Essay DesignWhat 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 examples2. That you can understand the examples

and their context3. 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.”

Body Paragraph (cont.)• 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, e-mail me at docgreen2004@hotmail.com and I will be happy to send them along at no charge.