5-Paragraph Formal Review Essay

1. 5-Paragraph Formal Review Essay The Giver

2. Introduction • You need to start with an introduction that ends with a thesis statement that states your opinion of the book, either positive or negative. • Attention-getter • Connector • Thesis statement

3. Attention-getter • Reading has often been a “comfort object” in my life. • Imagine a world without color, pain, or feelings. • A favorite memory for me might contain a setting with family and love.

4. Connector • A recent book that I have just finished has forced me to look at my comfort object in a new light. • This type of world is reality for Jonas in a recent book I have just finished. • A recent book I have just finished shows a community that would not allow a scene like this to occur.

5. Thesis Statement • I did not enjoy Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver because it was a boring predictable, and vague novel about the future. • I enjoyed Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver because it was exciting, unpredictable, and scary. • I did not enjoy Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver because it is unrealistic, uneventful, and cruel.

6. Complete Introduction Imagine a world without color, pain, or feelings. This type of world is reality for Jonas in a recent book I have just finished. I enjoyed Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver because it was exciting, unpredictable, and scary.

7. Body Paragraphs • The body paragraphs need to include a beginning CLAIM that defends your position and has supporting details from the book (3). • ONE of these should have parenthetical documentation. • Each of these paragraphs should also have a CONCLUDING STATEMENT at the end telling the reader that you did your job. Transitions should include: clearly, therefore, or thus.

8. Claim with supports and concluding statementfor BODY PARAGRAPH #1 The novel was enjoyable because it was exciting. One example of this is when Jonas was skipped at the ceremony. “Jonas bowed his head…What had he done wrong” (Lowry 55)? Another example is when Jonas was selected as the new Receiver. A final example is when Jonas begins receiving all of the memories. Clearly, these examples show that the novel is exciting.

9. Claim with supports and concluding statementfor BODY PARAGRAPH #2 Another reason I liked the novel is because it was unpredictable. Lowry misled me as she made me think that Rosemary was the Giver’s love interest rather than his daughter. Yet another surprise is when Jonas finds out what release is. “ ‘He killed it! My father killed it!’ Jonas said to himself, stunned at what he was realizing” (Lowry 141). Finally, we are left at the conclusion of the novel wondering what happened as the ending allows the reader to develop their own ending. Hence, the above supports the fact that Lowry is unpredictable in her writing of the novel.

10. Claim with supports and concluding statementfor BODY PARAGRAPH #3 The final reason I enjoyed The Giver is because it was scary. One aspect of the novel that is frightening is that the community seems unaware of the outside world. The fact that love and the other emotions are nonexistent is bothersome. After Jonas asked his parents if they loved him, they responded in amazement. Lowry’s mother figure explains, “‘Your father means that you used a very generalized word, so meaningless that it’s become almost obsolete’” (120) Lastly,

11. the whole idea of release and the fact that people in the community are unaware of the true meaning of release troubled me. Therefore, I feel that the novel had some scary components.

12. Conclusion • The final paragraph in your formal review is your conclusion. The first sentence in the conclusion is restating your thesis. Here is an example: Lois Lowry has written an enjoyable novel by using an inspiring, sometimes inconsistent, and frightening plot to lure her readers.

13. Conclusion (continued) • The final two sentences are the connector and the clincher. Here is an example of what they look like – remember these are written in ONE complete paragraph, including the previous sentence above: Although Lowry’s novel allowed me to take a glimpse into a futuristic utopian society, I think I will continue to be happy with my present world. A world without color, pain, or feelings is a destination I would only visit occasionally.

14. Complete Conclusion Lois Lowry has written an enjoyable novel by using an inspiring, sometimes inconsistent, and frightening plot to lure her readers. Although Lowry’s novel allowed me to take a glimpse into a futuristic utopian society, I think I will continue to be happy with my present world. A world without color, pain, or feelings is a destination I would only visit occasionally.