Formulating a more Formal Claim and Conveying Evidence Unit 2 – Argumentative Writing Literary Essays

Going back to your Claim 0 Crafting a more formal claim using a template… 0 A character is (a trait) because (reason A), (reason B), and (reason C). 0 A character is (this way)(with person A) and (person B). 0 A character is (this way) (in this situation) and (in that situation). 0 A character is (this way) and (that way) as a (role). 0 A character is (this way) at the start, (this way) in the middle, and (this way) at the end of the story.

Thesis – “Raymond’s Run” 0 Using a template 0 A character is (this way)(with person A) and (person B). 0 Thesis: Squeaky is fiercely protective of her brother, Raymond, and herself.

Conveying Evidence 0 Literary Essayists.. 0 Quote some parts of the text. 0 Story-tell other parts 0 Summarize yet other parts

Conveying Evidence 0 Literary Essayists.. 0 Quote evidence 0 Example: 0 Squeaky is fiercely protective of her brother, Raymond. We learn right away that Raymond is “not quite right in the head” and that all Squeaky has to do in life is “mind my brother Raymond,” which is enough. Another kid might crumble under the weight of looking after a brother with special needs, who is “subject to fits of fantasy” and who might dash into traffic after pigeons. But not Squeaky. She is Raymond’s biggest protector. During their strolls, she’s careful to keep him on the inside, near the buildings, when they walk down the street. And if “anybody has anything to say about his big head,” Squeaky tells us, “they have to come by me.”

Conveying Evidence 0 Literary Essayists.. 0 Story-tell some evidence 0 Example: 0 Squeaky is fiercely protective of her brother, Raymond; especially when they go for strolls. One day, when Squeaky and Raymond are on a walk down Broadway, Raymond on the inside of course, to keep him safe, they bump into Mary Louise, Gretchen, and Rosie. When Mary Louise tries to talk directly to Raymond, asking him what grade he is in, Squeaky snaps, “You got anything to say to my brother, you say it to me…”

Conveying Evidence 0 Literary Essayists.. 0 Summarizing 0 Example: 0 Squeaky is fiercely protective of her brother, Raymond. For example, when she describes how she practices her running exercises while going for strolls with her brother, she says she keeps Raymond on the inside, near the buildings. This is so that he doesn’t fall off of the curb into puddles in the gutter, or dash into the street, chasing the pigeons into the island in the center, upsetting the old people sitting there eating their lunches and reading the paper.

Today’s Goal: Think about and develop the “big idea” for an essay and develop a thesis statement. How to Write a Literary Essay about Character Think about the deep down, internal motivations Once you have an idea and some evidence, reread again, reread more of the text, reread more closely, and expect your original idea will change Try to generate an idea about the character that encompasses the whole character and the whole text. Search for the most compelling evidence that can support the claim, then add it to your essay like this: Quote some parts of the text. Story-tell other parts Summarize yet other parts

Writing Time 0 First, revise and rework your claim again! It’s always a process! 0 Collecting Evidence: 0 Should come from all parts of the story! 0 Find evidence that supports your thesis statement 0 Write short pieces (like the examples) where you practice quoting some evidence, summarizing other evidence, and re-telling a story of yet other evidence