Essay Writing Worksheet

Essay Writing Worksheet

Adapted from: A Method for Writing Essays about Literature

• Preparation: read the literary text 4-5 times

Is it informative?        Does it provide a clear idea of essay’s subject?

Title                 ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________   

1. Title of story                                                        [pic 1]
2. Author of the text                                                [pic 2]
3. Focus of the essay                                                [pic 3]

Introduction        

Identify a main conflict

What does the conflict represent?

Step 1                ______________________________________________________________

                ______________________________________________________________

What is represented by the resolution of the conflict?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

1. Title of the work being discussed                                [pic 4]
2. Author                                                                [pic 5]
3. Abstract topic                                                [pic 6]

Simply state, briefly and without quoting what evidence the essay will analyze

Step 2                ______________________________________________________________

                ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

1. Preview evidence the essay will focus on                [pic 7]

• Without quoting from text                                         [pic 8]
• Without beginning the argument                                [pic 9]

State what is important about the evidence that connects it to the theme

Step 3                ______________________________________________________________

                ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

1. Links and connects the evidence to the theme                [pic 10]

Thesis A)        Conclude with an effective thesis statement that identifies a theme*

What is theme?         An idea expressed by the text        

OR

An argument that the text implies        

Step 4                ______________________________________________________________

                ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

What is the theme of the story?

1. A theme is an idea about the world                [pic 11]
2. The idea is expressed by the literary text         [pic 12]
3. The idea expressed by the text is a truth of
   general importance to people                        [pic 13]

“Unable to assume control or influence the people, things and events he holds responsible for his feelings of angst, Nathan Shapiro hangs on ever more tightly to people, things and events – it is this inclination that is the original problem; unaware or unwilling to accept that all things are subject to flux and change, and that it is the fleeting nature of life and childhood that makes it so sweet.”