Research Paper

1. Body Paragraph Sentence Breakdowns Research Paper

2. Body Paragraph • Sentence 1: Topic • Mention theme to analyze and how you are going to prove it’s in the work – through a character, setting, literary device. • Ex:Although the various characters seem to be distinctly different, Tom possesses a major flaw that impacts the lives of other characters. • Sentence 2: analysis • Explain what you mean in the first sentence • Ex:Some of Fitzgerald’s characters contain faults that may ultimately lead to self-destruction, but Tom’s persona and choices lead to others’ ruin.

3. First body paragraph – cont’d • Sentence 3 – quote – use a lead-in (see handout in notebook) • EX:Tom’s physical description shows how an overbearing character controls and intimidates others: “Two shining, arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward” (Fitzgerald 11). • Sentence 4 – Respond to the quote • I believe that this quote is important because it shows that…Tom’s physical attributes clearly outweigh his intellectual ones, and he will play a role of the bully. • We will remove this terrible introductory phrase later. Your essay should only have the dark blue portion.

4. Sentence 5 – Include quote from your critic • EX:Critic Sam Houston agrees when he writes, “xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx” (n. pag.). • Sentence 6 – A reaction to the critic’s quote. • This critic’s statement relates to my topic because… Tom’s behavior, along with the decisions that Daisy makes, will be the ultimate downfall of Gatsby, and that shows the extreme level of their caustic selfishness. • We will remove this horrible introductory phrase later. Your essay should contain ONLY the light blue part. • Make this a compound- complex sentence – see next slide • Sentence 7- Sentence – Wrap it up • EX: Fitzgerald presents Tom as a selfish, self-absorbed “hulk” of a man living in past athletic glories, but with the loss of that fame, he chooses to manifest his power through intimidation and bullying; but, Gatsby’s flaws lead to the destruction of himself and his dream. • Use an SAT vocabulary word in this sentence

5. Compound/Complex SentencesAlthough Jimmy Cross fights for his men’s lives, hebegins to doubt his own existence, and hedreams of a life worth living. Dependent clause 2 Independent clauses=compound sentence All together = compound-complex Your writing reaches a new level of sophistication

6. Gale Reference Citation Shayon, Robert Lewis. "The Interplanetary Spock." Saturday Review 17 June 1967: 46. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Sharon R. Gunton. Vol. 17. Detroit: Gale, 1981. 403. Literature Criticism Online. Web. 1 Mar. 2010.

7. Editing – this is for your writing ONLY – leave the quotes alone. • No • 1st person: I, me, we, our, us • 2nd person: you, your, yours • Remove all phrases – draw a line through it. • “This supports my thesis…” • “This quote relates to my topic because…” • (parentheses) around prepositional phrases • Change AT LEAST 3 to adjectives or adverbs • Circle ALL verbs • Change to present tense • No –ed verbs • No –ing verbs (i.e. IS CRYING – change to CRIES) • Underline “to be” verbs • Change 5 to action verb: may need to rewrite • “person that” change – “person who”

8. 1. Very broad general statement about your idea/theme from the literature as it relates to real life. NO mention of book, author, character or other aspect of the novel. 2. Mention your writer’s name, a brief description (two or three words), the characters and how they relate to the previous sentence (the general statement about life). Name the novel 3-4. Give a brief description of the characters you are analyzing and who they are and what happens to them in life in general. Explain some part of their lives that relates to the first two sentences. 5. What point are you trying to make? Connect all of the previous information to what it is you want a reader to see in your character: loss, change, improvement, growing up, stays the same, etc. Introduction Paragraph The claim should be debatable Claim: Include your writer’s last name, theme you are analyzing, and characters you will be using – this says, “Here’s what my entire essay is about.”

9. Second Sample Paragraph

10. When someone speaks, you use single inside the double. “As they traveled down the dirt road, Lennie said to George, ‘I like my beans with ketchup.’ George kicked the dirt in anger” (Steinbeck 13). Quotation marks

11. (to the house) (inside a red car) (for the right reason) I gave the money (to a friend) (of my brother.) this is an adjective phrase – answers which friend. I gave the money tomy brother’s friend I got rid of small words like a of Identify prepositional phrases

12. Sentence 3 – Next topic: Daisy • Example: Daisy’s lives in a dream world, so she breaks others and leaves their lives scattered as she seeks the safety and security that she may never find, her elusive dream. • Sentence 4 – Summarize what happens in the end – Why should we care? What point are you trying to make? This is related to sentence 5 of the Introduction • Example: Not only do Gatsby and Daisy never achieve their dreams, life forgets them and progresses on as before in the insulated world of the rich who already have their dreams. Conclusion – con’t

13. Sentence 1 – – Restate the thesis statement • See the first sentence of the sample essay • Example: Gatsby believes that he is working toward his dream that includes Daisy, but Daisy becomes the obstacle when she only takes care of herself, not caring what happens to Gatsby. • Sentence 2 and 3- write one sentence about each of your different body paragraphs – address each topic in your claim • Example: Reaching that American dream consumes Gatsby, and he dies trying to achieve it, but he offered the largest sacrifice for that dream of Daisy by accepting her responsibility. Conclusion

14. Sentence 1: Topic • Mention character and theme to analyze • Ex: While most characters struggle to find a place to fit in, Jay Gatsby fights to discover and keep the American dream and find happiness with his love, Daisy Buchanan. • Sentence 2: analysis • Explain what you mean in the first sentence • Ex: Gatsby’s personal version of the dream seems simple, but his ultimate American dream consists of success and contentment for him, but Daisy symbolizes the obstacle. Body Paragraph

15. Sentence 3 – quote • Copy one of your quotes from the worksheet. • Include lead-in and parenthetical documentation • As they argue about the future, Daisy says to Gatsby, ‘“Oh, you want too much. I love you now, isn’t that enough’” (Fitzgerald 34). • Daisy’s reaction to her lost love shows how desperate she is to share Gatsby’s dream: ‘“She began to cry – she cried and cried”’ (Fitzgerald 81). • Sentence 4 – Respond to the quote • I believe that this quote is important because it shows why…, and it explains how… • Use only as an introduction to your thoughts…delete from essay after you finish the statement… • This is from the right column of the worksheet – Use your response to form more formal writing. Example: Even though he has other dreams, Gatsby’s drive to recover the past and his love of Daisy takes over his life, but Daisy destroys that dream with her inability to make a choice. Body Paragraph – cont’d

16. Sentence 5 – A critic quote to support your analysis • Use a lead-in and parenthetical documentation • Ex: Critic James Fisher says, “Daisy and Gatsby struggle to find a place in life, but their dreams are destroyed by their destructive and illegal actions” (n. pag.). • Ex:The American dream is elusive to so many characters in literature, but “Daisy and Gatsby struggle to find a place in life, but their dreams are destroyed by their destructive and illegal actions” (Fisher n. pag.). • Sentence 6 – response to the critic’s quote • This is from the right column of the worksheet – Use your response to form more formal writing. • Use only as an introduction to your thoughts…delete from essay after you finish the statement… • This critic’s quote supports my analysis because it shows how… Gatsby and Daisy have control over their own dreams and future, but they cannot use better judgment to ensure that those dreams happen, and they destroy their futures and lives because of it.

17. Body Paragraph – finished • Sentence 7– Wrap it up and hint at what is coming in the next body paragraph. • Ex: Gatsby still loves Daisy even though she can’t leave her husband’s money and protection, and Gatsby loses his ability to achieve his American dream; however, Daisy still lives out her dream as she runs away with her husband.

18. Explain what is coming in the paper – name the theme and the characters • Ex: Fitzgerald shows how Gatsby and Daisy miss out on their version of the American dream when they are younger; but, as they constantly look for it again years later, they cannot grasp it. Claim – must be able to argue itThat’s why it’s called a claim:Your claim is your opinion