A little writing work & review

Review of some basic elements:

Some things to avoid ...
1. Speculation (could/would/should are not your friends; use cause and effect instead)
2. Summarizing rather than analyzing the evidence (don't tell me what the quote says; tell me how it proves your thesis statement)
3. Wishy washy statement (maybe, sort of, likely -- all are words to avoid; take a stand and run with it!)
4. I. Yes you are important, but there's no need to write, "I think" or "I believe." I know it's what you believe because YOU are making an argument and YOUR name is on the paper.

Some things to know ...

1. Proper text citation format:

"How doth thou know that / Macbeth is a weirdo? He hath / done nothing wrong save for / killing a few people," (5.3.34-37).

2. Proper context (no dangling/floating quotes!)

It is clear from Macbeth's language that he loves fried chicken: "In between battles the king / would make me fried chicken / and for that I will always love him and / the chicken. It was juicy and succulent and made me / fight with greater strength" (4.1.1-5).

3. Paragraphs are indented! Paragraphs are indented! And, paragraphs are indented! What do we do at the start of a paragraph? We indent! One more time -- indent the beginning of each paragraph!!

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The question

In what TWO specific ways does the language reveal Macbeth’s or Lady Macbeth’s true character? Let's look at an example of a successful response.

Some process with the last in-class

1. What is the prompt asking you to look at? Turn the prompt into your own words.

2. Often the hardest part of coming up with a thesis statement is making sure that you are making an argument, and are not just stating a fact. Here are some ways to turn an observation (or fact) into an argument (or interpretation):

• Identify a cause or an effect.
• Answer how or why.
• Evaluate / make a distinction between the two things being compared.  (Say who is more isolated, or who is affected most by internalized oppression, or decide whose need for absolute power led to greater negative consequences.)
• Take a stand on a controversial issue. (Answer a question like one of these:  Is Caliban truly a monster? Does Victor really change by the end of Frankenstein?)

3. Using the perfect SPA structure, please go through and highlight the different parts of your essay (see example).