Intro Paragraph

1. Intro Paragraph • Your introduction should: • Catch reader’s attention: (anecdote, quote, provocative statement, etc.) • Set the stage for your reading audience by: • Establishing right away your central focus (power struggle, appeal to audiences from different social classes, gender dynamic, etc.) • Defining key terminology • Providing only necessary and relevant historical and social information • Move from this general introduction of central focus to specific and arguable thesis.

2. Thesis Building/Evaluation Tips • Your Thesis should: • Make arguable claim about specificrhetorical features of the passage • Establish a specific connection to some larger theme/issue of the play • For example, the somewhat tense relationship between Titania and Oberon • Use qualifiers to add specificity (ex: reluctant union) • Express Why it is important - an implicit or explicit “because” statement functions as the important “so what” element in your thesis statement • Begin with your interpretation of the TEXT and THEN (maybe) stage it - You may or may not choose to express HOW specific staging choices will make that interpretation clear in your thesis.

3. Things to Check/Avoid/Test • Is the thesis arguable (not making obvious claim) • Is the thesis descriptive, normative, or analytical/interpretive? • Is the thesis specific or does it refer to “other characters” or the play in general? • Underline the thesis subject and circle the thesis verb • If you see multiple subjects you have created a “List” Thesis (connection between list items becomes thesis – list items become intermediate claims) • If you direct your focus to the author (W.S.) or the reader (“we” “one”) then you might be falling prey to a fallacy of intention • Is the verb active? Is it interpretive? (rate these) • What is the difference between “is,” “shows,” “uses,” “demonstrates,” “underscores,” “undermines,” “implies…”

4. CEW Paragraphs – Claims/Evidence/Warrants • Every paragraph should have a transitional bridge • Each body paragraph asserts a specific Claim (mini-thesis) • Introduce the Evidence (integrate “rich” bites of textual evidence stylistically into your writing) • The Warrant is the interpretive meat of your supporting paragraph. It connects the claim to the evidence through explication – You explain HOW the words you quote SHOW your claim (in other words…you identify and explain the metaphor, how the diction functions: elicits anger, reluctance) • HOW: • Close read based on imagery (pay attention to words that evoke the senses or connote sensory experience) • Close read based on sound (pay attention to rhythm, rhyme and meter) • Close read based on figures of speech (how do similes function, what do metaphors represent) • Close read based on diction • Looking for more? On-line searchable AMSND