Formal Literary Paragraph



Formal Literary Paragraph

Expository Paragraph: Explain & Analyze Using Formal Paragraph Structure

Purpose:

• To explain ideas or concepts

• To explain and analyze a topic (e.g. characterization, relationships between characters, symbol, theme, structure, etc.) in a work of literature

• Gets you ready for the literary essay next year!

Format: The formal literary paragraph follows a very specific formula, similar to that of the opinion essay.

|Ingredient |What Is It? |

|1. Topic Sentence |An introductory sentence |

| |Introduces the title and author of book, play, short story, poem or media text you are |

| |discussing. |

| |Introduces your paragraph’s focus or topic |

| |No more than 2-3 sentences |

|2. Point (P) |After your topic sentence, you will introduce your main argument (a.k.a. your ‘thesis’) to |

| |your reader |

| |Supports and explains the ideas you are focusing on or discussing in your paragraph |

| |IMPORTANT: Make sure you are not confusing an example with a point! A point is a argument |

| |or idea that is supported by a quotation or an example which acts as evidence to support your|

| |argument. |

|3. Evidence (E) |An example or quotation that helps prove your point. |

| |Must be specific, not general. |

| |Before the quotation, briefly remind the reader what is being proven, who is involved, and if|

| |it is dialogue, who is saying it. Example, “Generosity is shown when Mary shares her survival|

| |skills with Franklin Crabbe. This can be seen when Mary says, “Franklin, you need to know how|

| |to survive one day, if I am not around to guide you” (Bell, 23). |

| |You must cite the page reference for the quotation in your paragraph directly after the |

| |quotation (author, page)) |

|4. Explanation (E) |Explain what your quotations is saying or doing and how it is proving your point. |

| |IMPORTANT: Different people will interpret things differently, so you need to make sure you |

| |explain to your audience what your quotation shows and how your quotation proves your point! |

| |Take them through your thinking by explaining and analyzing step by step! |

| |Often it is useful to refer back to the quotation in your explanation (e.g. When Sarah says, |

| |“I’ll do it anyways” the fact that she is willing to face death, even though she admits she |

| |is scared, shows that she has developed a courage she did not have at the beginning of the |

| |novel. |

|5. Concluding Sentence |This is the last sentence of your paragraph and re-states the three main points you’ve made |

| |Sums up your paragraph. |

| |No new information is introduced in your conclusion. Simply restate your argument to remind |

| |your reader of the argument you have proven. |

|6. Transitions |Use transition words to help guide your reader |

| |Helps writing flow and move from one idea to the next. |

| |Refer to list given during the Narrative paragraph assignment earlier in the course (eg. |

| |First, Next, Later, Then, Finally, However, Before, After, Eventually, Whereas, However, |

| |etc.) |

LIKE AN OPINION ESSAY, A GOOD LITERARY PARAGRAPH HAS 3 P.E.E.s PER PARAGRAPH! (Point Evidence Explanation and analysis (not just summary)).

Conventions for Formal Paragraphs (These are important!)

1. No contractions (e.g. Don’t, won’t, can’t). Instead use, ‘Do not’, “will not”, “cannot.”

2. No slang or colloquial language (e.g. not “kids”, children; not “he kicks the bucket”, he died)

3. Write in the present tense (like the action is just happening), not past tense. Example: Correct: When Crabbe runs away, one can see he is frustrated by life, parents and school. Incorrect: When Crabbe ran away, we saw how he was frustrated by life, parents and school.

4. Typed in Times New Roman, size 12 font.

5. Properly paragraphed using the exemplar (model paragraph) shown to you in class. (Administrative details (your name, my name, course code, date) placed top left; Title of the Assignment centred, Original title of your own, centred on the page. Indent to show the beginning of a new paragraph. A works cited/bibliography must be included.)

A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPINION ESSAY AND A LITERARY PARAGRAPH IS THAT THE TOPIC SENTENCE AND CONCLUSION ARE SHORT SENTENCES WITHIN THE PARAGRAPH, NOT PARAGRAPHS.

Whose Line Is It Anyways?

Incorporating Quotations in Your Expository Paragraph

Quotations are an important source of evidence in an expository paragraph. Using them shows you reader that you know and understand the text about which you are making your argument, and helps make that argument stronger and more convincing. There is, however, a certain procedure that one must follow when incorporating them.

1. Short Quotations: _______________________________________ of type when typed out

i) Put “ ” quotation marks around your quotation

ii) Insert the line of text (narration or dialogue) from the book.

iii) Put the page reference in brackets, after the quotation

(author, page).

iv) Periods or commas come after the citation!

a) When introducing a short quotation in a sentence, to prove a point, or to introduce a list, use a colon:

e.g. When Marley finds out her sister Victoria has revealed her secret, she is very angry: “I can’t believe you told! I will never forgive you!” (Smith, 44).

b) When incorporating a short quotation, as part of sentence, use a comma:

e.g. At this point, Frank approaches the prison guard from behind and whispers, “You’d better watch out. I never forget” (Jones, 25).

2. Long Quotations: More than 4-5 sentences when typed out.

i. End your sentence with ellipses (…) even if it is not a complete sentence.

ii. ____________________________ put quotation marks around your quotation

iii. Indent and Align the entire quotation, or ‘block’ the quotation in from the margin.

iv. Remember to cite your source with a page reference.

e.g. Shortly after arriving back at the cabin, Susan demonstrates her anger and suspicion of David when she tells him:

I can’t believe you did this to me! Why did you say that you would meet me at 10 o’clock, when you never planned on showing up at all! Did you hear Raymond was killed last night? Didn’t you get into an argument with him yesterday? (Martin, 395).

3. Giving Your Quotations Some Context

It’s important that you don’t just throw your quotation into your paragraph. While your reader is familiar with the plot of the story, you still need to give your audience a little reminder of what is happening around the quotation you have chosen.

Always introduce the speaker of every quotation. Tell your reader who is talking , provide context and tell the reader how and why something is happening. What does the quotation show? What are you trying to illustrate for your reader? Be clear, concise and correct in your argument, language and content.

e.g. In the story, the narrator makes sentimental references to a juggler who visited her village when she was younger. She tells her granddaughter, “My juggler . . .” (Tan, 24)

4. Works Cited

On a separate page, titled Works Cited, list the book(s) or other sources that you used or referred to while writing your paragraph. The format should be as follows:

Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place Published: Publisher, Date Published. Print or Ebook.

McCool, Fintain. The Big Book of Little Things That Drove Me Crazy. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2010. Print.

Scaffold / Organizer Must be Completed and Attached to your Good Copy.

Topic:

Topic Sentence:

Main Argument:

Point#1

Proof for Point #1

Evidence: Quotation or Example

Explain & Analyze the Evidence & show how it relates back to your Point:

Point#2

Proof for Point #2

Evidence: Quotation or Example

Explain & Analyze the Evidence & show how it relates back to your Point:

Point#3

Proof for Point #3

Evidence: Quotation or Example

Explain & Analyze the Evidence & show how it relates back to your Point:

Concluding Sentence: (Restate your Main Argument)

Works Cited:

Next, type all of this information up into a paragraph, using the Formal Literary Paragraph Format taught in class.

Janet Smith

Ms. Bristow

ENG1D1

May 20, 2012

Formal Literary Paragraph

The Characterization of Franklin Crabbe

Begin by indenting your paragraph (only once) to show the start of a new paragraph.

Introduce the author and title of the book you will be discussing. Next, begin with

Your topic sentence. Introduce your topic, followed by your main argument. In this

Case it would be an argument about the character traits that define Franklin Crabbe.

Next introduce the three points you will make to extend your argument. For example,

Perhaps Crabbe is frustrated, loyal and persevering. Next, identify each point (trait),

Followed by your proof and explanation/analysis for each point (3 points, proofs

and comments). Finally, wrap up your arguments and explanations by restating your

main argument in your concluding sentence, to remind the reader what you’ve been

arguing and to confirm that what you’ve argued confirms your main argument. Do this

within one to two sentences as this is a paragraph and not an essay.

Works Cited

Author Last Name, First. Title of Book. City of Publication: Publisher, Date. Print.

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