Organizing Style Analysis Essays

Use this presentation to help you organize essays in which you address style or text (such as your American Dream Song Essay)

Introduction

Three steps:

GENERAL/ UNIVERSAL

SPECIFIC

3. Thesis Statement

1. Broad thematic statement

2. Link from theme to selection

Sample intro. – American Dream Song Essay

The ability to persevere throughout life’s obstacles, no matter how frequent and powerful they may be, embodies the American’s independent spirit. In the popular children’s song “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” a spider faces challenges from nature with an irrepressible tenacity. Because it conveys both the reality of hardships and the blessing of the opportunity to start anew, this song perfectly encapsulates my view of the American Dream.

1. Broad, thematic statement2. Link theme to selection

3. Thesis

Big Picture of Essays

Concluding sentence or paragraph

Introduction

Body Paragraph 1

Body Paragraph 3…?

Body Paragraph 2

Body Paragraphs – Structure Topic sentence

Readily and clearly conveys what you are analyzing/discussing in the paragraph

Chunks – usually 2 per paragraph; ideally, 3 Concrete details – sentences with text

evidence Commentary – 2-3 sentences of your analysis

Closing sentence – sums up this paragraph. The best will segue to the next body paragraph.

Topic sentence and 1 chunk

The song begins with a spider’s ascent that is quickly followed by an obstacle, just as an American’s journey contains both opportunity and obstacles. The “itsy bitsy spider” makes its way up the pipe, but in an instant, it is stymied when “down came the rain [that washes] the spider out.” In a grand sense, the individual American lurks as feebly as the tiny spider; though we each hope to climb water spouts of our own, we will struggle to do so. Often it will happen that as soon as we gain ground, the universe turns against us, just as the elements conspired against the spider’s quest.

1. Topic sentence

Concrete detail

Sentences of commentary connecting HOW the song conveys the THEME, the American Dream

Conclusions In timed situations, sometimes your conclusion

may just be a single sentence at the end of your final body paragraph… and that’s okay.

For essays when you are not timed, your conclusion should be 1-3 sentences that sum up your analysis.

PLEASE don’t just “invert” your introduction. So banal…

A tip: comment on how the excerpt itself ends and how that ending conveys the meaning you pinpointed in your thesis

Sample conclusion

Sometimes, the simplest of stories reveal the most profound of truths. Life will bring challenges, and pursuing the American dream is no different. Fortunately, in America, the benevolent sun shines anew each day, granting us another chance reach the pinnacle of our hopes.