Essay 3V prep!

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Book Thief Essay 3V 

- Welcome!

- Essay writing - Book essay prep

What do you expect during the test?

What to expect?

- Essay based on the sticky note assignment 

- Your own critical thinking 

- It is not a review

ESSAY

- A text in which you discuss the content of the book 

(For example: A text where you analyse the characters, story, plot, relationships, ending of the book etc.)

- Structure: 

INTRODUCTION, 2 PARAGRAPHS, CONCLUSION

+/-300/400

General essay structure

INTRODUCTION

- In your introduction you state:

Background information

(give some context about the book/the topic you are going to write about in your essay)

-Last sentence is your essay statement (rework the question you are given into a statement)

For example

Question (you will get on the test): As Liesel gets older, it becomes clear that she does not share Nazi ideology. Why do you think this is?

Statement (you will need to write): As Liesel gets older, she does not share Nazi ideology because (1) she can no longer live with her mother and (2) she sees Max's suffering

Make a statement out of this question: "In the Book Thief, Mark Suzak uses simile and metaphor. What effect do you think this has on the reader?"

Paragraphs

- The two paragraphs after the introduction are called "body paragraphs" and they are the "meat" (and cucumbers and tomato) of your essay. 

- Each paragraph discusses one of your points made in the essay statement in your introduction. The first sentence of each paragraph should restate part of your argument.

- After the first sentence, you introduce your example and analyze it. Your last sentence of this paragraph should aim to connect to your next paragraph.

1. In your essay you: discuss the main question of the essay

- State and explain what your view on the topic is

- Give examples (quotes from the book or description of the events)

You should bring the book to the test! (for quotes)

As Liesel gets older, she does not share Nazi ideology because (1) she can no longer live with her mother and (2) she sees Max's suffering. Write your first paragraph. Your first sentence should restate your first argument. Then introduce your evidence and analyze it. Your last sentence should aim to connect with the next paragraph (2nd body paragraph).

As Liesel gets older, she does not share Nazi ideology because (1) she can no longer live with her mother and (2) she sees Max's suffering. Write your second paragraph. Your first sentence should restate your second argument. Then introduce your evidence and analyze it. Your last sentence should aim to connect with the next paragraph (conclusion)

Conclusion

In the conclusion, you restate your statement (argument) and summarize your body paragraphs (the meat and cucumbers).

End with a final general statement.

How can you prepare?

1. Read the book

2. Understand the book and have sticky notes ready to use.

3. Think about grammar structures you can use

4. Learn essay writing vocab

5. Practice writing

6. Think critically - what kind of questions can you expect in the essay?

Literary present tense!

When discussing the events in a work of literature use present tense. This is called literary present tense.

In discussing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, for example, you might say this:

When Gatsby meets Daisy at Nick’s house, the tension is high.

You would use past tense if you went on to discuss something that happened before this event. For example:

When Gatsby meets Daisy at Nick’s house, the tension is high. He is at a loss as to how to behave. Earlier that day, his preparations were rigorous. He even had Nick’s yard mowed.

Essay writing vocab

Use words like:

- For your body paragraphs -> FIRSTLY, SECONDLY...

-  AND -> MOREOVER, FURTHERMORE, 

- To add an argument: NOT ONLY ... BUT ALSO

- BUT -> HOWEVER, ON THE OTHER HAND (to express contrast)

- FOR EXAMPLE -> FOR INSTANCE 

- TO CONCLUDE -> IN ESSENCE, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, IN CONCLUSION

- TO COMPARE -> IN COMPARISON

- 

How to quote / 

write description of the event

Example:

In the beginning, Liesel was . For instance, that is depicted in this quote: ''John didn't ...his eye'' (pg. 17).

Don't ;)

- Just copy the question to use in your introduction

- Answer the question in the introduction ;)

- write a summary of the book  (except for a short summary in the introduction)