Expository Writing

1. Expository Writing

2. Bellwork: • Describe a time when you have explained something very well ( in a class/ to a friend/to a family member/ in a video game/ etc). What was the situation? What were you explaining and to whom? What was the result of your explanation? • 7-10 Sentences!

3. What is Expository Writing? • expository essay – an essay that gives information or explains something real. • Comes form the word meaning: • “explain” (to make plain; define), which comes from: • the prefix ex- (meaning outside) • plus the base word for the Latin verb (to make clear).

4. Elements of Expository Writing • It’s purpose is to share information with the reader. • It often includes facts about real people and events. • The information is usually presented in a straightforward way. • It may be organized by topics and sometimes includes headers.

5. Elements cont. • It may include diagrams, photographs, maps, graphs or illustrations to hope the reader understand the subject better. • The factual information can be checked by referring to other sources. • ITS PURPOSE IS TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING.

6. How to write an expository essay: The Steps • 1. you will be given a topic to write about. This will be your main topic for the essay. • 2. You investigate the topic. ( We will be reading an article together in just a minute). • 3. You decide what sub-topics ( remember back to thesis statements…) are important to include as an explanation of your topic. These will become the basis for your body paragraphs. • 4. You write your essay explaining the main topic.

7. Your Topic choices: • 1. How has “The Crucible” had an impact on different individuals in different decades and societies of the World?  (sequential approach) • 2. What were Arthur Miller’s reasons for writing “The Crucible?” (cause and effect)  • 3. What is “The Crucible” and what impact has it had? (description approach)

8. The Cause-Effect Essay A cause is the condition, situation, or event that makes something occur. The result of that cause is called its effect. A cause-effect essay explores the link between one or more causes and the effect(s). The Cause-Effect Chain Cause A Burned infant did not respond to treatment. Effect A and Cause B Social workers were called in Effect B and Cause C Hospital creates new plan of treatment Final Effect Infant responded to treatment

9. The other choices: • Descriptive: • A descriptive essay explains based on sub-topics • Think of three sub-topics and explain each one • Sequential essay: • Explains the topic in chronological order • You would focus on explaining the impact of the Crucible based on the order of events in history

10. Let’s investigate: • As we read, I want you to: • Highlight Key things you learn about the Crucible and why it was written. • You will be using this as a source in your essay, so be sure to annotate it as we read.

11. Homework: • Decide which question you want to answer for your expository essay. • Then: 1. Using the article we read today, make a list of quotes from the article that answer your question.

12. Bellwork November 5th: • Today, we will be doing another quick write. The goal of a quick write is to write without stopping for the time allotted to you. Do not worry about grammar or ‘being perfect’ in your writing. Simply, do not take your pen/pencil off of the paper until I say to do so. • You may write about anything that comes to mind for the phrase: • It was the moment I had dreaded for two weeks. The moment when…. • Take out your homework and put it on the corner of your desk for me to check as you write.

13. More on the Expo Essay: • Take out your homework and a sheet of paper • Let’s review your Gist statements ( ask any questions you have about the article at this time).

14. Prewrite 1: • Put the question you are answering in the middle of a bubble map. • Bubble the answers that you came up with from the article on the outside of the bubble. • Be ready to talk about your answers.

15. The Expository Introduction: • Start with a hook/attention getter • Use options from the list I gave you for the last essay ( interesting statement/ interesting quotation/ anecdote/ rhetorical question) • Be sure to relate it to the question you will be answering in your expo essay

16. Example: • Rhetorical Question: Readers across generations have been captivated by the robust and relatable themes within the Crucible; but this begs the question, what inspired Arthur Miller to write such an account of the Salem Witch Trials of the 1700’s? • Statement: Literature has the power to influence its readers in a powerful way.

17. Give Needed Context: • Provide the information the reader will need to understand the topic • You should give background on: • If you are writing about the impact of the play: • The plot/ themes of the Crucible • If you are writing about why he wrote the play: • The Cold War ( the 1950’s history) • Limit your Context to 5-7 sentences or less.

18. Example One: ( Why he wrote) • Readers across generations have been captivated by the robust and relatable themes within the Crucible; but this begs the question, what inspired Arthur Miller to write such an account of the Salem Witch Trials of the 1700’s? The political climate that surrounded the writing of the Crucible was unique in that it was a time dominated by fear. The fear of communist loyalists within America was enhanced by the rise of Communist leaders in the global landscape after World War II and the threat of the atomic bomb. This epedemic fear led to the creation of the play.

19. Example Two: ( Impact) • Literature has the power to influence its readers in a powerful way. The Crucible is a story capable of such influence that spans beyond its own context and generation. It is a story of the power of fear that can grip societies and a warning about the consequences of acting on such irrational fear. It is a story of love and lust and moral righteousness in such situations. It is a story that touches readers due to these themes based in the roots of all humanity.

20. Thesis Statement • State your arguable position on the topic that you will support with evidence in your body paragraphs. • Remember, the thesis needs to include two main things: • You general position ( in this case, the answer to the question) • Your subtopics ( the three answers to your question)

21. Example: • Arthur Miller wrote the critically acclaimed play, The Crucible,as a safe way to speak out against the McCarthy Trials of the 1950’s, an attempt to warn about the effects of irrational fear within society, and as an opportunity to use and update language from the 1700’s.

22. Example Two: • Since the critically acclaimed play, The Crucible, was written it has had a monumental impact on people who have read or watched it such as the people of the 1950’s who could not speak out against the McCarthy Trials,the residents in Latin America where unfair regimes dominate politics, the Chinese citizens who suffered during the revolution, and has the ability to impact future generations of people as well.

23. Intro Review • Hook • Context • Thesis Statement • Begin writing your rough draft intro now. Typed intro due tomorrow.

24. Bellwork November 6th:

25. Body Paragraphs: • Get out your notes on Intros and add this to it.

26. Topic Sentence • Provide the main idea of the paragraph • It should be utterly clear what the paragraph is going to be about • Ex: The first reason that Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible was to speak out against the leaders of the McCarthy Trials of the 1950’s.

27. Supporting Evidence • Include specific textual evidence: • cited quotes from the article • paraphrases or summary of the article • Be sure to cite page numbers of the information you use. • Do not simply start a sentence with quotes • You must always use a transition to lead in a quote • Ex: • For example, Arthur Miller says, • In addition, He says,

28. Example • The first reason that Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible was to speak out against the leaders of the McCarthy Trials of the 1950’s. Arthur Miller sates that writing the Crucible was “an act of desperation” ( 1). He goes on to say, “ nobody but a fanatic, it seemed, could say all that he believed” ( 1).

29. Analysis • Explain to the reader the significance of the evidence you have provided. Think about why you chose to include it. • How does the piece of evidence support your thesis and answer the question?

30. Example: • The first reason that Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible was to speak out against the leaders of the McCarthy Trials of the 1950’s. Arthur Miller sates that writing the Crucible was “an act of desperation” ( 1). He goes on to say, “ nobody but a fanatic, it seemed, could say all that he believed” ( 1). He expresses in these quotes the feeling of helplessness that surrounded the time period in which he was living. The Crucible was his attempt to move forward and say what he believed about the McCarthy Trials that were being held at the time in a way that would be somewhat more socially acceptable.

31. Add more evidence and analysis: • Each body paragraph should have at least two quotes/ paraphrases from the article as support. • Each quote/paraphrase should be analyzed in your own words.

32. Example: • The first reason that Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible was to speak out against the leaders of the McCarthy Trials of the 1950’s. Arthur Miller sates that writing the Crucible was “an act of desperation” ( 1). He goes on to say, “ nobody but a fanatic, it seemed, could say all that he believed” ( 1). He expresses in these quotes the feeling of helplessness that surrounded the time period in which he was living. The Crucible was his attempt to move forward and say what he believed about the McCarthy Trials that were being held at the time in a way that would be somewhat more socially acceptable and less condemning. In addition, Miller says, “ In those years, our thought processes were becoming so magical, so paranoid, that to imagine writing a play about this environment was like trying to pick one’s teeth with a ball of wool; I lacked the tools, yet I kept being drawn back to it” ( 2). He goes on to state in regard to the Salem Witch trials, “ … I knew that I had to write about the period” ( 2). The Salem trials offered Miller a safe way to speak out about the issues of his time. He was able to express his dissatisfaction with the courts without being labeled a “fanatic” (1).

33. Transition Sentence • End with a transition sentence to the next subtopic. • Connect each paragraph with a sentence or two that demonstrate show each idea leads into the next, and how they work together to support your position.

34. The first reason that Arthur Miller wrote the Crucible was to speak out against the leaders of the McCarthy Trials of the 1950’s. Arthur Miller sates that writing the Crucible was “an act of desperation” ( 1). He goes on to say, “ nobody but a fanatic, it seemed, could say all that he believed” ( 1). He expresses in these quotes the feeling of helplessness that surrounded the time period in which he was living. The Crucible was his attempt to move forward and say what he believed about the McCarthy Trials that were being held at the time in a way that would be somewhat more socially acceptable and less condemning. In addition, Miller says, “ In those years, our thought processes were becoming so magical, so paranoid, that to imagine writing a play about this environment was like trying to pick one’s teeth with a ball of wool; I lacked the tools, yet I kept being drawn back to it” ( 2). He goes on to state in regard to the Salem Witch trials, “ … I knew that I had to write about the period” ( 2). The Salem trials offered Miller a safe way to speak out about the issues of his time. He was able to express his dissatisfaction with the courts without being labeled a “fanatic” (1). Miller wrote the Crucible in direct opposition the the McCarthy Trials of his time, but also as a response to his own failing marriage.

35. Summary of Body Paragraphs: • Topic Sentence • Evidence ( quote/paraphrase) • Analysis ( explain the quote) • Evidence ( quote/paraphrase) • Analysis ( explain the quote) • Transition sentence to next idea

36. Conclusion • Restate the thesis in different words • End with a “wow” • Bring the ideas more general ( how literature is important/ why it is written) • discuss future impacts the Crucible might have on readers and the world

37. Example: • Arthur Miller wrote a play entitled The Crucible as a response to the political atmosphere of fear in the 1950’s, as a response to his guilt about his own failing marriage, and as a chance to use language from the 1700’s in a modern way. The Crucible responded to all of these issues with amazing power and still has the power to impact future generations in powerful ways. Miller himself says, “ the film, by reaching the broad American audience as no play ever can, may well unearth other connections to those buried public terrors that Salem first announced on this continent” ( 4). Future generations will continue to connect to this powerful work of American Literature.