Writing a Theme-Based Essay

Writing a Theme-Based Essay Based on To Kill a Mockingbird

A Theme-Based Essay Has • Thesis statement • Introductory paragraph • Body Paragraphs ( 7-9 sentences) - Topic sentence - Supporting Sentences and quotations - Concluding Sentence • Concluding Paragraph

Writing Thesis Statements • Make sure you know which theme will be used. • Be sure to have three examples of how this theme is illustrated in the text. • Use the following “formula” to write the thesis.

Formula for a Thesis Statement 1 illustrates the theme of 2 in 3 through the use of 4 , 5 , and 6 . 1. Author’s Name 2. Theme to be used 3. The title of the novel (underlined) 4-6. The three examples to be used to develop the thesis

Sample Thesis Statement Harper Lee illustrates the theme of hypocrisy in To Kill a Mockingbird through Aunt Alexandra’s assessment of families in Maycomb, Mrs. Meriwether and the Missionary Society meetings, and Miss Gates, Scout’s teacher.

A thesis statement is the last sentence in the introduction. • DO NOT write any of the following sentences in your essay: - In this paper I will …. - This paper will show you that …. - The purpose of this essay is to …

Writing an Introduction Sentence 1: Mention the author, the book, and some general statement about the plot of the book. Sentence 2: Write a sentence that sums up the plot. Sentence 3: Thee are many themes that the author develops throughout the story. Sentence 4: Some of these themes include … (list themes other than yours). Sentence 5: Thesis Statement (from slide 5)

Sample Introduction • Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a poignant story about Scout, her brother, Jem, and the trials they face growing up in Alabama in the 1930s. Scout and Jem learn many lessons about their town, their father, and themselves. There are many themes Harper Lee emphasizes in the novel. Some of these themes include loss of innocence, love, prejudice, and fairness. Harper lee develops the theme of hypocrisy in To Kill a Mockingbird through Aunt Alexandra’s assessment of families in Maycomb, Mrs. Meriwether and the Missionary Society meetings, and Miss Gates, Scout’s teacher.

How to write a body paragraph • Body paragraphs are composed of the following elements: • Topic Sentence • Supporting detail sentences (at least 3) • Quotations from the novel that prove the point. These should NOT be first or last in the paragraph. • A concluding sentence • A good body paragraph has 6-9 sentences.

Topic Sentence Transition ↓ • One way Harper Lee develops the theme of hypocrisy is through Aunt Alexandra, Scout’s aunt who comes to live with the Finch family during Tom Robinson’s trial.

Supporting Detail Sentences and Quotations from the novel • You want to mix these two elements together. Don’t put two quotations together. The purpose of Aunt Alexandra’s visit is to teach Scout how to be a lady. Upon her arrival in Maycomb, Alexandra explains to Scout, “We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence” (Lee 127). However, Scout does not want to learn how to be a lady. Alexandra also confuses Scout by her attitude toward people such as Walter Cunningham. She tells Scout that she should be “gracious to everybody” (127), but then says she should not invite Walter Jr. to their home because he is trash. Scout does not understand how anyone could be gracious and not invite someone home.

Concluding Sentence Aunt Alexandra’s views are indeed hypocritical, and Scout, though only eight years old, recognizes the hypocrisy.

A Complete BODY PARAGRAPH. One way Harper Lee develops the theme of hypocrisy is through Aunt Alexandra, Scout’s aunt who comes to live with the Finch family during Tom Robinson’s trial. The purpose of Aunt Alexandra’s visit is to teach Scout how to be a lady. Upon her arrival in Maycomb, Alexandra explains to Scout, “We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence” (Lee 127). However, Scout does not want to learn how to be a lady. Alexandra also confuses Scout by her attitude toward people such as Walter Cunningham. She tells Scout that she should be “gracious to everybody” (127), but then says she should not invite Walter Jr. to their home because he is trash. Scout does not understand how anyone could be gracious and not invite someone home. Aunt Alexandra’s views are indeed hypocritical, and Scout, though only eight years old, recognizes the hypocrisy.

Writing a Conclusion – The Big Finale • You will need the following elements in your conclusion paragraph: • Your thesis statement restated. • A quotation from the novel that supports the theme discussed (This should be the most compelling in proving the thesis.) • A re-stated statement from the first body paragraph. • A re-stated statement from the second body paragraph. • A re-stated statement from the third body paragraph. • A clincher that leaves the teacher dazzled! • Re-stated means different words to express the same idea.

Sample Conclusion Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird creates a vivid picture of the hypocrisy that exists in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, which is representative of many small Southern towns of that time. After Aunt Alexandra’s conversation with Jem and Scout about Walter Cunningham, Jem makes an insightful remark about Boo Radley, their neighbor, “I think I’m beginning to understand why Boo Radley’s shut up inside the house all this time…it’s because he wants to stay inside” (227). There might be some truth to Jem’s comment because Boo recognizes how hypocritical some of Maycomb’s folks are. Aunt Alexandra holds hypocritical views regarding family background. Mrs. Meriwether, along with the other ladies, shows her hypocritical side at the Missionary Society meetings. Scout recognizes Miss Gates as a hypocrite because she despises Hitler for persecuting the Jews, yet she feels the same toward the Negroes that Hitler feels toward the Jews. Lee strikes a sensitive nerve with the treatment of the theme of hypocrisy in her novel by showing that even children can recognize a hypocrite.

Common Mistakes • Stay in present tense – don’t change verb tenses. • Do not use first (I, we) or second person pronouns (you, your). • Do not use “generic” words like things – Be specific! • Proofread your paper for spelling, fragments, run-ons, and comma splices – Spell check and Grammar Check do not catch all mistakes. Try having someone else read the paper when you finish – but before the day to turn it in!

Writing a Theme-Based Essay