Writing Introductions

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Writing Introductions
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The Five Paragraph Theme
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Lord of the Flies Character Analysis Outline

• Introduction
• Body Paragraph 1 The Religious Allegory
• Body Paragraph 2 The Freudian Allegory
• Body Paragraph 3 The Political Allegory
• Conclusion

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Introductions

• I. The Hook Attention Grabber
• II. Context TAG, Basic Plot Summary, Definition
  of Key Terms
• III. Thesis Main Idea/Opinion/What You Intend to
  Prove

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Three Examples of Hooks

• Pose a question (Can democracy exist in an
  uncivilized place?)
• Begin with a bold statement (Intolerance leads
  to dissent, not conformity)
• Find an appropriate quote (William Golding once
  described the theme of Lord of the Flies as an
  attempt to trace the defects of society back to
  the defects of human nature.(Golding 204)

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Sample Introduction

• You never really understand a person until you
  consider things from his point of view until
  you climb into hi s skin and walk around in it
  (Lee 33). In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by
  Harper Lee, the two main characters, Jem and
  Scout, have the opportunity to consider the
  viewpoints of many adults in their small town,
  Maycomb. By following their fathers advice and
  trying to consider the perspectives of three
  different people, Jem and Scout learn valuable
  life-long lessons.

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Sample Introduction

• HOOKYou never really understand a person until
  you consider things from his point of view
  until you climb into his skin and walk around in
  it (Lee 33). CONTEXT In the novel To Kill a
  Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the two main
  characters, Jem and Scout, have the opportunity
  to consider the viewpoints of many adults in
  their small town, Maycomb. THESIS By following
  their fathers advice and trying to consider the
  perspectives of three different people, Jem and
  Scout learn valuable life-long lessons.

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Sample Introduction

• In any group of children, its a given that some
  will be popular and powerful while others will be
  teased and rejected. In the real world, adults
  use their authority to control these divisions
  and maintain a balanced group dynamic. In the
  novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding,
  however, children must fend for themselves and
  elect their own leader and Piggy, wise but
  scorned, is never seriously considered. Though
  Piggy is intelligent, rational, and innovative,
  he lacks the charisma and facility with language
  that both Ralph and Jack possess, traits that the
  book suggests play crucial roles in establishing
  their authority. Piggy may have the tactical
  smarts to be a good leader, but because he cannot
  convincingly act the role, he would not be able
  to marshal the boys if given the chance.

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Sample Introductions

• HOOK In any group of children, its a given that
  some will be popular and powerful while others
  will be teased and rejected. In the real world,
  adults use their authority to control these
  divisions and maintain a balanced group dynamic.
  CONTEXT In the novel Lord of the Flies by William
  Golding, however, children must fend for
  themselves and elect their own leader and
  Piggy, wise but scorned, is never seriously
  considered. Though Piggy is intelligent,
  rational, and innovative, he lacks the charisma
  and facility with language that both Ralph and
  Jack possess, traits that the book suggests play
  crucial roles in establishing their authority.
  THESIS Piggy may have the tactical smarts to be a
  good leader, but because he cannot convincingly
  act the role, he would not be able to marshal the
  boys if given the chance.

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Put These Intro Parts in Order

• A. If girls were on Goldings novel instead of
  boys, they would act the same because everyone is
  installed with evil inside of them, there is
  always a power struggle in all aspects of our
  lives, and the outcome with the girls would be
  similar since both sexes would plan on getting
  rescued.
• B. Are girls as inclined to act savagely as boys
  are?
• C. A depiction of male savagery is offered in
  William Goldings novel, Lord of the Flies, the
  story of a group of British boys who are left on
  a deserted island in the middle of nowhere.
  During the course of the novel, the boys island
  civilization disintegrates and they turn into
  savages.

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Intro Parts in Order

• B. Are girls as inclined to act savagely as boys
  are? C. A depiction of male savagery is offered
  in William Goldings novel, Lord of the Flies,
  the story of a group of British boys who are left
  on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere.
  During the course of the novel, the boys island
  civilization disintegrates and they turn into
  savages. A. If girls were on Goldings novel
  instead of boys, they would act the same because
  everyone is installed with evil inside of them,
  there is always a power struggle in all aspects
  of our lives, and the outcome with the girls
  would be similar since both sexes would plan on
  getting rescued.

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What Intro Part is Missing?

• William Golding brings out this theme in the
  novel Lord of the Flies. When you first read Lord
  of the Flies you may think it is merely a simple
  adventure story of boys on a deserted island. But
  if you take a deeper look into it you will see
  that this book is also an attempt to trace the
  defects of civilization back to the defects of
  human nature. The decay of the boys society
  clearly reflects Goldings central theme people
  cannot function outside a system of laws.

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The Hook

• HOOK Man must have rules in order to control his
  savage side. William Golding brings out this
  theme in the novel Lord of the Flies. When you
  first read Lord of the Flies you may think it is
  merely a simple adventure story of boys on a
  deserted island. But if you take a deeper look
  into it you will see that this book is also an
  attempt to trace the defects of civilization back
  to the defects of human nature. The decay of the
  boys society clearly reflects Goldings central
  theme people cannot function outside a system of
  laws.

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What Intro Part is Missing?

• Fear can ruin any environment. Golding emphasizes
  this important theme how fear can destroy
  anything through Ralphs loss of hope, Jacks
  descent into savagery, and the murder of Simon
  and Piggy.

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CONTEXT

• Fear can ruin any environment. CONTEXT In William
  Goldings novel Lord of the Flies, a group of
  English boys is trapped on an island that seems
  like paradise. However, when hysteria spreads
  through the paradise it takes charge of the boys
  lives and their innate fear destroys. Golding
  emphasizes this important theme how fear can
  destroy anything through Ralphs loss of hope,
  Jacks descent into savagery, and the murder of
  Simon and Piggy.

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What is missing?

• Can democracy exist in an uncivilized
  environment? William Goldings novel The Lord of
  the Flies offers a negative response to that
  question in a creative way. Goldings novel is
  rich with symbols persons, places, or things
  that represent or stand for ideas or concepts.
  The chief symbols of democracy in the novel are
  the assembly of the boys and the conch.

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THESIS

• Can democracy exist in an uncivilized
  environment? William Goldings novel The Lord of
  the Flies offers a negative response to that
  question in a creative way. Goldings novel is
  rich with symbols persons, places, or things
  that represent or stand for ideas or concepts.
  The chief symbols of democracy in the novel are
  the assembly of the boys and the conch. THESIS
  Golding uses the dissolution of the assembly and
  the shattering of the conch to signal the death
  of democracy on the island and to show that
  democracy cannot exist outside organized society.

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Character Analysis Intro

• HOOK Its up to you!
• CONTEXT Brief plot summary Definition of
  Allegory and/or Symbolism
• THESIS Goldings use of allegory and symbolism
  in this character helps to present this message
  about human nature to the reader.

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• Symbol A person, place, or thing that represents
  or stands for an idea or concept.
• Allegory a story in which the people, places,
  and things represent general concepts or moral
  qualities