Essay Design What you need to put in your essay

Introductory Paragraph First sentence: a general lead in: –‘Crises have a tendency to expose one’s true self.’ Touches on the subject or theme of the passage/poem, and leads to the - Thesis statement –‘In this passage from Tom Jones, Henry Fielding creates two distinct characters using diction, detail and irony.’

Body Paragraphs Should start with an active voice. Use the author’s name (full name) and an action verb (utilizes; employs,etc.), followed by the device you’re exploring and a hint at the prompt. Henry Fielding employs diction to display the differences between the characters Allworthy and Wilkens.

Body Paragraph (cont.) Do not use ‘for example’; ‘firstly’; ‘another example’… The reader will know these are examples (they have quotation marks around them). Now it is time to weave in the examples.

Body Paragraph (cont.) Weaving examples requires three things from you: 1.That you find examples 2.That you can understand the examples and their context 3.That you can write coherent sentences Here is a way to weave in your examples.

Body Paragraph (cont.) You are simply creating the same commentary you normally would, yet you are inserting into it single words, or very short phrases. Fielding’s Mr. Allworthy is “touched” with “compassion” for the “little wretch” before him. As kindness is “ascendant” in his character, he is the foil of Ms. Wilkins who sees only a “misbegotten wretch” produced by a “hussy” who should be “wip’t at the cart’s tail.”

Time to move on to the next paragraph. If a transitional sentence comes easily, great. If not, simply use the author’s name again and a verb (furthers, sustains, continues, etc) followed by an article or pronoun, (a, the, his, etc.), whatever is being asked in the prompt, add an adverb (through, utilizing, etc.) and then the device explored the next paragraph. ‘Fielding continues to delineate these characters through vivid sensory detail.’

Body Paragraph (cont.) Repeat the dance in two more paragraphs…

Conclusion Begin with a general sentence about the subject of the prompt. Change up the thesis statement so that it: Mentions the rhetorical devices you explored Doesn’t sound ‘re-hashed’ ‘Fielding contrasts the noble Mr. Allworthy and the repellant Mrs. Wilkens through his use of diction, detail and irony.’ Exit with a general statement or a quote if you have one (quote, quip or quit). Now you have an essay you can love…

Contact me If you would like the MS Word docs of the text and the Tom Jones Prompt, me at and I will be happy to send them along at no