Final Tips on your Final Tips on your Literary EssayLiterary Essay

Following the Following the “Yes” Test“Yes” Test

1.1. TypedTyped

2.2. Times New Roman, 12 point FontTimes New Roman, 12 point Font

3.3. MLA FormatMLA Format

4.4. 3-4 pages3-4 pages

5.5. 3 quotes w/in-text citations.3 quotes w/in-text citations.

6.6. Covers the scope of the novelCovers the scope of the novel

7.7. Double SpacedDouble Spaced* = a note about the Yes Test: * = a note about the Yes Test: I fill it out, you I fill it out, you

don’t!don’t!

Avoid “Dead Words:Avoid “Dead Words:

SoSo -Stuff-Stuff LikeLike -Things-Things VeryVery -’nuff-’nuff A lotA lot -Kinda-Kinda SomeSome -Sort of-Sort of GonnaGonna -Basically-Basically ‘‘CauseCause -Y’know-Y’know

Other Common MistakesOther Common Mistakes

1. 1. PPuritan and uritan and RRomantic are proper omantic are proper nouns so please capitalize them.nouns so please capitalize them.

2. Names: Dimm2. Names: Dimmeesdale and sdale and Chillingworth, Chillingworth, notnot Dimmsdale and Dimmsdale and ChillingChillingssworth.worth.

3. Citations: (author, pg#)3. Citations: (author, pg#).. NOT “blah NOT “blah blahblah..” (author,pg). OR “blah, blah” (author,pg). OR “blah, blah..” ” (author, pg#)(author, pg#)

4. Repetition of words or phrases. Ie: 4. Repetition of words or phrases. Ie: “In the beginning, in the middle, in “In the beginning, in the middle, in the end.”the end.”

FocusFocus

This is an This is an expository essay expository essay on on TheThe Scarlet Letter. Scarlet Letter. Avoid words like “I” or “My” because the essay is not about you.

OrganizationOrganization

IntroductionIntroduction: Hook, Thesis, : Hook, Thesis, SubtopicsSubtopics

Body Paragraphs 1- 3:Body Paragraphs 1- 3: Beginning, Middle, End. formatBeginning, Middle, End. format

Conclusion:Conclusion: restate thesis and restate thesis and subtopics with So what? at the subtopics with So what? at the end.end.

The TitleThe Title

Your essay is NOT titled Your essay is NOT titled The Scarlet The Scarlet LetterLetter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne has been dead over 150 Hawthorne has been dead over 150 years and he did not write your essay.years and he did not write your essay.

The author’s name is NathaniThe author’s name is Nathaniel el HawthornHawthorne, e, NOT NathaniNOT Nathaniaal Hawthorne. l Hawthorne.

Please write Please write The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter or or The The Scarlet LetterScarlet Letter, not “The Scarlet Letter.” , not “The Scarlet Letter.” Only songs, poems, essays, or short Only songs, poems, essays, or short stories or in quotation marks.stories or in quotation marks.

Citation SandwichCitation Sandwich

Set-Up:Set-Up: Give the context of what Give the context of what is happening in the scene.is happening in the scene.

Quote:Quote: Include the quote and Include the quote and cite with author and page cite with author and page number.number.

Analysis:Analysis: Explain how the quote Explain how the quote ties to your thesis and use ties to your thesis and use phrases from the quote support phrases from the quote support yourself.yourself.

How do I get to 3 – 4 pages?How do I get to 3 – 4 pages?

If you are asking yourself this question, my If you are asking yourself this question, my simple answer is refer to the citation simple answer is refer to the citation sandwich:sandwich:

1.1. Are you giving a complete picture what Are you giving a complete picture what goes on to set-up the quote?goes on to set-up the quote?

2.2. Is your quote long enough to explain your Is your quote long enough to explain your point?point?

3.3. Are you analyzing enough to explain how Are you analyzing enough to explain how the quote ties the thesis?the quote ties the thesis?

4.4. Could you add another quote to support Could you add another quote to support your point?your point?

Here is an example…Here is an example…

Set- Up: Set- Up: At the beginning of the book Hester At the beginning of the book Hester Prynne is on the scaffold with her daughter Prynne is on the scaffold with her daughter Pearl for committing the sin of adultery. Her Pearl for committing the sin of adultery. Her punishment is to wear a scarlet “A” on her punishment is to wear a scarlet “A” on her chest and be publicly humiliated by the chest and be publicly humiliated by the Puritan society. She is interrogated by the Puritan society. She is interrogated by the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, who the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, who the reader later learns, is Hester’s lover and reader later learns, is Hester’s lover and Pearl’s father. Dimmesdale asks Hester to Pearl’s father. Dimmesdale asks Hester to reveal “the name” of the father. Hester reveal “the name” of the father. Hester defiantly replies to him: defiantly replies to him:

Evidence, Analysis, and Evidence, Analysis, and TransitionTransitionQuote:Quote: “My child should only know a heavenly “My child should only know a heavenly

father because she will never know an father because she will never know an earthly one” (Hawthorne, 34). earthly one” (Hawthorne, 34).

Analysis:Analysis: This quote is significant because it This quote is significant because it demonstrates that Hester has no guilt for demonstrates that Hester has no guilt for her sin. By saying her child “will never her sin. By saying her child “will never know an earthly” father she is telling know an earthly” father she is telling Dimmesdale, the other adulterer, you must Dimmesdale, the other adulterer, you must reveal yourself publically, because I will not reveal yourself publically, because I will not do it on your behalf.do it on your behalf.

Transition:Transition: Dimmesdale, on the other hand, Dimmesdale, on the other hand, has his guilt weigh upon him for his sin, has his guilt weigh upon him for his sin, which is revealed at the second scaffold which is revealed at the second scaffold scene in the middle of the book.scene in the middle of the book.

Essay ChecklistEssay Checklist

Yes TestYes Test RubricRubric Final DraftFinal Draft 33rdrd Draft w/revision Draft w/revision 22ndnd Draft w/revision Draft w/revision 11stst Draft w/revision Draft w/revision Outline Outline BrainstormBrainstorm Also…turn in your Dialectical Journal Also…turn in your Dialectical Journal

separately.separately.