How to Do an Essay on a Book That You Recently Read

I Hate Writing!

As a high school English teacher and online tutor, I've come up to believe English literature is at the bottom of the "favorite subjects" list for most students. When prompted as to why, most will say point blank, "I hate writing."

When it comes to the process of amalgam an essay, English grade is really a lot like math. That is to say, there'southward a formula, that when followed, is nearly e'er going to produce an essay that works. Following this formula is easy. Mastering this formula tin have a student from a not-writer to an above-average author. And it is truly as simple as post-obit a few steps, filling in a few blanks, and completing paragraphs by counting sentences.

Writing a Theme Statement

And then your instructor has informed yous that a three page paper "On Romeo and Juliet" is due Friday. Information technology is now Th nighttime and y'all oasis't fifty-fifty begun. You lot have no idea where to offset.

Writing an "A" essay, easily and quickly, is all about asking the right questions. If your instructor has given yous a fairly broad assignment, like the one above, the first dominion yous need understand is that summaries will no longer cutting it. Teachers and professors don't want to meet that you understand the plot of a story. That was your quaternary grade instructor. Loftier school and college is more about analyzing themes (large picture ideas from a story that are applicable to real life) and an author's literary merit (equally in, what kind of techniques are used to accomplish the goal).

When tackling a generic essay assignment, the best place to begin is to create a theme statement. This is a 1 sentence statement that explains something the author is trying to convey about life, the world, humanity, or something else, through the story. Asking and answering the right questions will guide you lot into writing a proper theme argument, which tin can and so become a smashing thesis statement (you lot know, that magical judgement in your introduction that defines your entire essay).

Yep, keen, I get that. Just how do I get-go?

Step i: Inquire the Right Questions

It is time to beginning thinking about literature every bit having meaning exterior of the story itself. It is fourth dimension to interact with a text in a more personal and worldly way. It is fourth dimension to write an essay that does more summarize. To get started, answer these questions based on the text you are studying:

1. What theme subjects does the text discuss? Note, we're not talking about plot here. We're talking about themes. This means things like beloved, ability, revenge, growing up, decease, freedom, war, etc. Brand a listing.
2. Which theme subject from #one do I like, understand, and feel comfortable analyzing with this volume? Selection one or ii.

Footstep ii: Inquire Some More Questions, Brainstorm Answers

I like to tell my students that if they spend the most fourth dimension in the planning stages of writing an essay (thinking, brainstorming, organizing) so the rough typhoon will practically write itself. The best brainstorming is, again, sparked by asking and answering the right questions. The post-obit questions, if answered using every bit much information from the book--and your brain--as possible, will lead y'all to a keen theme statement which will be turned in to your essay's thesis statement. Insert the theme subject(due south) yous chose in pace one into the blank and answer these questions using evidence from the plot of the volume:

1. What are all the causes of [theme bailiwick] in this story?
2. What are all the effects of [theme subject] in this story?
3. If you chose two subjects to piece of work with, how practice these 2 subjects interrelate?
4. Based on the ideas generated in questions 1-iii, what do you believe the author is trying to teach us, or say generally, about [theme subject] through this book?*
5. Craft ideas in #4 using some key words and narrow downwards your respond to one sentence.

Question #four, above, is the nearly of import question to answer well. If you can narrow downward a universal thought based on the plot the of the book, yous take effectively written a theme statement. But this is catchy. Get-go, this idea needs to be somewhat broad. It must exist applicable beyond the story (as in, a lesson, thought, or truth that applies to life) then it cannot contain straight references to plot details. However, this thought as well needs to exist specific enough that it isn't something that could be said about absolutely whatsoever volume on the planet. Finally, it must be proven using examples from the story. Confused?

Example

Let's go back to Romeo and Juliet for a 2d, and see how steps i and two are illustrated in the following example.

Step 1:

1. What subjects are discussed and dealt with in Romeo and Juliet?
   ...love...relationships...fighting...suicide...defiance...family unit...death...grudges...
2. Which of the above subjects do I want to discuss?
   ...fighting and family...

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Stride Two:

1. What are the causes of fighting in the story?
   ...Capulets and Montagues hate each other from a long time family unit feud, a grudge that has never been settled
   ...many characters fight over petty insults...
   ...Montagues and Capulets fight out of a long time hatred of one another
2. What are the effects of fighting in the story?
   ...prescript from the Prince to harshly punish all public fights...
   ...Romeo and Juliet must hide their love for one another and marry in hole-and-corner...
   ...Tybalt kills Mercutio...Romeo kills Tybalt...Romeo is banished...Juliet fakes her death...Romeo kills Paris then himself...Juliet kills herself when she sees Romeo is dead...
   ...LOTS of people die
3. How are family and fighting related?
   ...two families who have a long time grudge against one another fight out of hatred
   
4. Based on the above ideas, what practise yous recall Shakespeare is trying to say about fighting and family unit through this play?
   ...it is a bad thing...lots of people will go injure or die...
5. Narrow down ideas using more than constructive vocabulary.
   ...Fighting between families nigh always leads to destruction.

That concluding sentence in #5 is your theme argument. With a couple more than steps, this theme statement can become a great thesis statement and an splendid essay.

Ready to motion on? Read How To Write an Essay for Any Volume in English Class: Part two

Ali on Baronial 16, 2020:

Proficient I sympathize

echa on Apr 15, 2020:

thanks really helpful

Ava on March 23, 2020:

Thankyou, this hellped a lot seeing as Ive never written an essay on a book befor and whith the schools being shut down it southward harder than usual to become in touch on whith my instructor.

Dorothy on February 28, 2020:

Newspaper ii: Interview Essay (Rough Typhoon)

JUNAID AHMAD KHAN on January 21, 2020:

how Nosotros be able to Start An essay about a topic given in Question newspaper,@Delight Sister Intense Urgency for me.

ROHAN on Jan 12, 2020:

An Astonishing trip

WASD on November 21, 2019:

How do I get it done in 1 day?

assistance on May 16, 2019:

How do I get this all ordered and making it look nice while getting it on time likewise.

Myles on May 02, 2019:

this helped me a lot with a school essay considering I didn't know how to kickoff. Thank you

Asad on September 06, 2018:

Abraham woah practice is the central

Abraham on August 17, 2018:

what can i do to be an excellent essay writer?

Carson on Baronial 14, 2018:

My question is, when you lot said, "what do you believe the writer is trying to teach u.s., or say mostly, well-nigh [theme subject area] through this volume?*" In English grade I have been tolled to exist careful when expressing what my stance is about what the authors message is to the reader. How would I approach doing this without making my intro about what I think? Or how would I practise this without using 'I' or 'my',...

idk on July 16, 2018:

i have never wrote an essay in my life i dont fifty-fifty know what an essay is

Bob on June 05, 2018:

When i write the title and author of the volume do i write it in italics

Kayla on April xxx, 2018:

Thanks so much, this was very helpful.

Dayan on March 22, 2018:

Peachy. Very helpfull indeed

rita on March 22, 2018:

How would I write my trunk paragraphs based on this? My book is Kite Runner. How would I build my body paragraphs based on this?

clairewait (author) from North Carolina on February 28, 2018:

I encourage you to go to your instructor for help starting time.

Thompson shaung on Feb 25, 2018:

I need a help on the essay on the topic book

clairewait (writer) from North Carolina on October 31, 2017:

Take you followed all the steps outlined here?

Motility on to part 2 and pay attention to Step Four. Your 3 categories will each exist the topic of ane-ii trunk paragraphs (depending on the length of your essay). Write body paragraph topic sentences very basically. Just innovate each category, i at a fourth dimension. And then, fill in testify and explanation to prove it. https://letterpile.com/writing/How-to-Write-an-Ess...

Good Luck!

Betimes on October 29, 2017:

How would I write my body paragraphs based on this? My volume is Angels & Demons past Dan Brown and I have decided on writing about control and organized religion vs. science. How would I build my body paragraphs based on this?

JYderp on Oct 26, 2017:

Prissy

clairewait (author) from North Carolina on October 02, 2017:

Howdy there! If you lot follow the very simple steps outlined hither in this mail service, I'm sure you'll accept that thesis knocked out in no time.

Assist on September 28, 2017:

I need assistance with a topic sentence for my Frankenstein essay

clairewait (author) from North Carolina on July eighteen, 2017:

The "contention" is your primary argument. In this case, information technology is the aforementioned thing equally the thesis statement. Employ them interchangeably. Promise that helps.

Anonymous on July 09, 2017:

I don't sympathize something. In our essays nosotros are asked a question and then nosotros brand a contention but nowhere do we have a thesis statement. Could you please assist me out?

clairewait (author) from Northward Carolina on April 25, 2017:

You can TOTALLY exercise it. I know yous tin can. And if y'all have specific questions, I feel confident your teacher (or a smart child in the class) tin help you.

Kevin George on April 24, 2017:

My paper is almost The Chrysalids, I am a course 9 educatee. My English teacher marks really hard. I don't call back I can practice it! Its due this Friday. I am in Toronto, Canada. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham.

piper on April eighteen, 2017:

mine is on constrict everlasting, a fantasy genre book past Natalie Babbitt. How should I write my Essay?

clairewait (author) from N Carolina on February 21, 2017:

Do you have a theme statement? Exercise you have a purpose to your paper? You say the newspaper is most "Harper Lee." What well-nigh Harper Lee? Her life? Her writing? Something she accomplished? To but say "Harper Lee" is your subject is likewise wide. Follow the steps higher up. Narrow down the purpose of your paper. And so, the "introduction judgement" (I assume you lot mean outset judgement of the entire newspaper) is a throw away. Essentially, merely say something (anything) nigh Harper Lee, that segues into the body of your paper.

corina on February 21, 2017:

I still cant figure out an introduction sentence. My paper is on harper lee

Brah on November 07, 2016:

Awesome thx!!!!!

Grace on September xviii, 2016:

Thanks this is helpful :)

hira on October 30, 2015:

this is perfect

Tabitha on April xix, 2015:

thanks information technology was really helpful, merely what I wanted

Anirb! on April fifteen, 2015:

I've been trying to find something like this helped me out so much give thanks you!!

Lívia on March 14, 2015:

Thanks so much, this text is exactly what I needed. You probably are an excellent instructor. Thanks again.

How to Do an Essay on a Book That You Recently Read

Source: https://owlcation.com/academia/How-To-Write-an-Essay-For-Any-Book

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