INTRO – Should include the title of the poem or story, the author’s name. Write a brief overview of the story or poem. End the intro with your thesis. What is the main point your essay will make? Remember, a thesis should say something debatable that your essay will prove.
BODY Paragraph – Begin with a topic sentence. The topic sentence should state the reason why you believe your thesis is true. Be sure to bring in a quote or two from the story or poem to illustrate/support points you make. Quotes should be framed (introduced & explained in your own words) as well as cited (authors last name and page number).
CONCLUSION – Should address the “So what? Who cares?” Tell why it’s important, whatever it is you’ve noticed in the story or poem. If you make an argument for how the speaker’s attitude toward the fish changes from ____ to ____, you can discuss more fully, the why. Don’t repeat what you’ve already said since this is a short essay. Go deeper here but keep the focus on the poem or story, not the world at large.
*Include a Works Cited page – It should have the author’s name, the title of the poem or story and where you accessed the text. See the link for MLA formatting to help you create this document.