wait!” you say. “I’ve never read ‘Two Kinds’!” Well too bad. You still have to understand this paper! Wua ha ha!

Example Let’s pretend that the reader’s main argument about the protagonist (main character) in “Two Kinds” is that she is defiant (which means she goes against others). Here is the student’s quote to support that June is a defiant character: “As long as you in this house, you will be obedient one!” (Tan 45). Can you tell how this proves June is a defiant daughter? NO! Therefore, we need a link or you will end up looking like…

Example Ok, let’s try again. Abstract idea: June (the protagonist) is defiant. Textual evidence as proof: “As long as you in this house, you will be obedient one!” (Tan 45). Link connecting the two: Because June’s mother so angrily demands that June be an obedient daughter, the reader sees that June has previously demonstrated defiance, which has elicited this passionate and furious reaction from her mother.

Example “As long as you in this house, you will be obedient one!” (Tan 45). June makes her mother angrily demand she obey orders, which suggests that in the past, she has not. The protagonist, June, is defiant.

Practice Creating Links First, we determine your “abstract idea,” which in this case is your answer to a test question: Which of the following describes Mme. Loisel? a) Guilty b) Thoughtful c) Impatient d) Ungrateful

Practice Creating Links Now, we find a direct quotation (with citation) to prove that Mme. Loisel is ungrateful. (There is more than one correct answer for this.) Example: “Then one evening, her husband came home proudly holding out a large envelope…Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she scornfully tossed the invitation on the table, murmuring, ‘What good is that to me?’” (Maupassant 28-29).

Practice Creating Links How we must explain the connection between our answer and the quote. It is important to include information from both your answer and the quote in a link. Link: Because M. Loisel went through great trouble to proudly acquire this invitation for the sole reason of pleasing his wife, the fact that she carelessly tosses it aside proves her ingratitude. Where do you see information from both the quote and the answer? Highlight it.

Practice Creating Links Let’s try another example: Abstract idea: Which of the following is true of the necklace? a) It isn’t valuable. b) It is ugly. c) It provided a positive influence on Mme. Loisel’s life. d) It made Mme. Loisel ungrateful.

Practice Creating Links Textual evidence: “Mme. Forestier, quite overcome, clasped her by the hands. ‘Oh, my poor Mathilde. But mine was only paste. Why, at most it was worth only five hundred francs!’” (Maupassant 34).

Practice Creating Links Link: Although Mme. Loisel thought that the necklace held significant value, in reality, it was worth only a fraction of what she thought, a mere 500 francs. Highlight where you see details from your answer, as well as from the quote in order to show a clear connection between the two.

The End! …or is it?