1. The Interpretive Essay
Writing an Introduction

2. The Intro
The introduction paragraph in an essay of literary analysis functions as follows:
It focuses the reader’s attention on the topic and arouses curiosity for the reader about what you, as the writer, have to say.
It specifies your subject and implies your attitude and tone.
It provides background necessary to understand the thesis statement.
It comes to a point with the thesis statement which presents the writer’s specific argument.

3. Intro Structure
1. Opening Strategy: Begin with a general statement related to the topic (1-3 sentences)
2. TAG: Title, author, genre
3. Context/Background: Who? What? Where? When? (e.g., character, plot, setting) (2-3 sentences)
4. Thesis: What are you going to prove? How are you going to prove it?

4. Crafting an Opening Strategy
Opening Strategies are the introductory parts of each essay that aim to grab the reader’s attention. There are many types of opening strategies. The following list provides examples of possible opening strategies. As is always the case, make sure to check with your teacher as to which are acceptable in each class.

5. Examples of Opening Strategies
Begin with a broad, general statement of your topic and narrow it down to your thesis statement.
At the root of childhood innocence is an ignorance that often obscures the harshness of reality.

6. Examples of Opening Strategies
Start with an idea or situation that is the opposite of the perspective you will develop.
Many have said that ignorance is bliss.

7. Examples of Opening Strategies
Introduce a relevant incident or brief story; you may connect to a historical event, an anecdote or analogy, or the author’s personal experiences.
The Great Depression was a devastating event for thousands of Americans, and children were often forced to grow up very quickly. 

8. Examples of Opening Strategies
Use a quotation.
Albert Camus once said “Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the essence of being.”

9. Examples of Opening Strategies
Begin with an interesting fact or statistic. “More than 16 million children in the United States—22 percent of all children—live in families with income levels below the federal poverty level” (nccp.org).

10. What NOT to do for Opening Strategies
Cliché statements: “Webster’s dictionary defines friendship as …”
First person point of view: “In this essay, I will show…”
Rhetorical questions: “Have you ever wondered what would happen…”
Broad generalizations: “Symbolism is a powerful tool used in literature…”

11. What NOT to do for Opening Strategies
Mere plot summary, or irrelevant historical or biographical information
Most attempts at humor, cleverness, or sarcasm
Apologies: “Even for an expert in literature who is an avid reader, analyzing character change would be a daunting task. The story is so difficult to read it is overwhelming…”
Reference to the process of reading: “After turning the pages, the reader begins to feel a part of the world of…”

12. Sample Intro
At the root of childhood innocence is an ignorance that often hides the harshness of reality. (1) In the short story “Marigolds” by Eugenia W. Collier, a young protagonist, Lizabeth, has to confront the hopelessness that exists in her poverty-stricken, Depression-Era shantytown. (2) As a fourteen-year-old she is unaware of the severity of her situation until the beauty of Miss Lottie’s marigolds provokes an extreme reaction, which makes her aware of the suffering of other people. (3) Amidst her destructive, violent outbursts, Lizabeth changes from an ignorant, selfish child to an insightful, compassionate woman, demonstrating that a loss of innocence may result in a greater understanding of human suffering and a deeper level of empathy. (4)

13. Numbered Breakdown of the Sample Intro
(1) Opening Strategy: A broad statement related to the central topic
(2) TAG: includes title of the story, author, and genre, with transition from hook.
(3) This section provides background information regarding the story, including the introduction of the main characters, the basic plot, and the conflict in relation to the question of the prompt – note the movement from general to specific in terms of relevant details.
(4) This last sentence gives the thesis, as crafted previously, with transition and flow from previous statements. (It may also include the forecast of the paragraphs that will follow in the essay response, if required by the teacher.)