Name: Jack Rahlfs Examining the evidence: Searching for Patterns for A Thesis Statement & Topic Sentences Topic/Thesis Idea Evidence (p#; ch. #) Fill in this box after gathering evidence and making associations (character significance? archetype? setting?) Associations Two noble cities filled with moral men (18.572-573) But circling the other city camped a divided army (18.593) A quarrel had broken out and two men struggled (18.481) They were dressing a great ox they had slaughtered (18.651) Had seized a bull from the cattle s front ranks- he bellowed out as they dragged him off in agony (18.678-679) Imagery of the two opposites, contains mortal men. Different perspectives based on war and peace. Repetition of two opposites and the perspectives seen in the two cities. Imagery of the violence shown by the city. Repetition of the violence and the perspectives from herders and farmers. The wedding song rose high and the young men came dancing (18.576-577) Both men pressed for a judge to cut the knot (18.585) A king s estate where harvesters labored (18.639) Girls and boys, their hearts leapt in innocence, bearing away the sweet ripe fruit (18.662-663) The logical happiness is shown in the innocent city that is portrayed not at war. The logos of society is displayed by the greed of men portrayed in the court scene. The reality of life for farmers is portrayed logically in the depiction. The logical innocence of the children are shown, connecting back to the different perspectives.
Thesis Statement In Homer s epic, The Iliad, Homer utilizes the creation of Achilles godly shield to represent the logical world from warring and peaceful perspectives. Aspects to remember : 1) The most basic definition of a thesis statement is topic + Associations. Make sure the wording of your sentence makes a debatable claim. 2) Make sure that your thesis is specific. Are there any vague words or phrases? Is there any room for your ideas to be interpreted differently? Example of what NOT to do : Dickens repeats images of "hands" throughout the novel. Different characters affect Pip with desolation in many ways. Over the course of the story, the aunts tell more and more lies and their guilt increases. Examples of what TO DO : - In Great Expectations, the hands motif indicates Pip s location in the journey toward maturity. -The aunts stern understanding of Christianity reveals the purgatorial realm s imperfection and the community s need for merciful deliverance. -Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald associates the color green with moments of prodigious hope to suggest the futile, even destructive nature of these hopes. Topic Sentences - Bold words that indicate organization of paragraphs (time, place, idea) Underline associations that will appear in your topic strings. Aspects to remember : 1) Write sentences that will support the thesis statement. Remember, topic sentence = organizing element + aspect
of the thesis. 2) Be sure to establish clear, specific, associations to be used in your topic strings. These will be the unifying tone words for your resulting paragraphs. 3) Organization Choices for paragraphs: time, place, idea[(aristotle s topics) definition, comparison, classification, relationship] Example : Thesis : The marriages in Great Expectations depict the variety of virtues and vices present in the British community. TS1 : Near the story s beginning, the reader encounters the residence of Joe and Mrs. Joe, a home where truth and innocence are preyed upon. TS2 : Later, the reader visits the Pocket s home, a place of idleness and self-centeredness. Topic Sentence #1: Homer represents logos in the world through the lively depictions of war and different lifestyles that are engraved on Achilles shield. Associations ( fill in associations here, or use your annotations in your book ): Topic Sentence #2: Homer depicts the effects different experiences, such as war, have on the individual perspectives of the world. If needed...
Topic Sentence #3: Topic Sentence #4: When writing-- aspects to remember: 1) The movements throughout each chunk of your paragraph involve Evidence, Elaboration, and Connection [occurs in the topic string and by placing associations around evidence]. DO NOT view these three components as unequivocally three separate sentences. Some sentences may combine these movements into one or two sentences. 2) Remember to place associations in your topic strings --associations that connect back to those in the topic sentence. 3) Remember to place organizational words/phrases before entering each chunk. Example of 1st chunk and movement into second chunk Paragraph organized by Idea --aspects of Gatsby s character. TS: Nick s account of Gatsby s past reveals an American Adam figure whose dreamy
ambitions both elevate and mar his character. James Gatz s rejection of his parents, for example, recalls the American Adam s freedom from the hardships of the lower class; Gatz is the son of shiftless and unsuccessful farm people, but he still believes another life lies open to him. The man imagines an extravagant future, never really accepting] [...] his parents, but seeking a life lived in the service of [...] beauty, a life providing him with the drive to pull himself up from the indolence of his parents shiftless lives, a life distinguishing him as a hero. Liberated from his past, free to determine his own destiny, Gatz dreams of himself as Jay Gatsby, a man... Gatz s careless rejection also suggests a man lacking compassion, a man willing to sacrifice the bonds of familial love for his own self-centered dreams. Body Paragraph 2: Homer depicts the effects different experiences, such as war, have on the individual perspectives of the world. Hephaestus illustrations of gruesome battle and depicts the soldiers circling the other city camped a divided army (18.593). Anticipating imminent battle, the fearless warriors will inevitably have their perspective of life changed due to the exposure to the harsh realities of battle. Homer contrasts the men by having two noble cities filled with moral men (18.572-573) depicted on the shield. Contrasting the peace experienced by the neutral city, the warring men are destined to discover a new meaning of the fragility of life and the corrupt nature of the violent warfare they will soon endure. Demonstrating the violence on a minute scale, Hephaestus engraves a quarrel [that] had broken out and two men struggled (18.481). The minor struggle foreshadows the major battle that is soon to alter the soldiers understanding of the true value of life and lead them to long for peace. In contrast, the shield also contains engravings of a tranquil city. Containing a blissful innocence, the city is enjoying a wedding feast in one and under glowing torches they brought forth the brides (18.573-574). Homer uses the wedding to portray happiness and youthfulness that is experienced within the city s walls. Furthering the innocent nature of the city, the role of women are emphasized to symbolize the uncorrupt nature of the sheltered city. However, this contrast illustrates how the city at peace and its joyful inhabitants are unable to understand the true value of happiness and love because they never experienced the despair and destruction of merciless battle. On the other hand, the soldiers who battle gain a true understanding of happiness and love because they have experienced the polar opposite emotions of loss and anguish experienced in war. Intro Paragraph: Dismayed by the crippling death of his brotherly friend, the dedicated warrior looks up from his grieving. He cries out to his mother, fueled by vengeance he prepares to avenge legendary Patroclus death. The hero, mighty Achilles, calls for divine aid in his deadly crusade to lead his fellow Achaeans to victory, proclaiming I shall not bury you, no, not till I drag back here the gear and head of Hector (18.381-390). Answering the call, godly Hephaestus forges a master shield with vast depictions of life in peace and war. In the epic, The Iliad, Achilles shield illustrates the new perspectives on the value of life that are obtained through experiences of pain and suffering.