1. From Assertion to Topic Sentence
Sample thesis:
Written by Harper Lee in 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird is considered a classic of American literature because of its dynamic and relatable characters, its apparent and important symbolism, and its vivid and interesting use of language to tell a story.
These three assertions need to be developed into topic sentences with specific ideas.

2. From Assertion to Topic Sentence
Assertion: “. . . dynamic and relatable characters”
Possible topic sentences:
One way that Harper Lee has crafted a masterpiece is through her invention of characters like Scout, a character who is relatable because of change from innocence to awareness.
Dill is just one example of a character who is both dynamic and relatable; his perspective on racism changes during the trial, yet he never loses his spirit of adventure.

3. From Assertion to Topic Sentence
Assertion: “. . . apparent and important symbolism”
Possible Topic Sentences:
Lee’s most apparent and significant symbol is the mockingbird; it comes to represent many characters in the book, including Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.
The mockingbird is the most apparent and important symbol in the novel; it symbolizes Tom Robinson and contributes to the lessons against racism that Lee teaches in the book.

4. From Assertion to Topic Sentence
Assertion: “ vivid and interesting use of language to tell a story”
Possible Topic Sentences:
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses imagery to describe the setting in a way that engages the reader.
Lee uses literary devices like metaphors and similes to interest the reader and create a vivid picture of the setting of the novel.

5. Sample Body Paragraph
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses imagery to describe the setting in a way that engages the reader. The reader first gets a description of Maycomb, Alabama in chapter one of the book. In this description of the small southern town, Lee uses imagery to create a vivid image of the town in the reader’s mind. Instead of simply saying, “The town was run-down,” Lee says, “In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square” (Lee 6). Using descriptive phrases like “red slop” and “sagged” helps the reader visualize the old, run-down town. In Scout, Atticus & Boo, author Wally Lamb agrees. He says that Lee’s description is “a one-paragraph course on writing, those tactile sensations, that’s real writing. That’s literature” (Murphy 17). Lamb is saying that Lee’s vivid descriptions should be models for other writers who want to create “literature” that is great. He also describes the imagery Lee uses as “gorgeous” (Murphy 16). Clearly, Lee’s use of imagery helps create a vivid picture of the town of Maycomb which is essential to the reader’s understanding of the story.

6. Works Cited Entries
McDonagh Murphy, Mary. Scout, Atticus & Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Harper Collins, Print.