For my freshman finals exam, I need to write an essay about a theme both works share.
It's difficult for me to find a theme or a way to organize an outline-- I need to find a connection betweenThe Count of Monte Cristo and Romeo and Juliet. It needs to be in 3.5 format which is hard when I have to work two pieces into three body paragraphs--do you know I mean?
Can someone offer suggestions:
- an interesting theme
- how to structure this essay
- an introduction that doesn't clumsily lump the authors' names and titles
Good evening!
The first similar theme that the two works have in common right off the bat is that of pseudo-poison. All of the main characters in both stories are involved in situations where fake poisoning has lead to real poisoning with disasterous consequences.
In regards to structure, a standard 3.5 format should look like this (you can find examples to model from by doing an internet keyword search for "3.5 writing format"):
Introduction
A. Introduction/Hook
B. Thesis Statement
C. Statements of Organization, or "SORG"s
1. SORG1 (may be the topic sentence for body paragraph 1)
2. SORG2 (may be the topic sentence for body paragraph 2)
3. SORG3 (may be the topic sentence for body paragraph 3)
D. End hook (should also act as a transition into next paragraph).
II. Body
A. First Body Paragraph
1. Topic Sentence
2. Supporting statement 1 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
3. Supporting statement 2 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
4. Supporting statement 3 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
5. End hook (should also act as a transition into next paragraph).
B. Second Body Paragraph
1. Topic Sentence
2. Supporting statement 1 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
3. Supporting statement 2 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
4. Supporting statement 3 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
5. End hook (should also act as a transition into next paragraph).
C. Third Body Paragraph
1. Topic Sentence
2. Supporting statement 1 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
3. Supporting statement 2 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
4. Supporting statement 3 (proof, examples, quotes, etc.)
5. End hook (should also act as a transition into next paragraph).
III. Conclusion
A. Restatement of Thesis
B. Restatement of SORGs (it's OK if this is one sentence structured as a list including all of the statements you wrote above)
C. Don't summarize; retell your material but as a refresher. Tell us what you've already told us.
D. Finish by wrapping it up in a sentence or two.
As for the introduction, you really need to decide on your topic sentence/thesis statement before you write that.
I hope this helps get you started!
Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com
