Essay Outline for "The Sniper"

Outline for “The Sniper” Essay

Opening Paragraph:

1. Must include title (with quotation marks) and the name of the author

2. Must include a thesis statement
3. Briefly summarize the story  (no more than one to three sentences)

4. One sentence each to show what each paragraph is going to be about.

5. Transitional sentence which segues to next paragraph

First, Second and Third Body Paragraphs:

Mini-topic sentence to show what this paragraph is about.

Two to four sentences to develop the mini-topic sentence

Evidence pulled from the story or quotations to support your mini-topic sentence

In your own words show how this evidence and/or quotation supports your thesis.

Transitional sentence which segues to next paragraph

Conclusion:

Go over the points you made in the first, second and third body paragraphs. There should be one sentence per point or paragraph.

Show how the author was successful in supporting his theme. 

How to Write the Intro, the Body Paragraph and the Concluding Paragraph

Essay on Light and Dark Imagery in ROMEO and JULIET.

In the opening paragraph you need to write the title (and underline it) and the name of the author.  You need to write the main idea of the essay.

William Shakespeare, the author of the play ROMEO and JULIET, uses light and dark imagery to express the emotional state of Romeo, one of the star-crossed lovers in his masterpiece.   Romeo is in a dark and depressed state because he is suffering from unrequited love. He is in love with a young woman named Rosaline who doesn’t love him back. His speech and behavior reflect his dark mood.  It is not until he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Juliet that his speech and behavior change to reflect his joy and happiness.

(Provide context in this paragraph. What is going on with Romeo at the beginning of the play?)  He is suffering from unrequited love.  He is in love with a young woman named Rosaline who doesn’t love him back.  His speech reflects his dark mood. It is not until he meets Juliet and falls in love with her, that his language changes to expressions of light, joy and happiness.

At the beginning of ROMEO and JULIET, we find his parents, Lord and Lady Montague,  and his best friend, Benvolio, worrying about the emotional state of Romeo.  Benvolio tells Romeo’s parents that he has seen Romeo walking alone at night “…so early walking did I see your son”, but Romeo is so depressed that he has been turning away from his best friend to avoid speaking to him.  Lord Montague also expresses concerns about his son’s emotional health for he says that his son cries a great deal “…With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew”, and that as soon as the sun rises, Romeo, “Away from light steals home…Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, And makes himself an artificial night.” Romeo is clearly depressed for he spends the night walking about alone, avoiding even his best friend, and when the sun rises, he shuts the curtains and sits in darkness, crying.  Isolation and excessive crying are all symptoms of deep depression, and the words and imagery used to describe Romeo strongly convey the mood of darkness and heaviness. Lord Montague at one point even calls Romeo his "heavy son." There is grave cause for concern regarding Romeo's emotional health and the Montagues prevail upon Benvolio to find out why Romeo is so depressed.

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The Montagues ask Benvolio, as Romeo’s cousin and best friend, to find out why their son is so depressed.   When they spot Romeo approaching after the riots, the parents retreat, leaving Benvolio to talk to him for them.  Romeo replies to his friend’s question about his emotional state that, “…such is love’s transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast.” Romeo is suffering from unrequited love.  The girl he loves, Rosaline, loves him not “…She’ll not be hit /With Cupid’s arrow…”  which is the reason he is so depressed. Benvolio counsels Romeo that the cure for an old love is a new love and tells him to check out other girls to help him forget Rosaline.  An opportunity arrives in the form of an invitation to a party which promises the presence of many beautiful girls.  The only problem is that the party is hosted by the enemy of Romeo’s family, the Capulets!

 In Act 1, Scene 4, before entering the party, Romeo is again being quite dark, depressing, and clearly, not in a party mood; he says to his good friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, “Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling./Being but heavy, I will bear the light.” Romeo’s friends are eager to start dancing, but he continues in his depressed vein by saying,” You have dancing shoes/With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead/So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.” His friend, Mercutio, tries to joke him out of his dark heaviness by advising him “If love be rough with you, be rough with love…” At last, Benvolio reminds them that it is getting late and they will miss the party if they tarry too much longer. Romeo says that despite his fears that tonight will initiate a series of events ending in his death “…some misgivings / Some consequences yet hanging in the stars/ Shall bitterly begin his fearful date…of untimely death….” he throws his fate to the stars and enters the house of his enemies.

It is in Act 1, Scene 5, at the party in his enemy’s home that Romeo’s life changes and it is reflected in the language he speaks. As soon as he lays eyes on Juliet, the black clouds surrounding him lift, his life is flooded with light, and his words immediately change from dark, heavy imagery to that of lightness and beauty. He says, “O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!/It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night/As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear –“ From the veil of darkness, Romeo emerges into the light of Juliet’s love for later, when he sees her walk onto her balcony after the party, he says, “What light through yonder window breaks?/It is the East and Juliet is the sun!” He has immediately forgotten about that follower of Dian, the goddess of chastity, Rosaline, and is now expressing his love for Juliet by exquisite words of light and joy.

 Before meeting Juliet, Romeo tells his friends he cannot dance, for his feet are made of lead and that he “cannot bound a pitch” for he’s too depressed over his lack of love, but after meeting her, Romeo risks certain death by leaping over the tall wall that surrounds his enemy’s mansion to speak to his lady love.  When Juliet wonders how he managed to brook the tall wall,   Romeo tells her, “With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls;/For stony limits cannot hold love out.”

Format for Writing the Romeo and Juliet Essay

The prompt: 

Write a well-organized essay regarding Shakespeare’s use of light and dark imagery in all of Act 1 and in Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2.  Be sure you include the dark references other characters make regarding Romeo (Benvolio, Mercutio and Romeo’s parents) and what Romeo says about himself.  Be sure you include the change of imagery from dark and heavy to light, in Act 1, Scene 5, after Romeo has met Juliet. 

You must have an introduction which must include a thesis statement.  The introduction should be about half a page. In the introduction, you should include the main points you will be covering in the essay. 

The body paragraphs: 

The body paragraph must have a mini-thesis statement. 

You must develop the mini-thesis statement (a minimum of two or three sentences in your own words). 

You must have a quotation from the text. 

You need to paraphrase and explain what it means and how it relates to the theme of lightness and darkness. This should be a minimum of three sentences.

You need to have a concluding sentence which summarizes the main idea in this  paragraph.

Conclusion: 

In the concluding paragraph, you should recap the points that you covered in the essay, much like you did in the introduction. You should conclude with a sentence that basically sums up the overall theme of the essay. 

Special note: DO NOT WRITE IN CONCLUSION!

List of Topics for THE ODYSSEY ESSAY

1. Explore the depiction of women in THE ODYSSEY.

2. Discuss how the film differs from the book, THE ODYSSEY.

3. Discuss how Odysseus is a hero in the epic sense of the word hero.

4. Discuss how Odysseus contributed to his hardships.

5. Give two examples of failing to honor the sacred ties between guests and hosts contributed to tragedy.

6. Discuss the role of disguise in the story of THE ODYSSEY

The essay should either be NEATLY written on nice paper (not crumpled, not torn out of the notebook, not scribbled or with scratch outs) or typed.  If it is typed, it should be double-spaced, with 12 font.  Both typed and hand written essays must be 1500 words. Your essay should be a product of your best efforts.

Remember:
12 FONT
Double space
1500 word minimum

"Marigolds" and "Forgive My Guilt" Essays

Preparation for “Marigolds” and “Forgive My Guilt” Essay

Genre: a category, or a type of music, of literature, of movies

David’s favorite genre of film is horror.

Literature can be subdivided:
fiction and non fiction; plays; poems; short stories

Why does a poet choose a poem to write about something? It expresses what the poet is feeling.

A short story writer wants the reader to experience events with certain characters in order to make a discovery.

A nonfiction writer wants the reader to think about and understand the issues.

How do you figure out what the theme is of a poem?
Justin: You break it down by every phrase to see what each phrase shares or what each phrase is about and see if there is a common thread.

Chris: You look at the title!

Comparing and Contrasting a Theme Across Genres
Reading Skills

Author’s purpose in I REMEMBER MAMA

To appreciate what you have.
People’s selfishness can affect others.

Format for the Compare and Contrast Essay of "The Necklace" and "The Gift of the Magi"

OUTLINE FOR THE COMPARE and CONTRAST ESSAY

l. Introductory Paragraph
     A. Should  include a hook or a grabber
        1. A question or
        2. An anecdote or
        3. A social observation
      B. The titles of the two stories, the characters and the authors
      C. A brief summary highlighting the ironic endings of the story
      D. One or two sentences on how the two characters circumstances  are the same.
      D.  One or two sentences on how the character of the women contributed to the irony.
      E.  Must include your thesis statement
       

ll. First Two Body Paragraphs (One for Della and one for Mathilde)
       A. You should have a mini-thesis statement (Describe her)
             1. Develop your mini-thesis statement (Elaborate)
        B.  Evidence to support your mini-thesis statement
              1. Either a direct quotation
              2. A paraphrase
        C.  Show how the evidence supports your mini-thesis statement.

III. Compare how the two characters are similar.
       A. You should have a mini-thesis statement
             1. Develop your mini-thesis statement
       B.  How are the characters similar?
             What does each character do, driven by circumstance, which is
             similar to the other?
             1. Evidence to support your mini-thesis
                 a. Either a direct quotation
                 b. A paraphrase
 Show how the evidence supports your mini-thesis

IV. Contrast the two characters
      A. You should have a mini-thesis sentence
            1. You should develop your mini-thesis
                 a. How are the characters different?
                     What does each character do, driven by their character,
                     that is different from the other?
            2. Evidence to support your mini-thesis
                  a. Either a direct quotation
                  b. Paraphrase
       B. Show how the evidence supports your mini-thesis

V.  Concluding Paragraph
      A. Go over your main points in the opening paragraph
            1. The personality traits of Della that result in the ironic ending of the story?
            2. The personality traits of Madame Loisel that result in the ironic ending of her story?
            3. Briefly how they are the same
            4. Briefly how they are different
B. Concluding sentence

Possible themes you may consider when analyzing these two stories are:
Life frequently turns out differently than expected.
Character is Destiny.
One's character will determine one fate.

Food for thought (and something that must be brought up in the essay): Both stories are similar in that there is an ironic twist at the end of each; however, the ironic ending in one, "The Necklace" is tragic - ten years of one's life wasted and one's future destroyed because of lies, arrogance and selfishness.  The ironic ending in "The Gift of the Magi" is not tragic but poignant and sweet; rather than destroying life and love, the sweet sacrifice Della and Jim do for each other cements their love and draws them closer together.

The women's circumstances are similar: they are both young, poor, beautiful, and married to men who clearly love.  But their differences reside in their character - that complex interplay of need, of strength, of ego, of intelligence, of sensitivity, of awareness of others,  of self discipline - all those things that go into character -  and it is their character that determines how they respond to their circumstances, which determines their fate.

Essay Topics:

For "The Sniper"

Analyze the use of point of view to maximize the ironic impact at the end of the story.

Do you believe the sniper will continue fighting after he discovers the identify of the man he has murdered?  Why or why not?

"The Necklace:

Has Madame Loisel's character changed at the end of the story?  Why or why not? Support with evidence from the story.

Did Madame Loisel's character contribute to her own downfall?

Analyze the theme of deception - of oneself as well as of others - and the role deception played in Madame Loisel's downfall.

Explore the use of point of view to create the ironic impact of the story.

"The Cask of Amontillado"

Analyze the use of irony in the short story of "The Cask of Amontillado".

Does Fortunato contribute to his own death? Why or why not. Support with evidence from the text.

Explore the theme of the unreliable narrator in "The Cask of Amontillado".

"The Most Dangerous Game":

Explore the theme of "The Most Dangerous Game". Is it justifiable to hunt animals for sport?  Why or why not?  Can animals think, reason, feel emotion?

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay:
Opening paragraph
The opening paragraph should include the title of the story and the name of the authors.
“The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi”
The writer of “The Necklace” is Guy de Maupassant
The writer of “The Gift of the Magi” is O. Henry
The opening paragraph should include an attention grabber (a hook)
The essay’s opening paragraph should include a topic sentence (what the essay is about)
Notes:
The name of the protagonist in “The Necklace” is Mathilde and/or Madame Loisel.
The name of the protagonist in “The Gift of the Magi” is Della.

THE SECOND PARAGRAPH:
You can write about either Della or Mathilde.
THIRD PARAGRAPH:
You can write about either Della or Mathilde.
FOURTH PARAGRAPH:
You can compare or contrast the two characters.
FIFTH PARAGRAPH:
You can compare or contrast the two characters.
SIXTH PARAGRAPH:
FINAL CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

Sum up your main points which you discussed in the opening paragraph and developed in the body paragraphs.


Body paragraph:
Mini topic sentence: This lets us, the readers, know the topic of the paragraph.
Write two to three sentences developing the topic sentence.
Give at least two to three examples to support your mini-topic sentence.
If you state that Mathilde is selfish, then you have to give examples to prove that.
Then you have to discuss and explain how the example shows she is selfish.

It may be suggested however that Mathilde did not change completely. While she is strolling down a street in Paris she encounters Jeanne Forestier who is still beautiful and youthful. Mathilde saunters up to her, fat, red faced and aged. Mathilde has changed so much that Jeanne does not recognized her at first. When she realizes that the coarse woman standing in front of her is her one time beautiful friend, Jeanne is horrified. Mathilde begins to recount to Jeanne what has happened to her since that night long ago when she borrowed her necklace. Mathilde concludes with, “You can imagine that it was not easy for us, who had nothing….and (we suffered) plenty of misfortune and it’s all on account of you.” This reveals that she really hasn’t changed at all for she is still trying to blame others for her mistakes. Mathilde implies that it is Jeanne's fault that she suffered. She does not say that perhaps it was her vanity or her desire to appear as something she was not that was the cause of her suffering, but it was Jeanne that caused her to suffer. She is also quite arrogant for De Maupassant writes that she takes pride in her hard work and cleverness in paying off the replacement necklace without getting caught by Jeanne. Although she has changed in some ways, particularly physically and in her circumstances, the core of Mathilde remains in many ways the same.