Like Water for Chocolate By: Laura Esquivel

Components of a Body Paragraph Look over model paragraph 1. What is the purpose of each sentence in the paragraph? What do the sentences all have in common? How can we follow this template in our essay writing?

Topic Sentence TOPs (Topic Sentence) is the main idea of the paragraph (not a detail) and the reason why your argument matters (So what?) The TOPs is one sentence in length It is the first sentence of a body paragraph It is the interpretation or argument that the entire paragraph will focus on

Developing Idea The TOPs is followed by a developing idea. The developing idea develops the TOPs. It further expands on the idea in the TOPs The developing idea is 2-3 sentences immediately following the TOPs. Answers How and Why questions about your TOPs

Example and Qutoation Example from story- The example illustrates the TOPs in 1-2 sentences. Quotation- Quotations are taken from the text and cited properly. They are integrated into the example. Quotations provide PROOF of the argument or interpretation. 1-3 sentences

Inference or Analysis of Quotation Inference or Analysis of the Quotation- An analysis of the quote in relation to the TOPs. It is NOT a summary, it is an analysis. How does the quote connect to/prove your argument 2-4 sentences

Conclusion The conclusion is the final sentence of the body paragraph. It is NOT a recap of the paragraph. The conclusion interconnects the main idea of the paragraph with the “so whatness”? The conclusion illustrates the significance and consequences of your idea.