W.J.

Mouat

English 11

Persuasive essays and Literary Analysis

Ms. Bergman

Name:________________________

Persuasive Writing
Here is where we are at in the broader scheme of writing:
Form #3: Persuasive/Argumentative Writing: writing to convince the reader of a stated opinion or
belief (e.g., from class reptiles as pets, debate in social studies, some speeches, reading responses,)
Real life examples of this form include letters to the editor, ads (T.V. and magazine), pamphlets,
opinion pieces).
Persuasive writing contains
Clearly stated belief or opinion a thesis or topic sentence that is arguable
Detailed facts that support your opinion in a literary analysis this comes from your text
A call to action a so what now, or a why should I care statement
Literary Analysis
Literary analysis can be done in paragraphs or larger essays. No matter the length, a piece of literary
analysis goes beyond plot summary or discussion. Instead, literary analysis draws larger connections,
opinions, and themes through the story and beyond. Strong literary analysis connects to issues larger
than the story, and shows the storys place in the broader world of human experience.
Well-organized paragraphs have four components that work together to produce a coherent, unified
product. Think of each paragraph as a mini-essay endeavouring to prove one aspect of your thesis
statement (in a broader essay).

Each paragraph should

Make a debatable claim (the topic sentence)

Provide proof for that claim (the evidence or support)

Show how the evidence supports the claim (the analysis)

In an essay, each paragraph should contain effective transitions both

within the paragraph and between paragraphs so that the reader can follow
the logic of the argument (transitions).

W.J. Mouat

English 11

Ms. Bergman

Topic sentence: The topic sentence is to the paragraph what the thesis is to the entire paper. That
is, a paragraph's topic sentence states the claim or argument of that paragraph.
For example, imagine that a paper about The Yellow Wall Paper has this thesis:

Gilmans main purpose in writing The Yellow Wallpaper is to condemn not only a specific medical treatment
but also the misogynistic principles and resulting sexual politics that make such a treatment possible.
This paper as a lot to prove. It must begin by proving that there is a larger connection between the
narrator and the world, with regard to women. Therefore, the first paragraphs topic sentence could be:

The unequal relationship between the narrator and John is a microcosm of the larger gender inequity in society.
Evidence or support: Support or evidence usually refers to quotations from or summary of the
literary work. Without support, your topic sentence will go unproven and your paragraph will fall flat.
(If your topic sentence does not seem to require support, it probably isn't an effective topic sentence to
begin with).
Working with the topic sentence above, we might use the following two pieces of evidence:
Johns attempts to care for the narrator show his condescending attitude towards women in
general (find a couple quotes)
Johns behaviour shows that he believes the science of the day that claimed women were
childlike and dependent on men
Analysis: With analysis, you tell your reader how you want him or her to understand the quotation or
summary you have provided as support. As a writer, you can't necessarily assume that your reader will
draw the same conclusions you have drawn from the evidence. Your reader may draw the opposite
conclusion from the evidence, so you need to elaborate, through your analysis, on your own
interpretation. Thus, support and analysis go hand in hand.
Transitions: Well organized paragraphs use transitions between the topic sentence, support, and
analysis which let the reader know where the argument is going. Simple transitions such as "for
example," "for instance," "therefore," "however," and "also" are useful to show relationships between
ideas. Be careful to use appropriate punctuation with your transitional words.

W.J. Mouat

English 11

Ms. Bergman

Here is the full paragraph:

The unequal relationship between the narrator and John is a microcosm of the larger gender inequity in society.
Gilman makes it clear that much of Johns condescending and paternal behaviour toward his wife has little to
do with her illness. He dismisses her well-thought-out opinions and her flights of fancy (1) with equal disdain,
while he belittles her creative impulses. He speaks of her as he would a child, calling her his little girl and
saying of her, Bless her little heart (4). He overrides her judgments on the best course of treatment for herself
as he would on any issue, making her live in a house she does not like, in a room she detests, and in an isolated
environment which makes her unhappy and lonely. Johns solicitous care (3) shows that he believes the
prevailing scientific theories which claim that womens innate inferiority leaves them, childlike, in a state of
infantile dependence.
General writing instructions:
When writing about literature you always write in the present tense
Always use the authors name and the title of the literature you are analysing
Cite every single quotation (when writing about one piece of literature you only need page #)
Keep your ideas simple and back each of your ideas up with an example or a quote you dont
always need a direct quote. There are three levels of using examples in your paper: quotes,
paraphrases, and summaries.
Quotes must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They
must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original
author. Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own
words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Summarizing involves
putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s) [Info from
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/563/ See webpage for more details].
Higher skills notes: For those of you who have this writing-thing mastered, here are some pointers you
can use to improve your writing and possibly bump that 5 up to a 6.
A topic sentence or a thesis can be more than one sentence if necessary, but that must be done well to
be effective.
Seamless integration of direct quotes strengthens your argument and improves the style of your paper.
More complex transitions can be whole phrases or sentences that show how you are moving from one
idea to another.
Develop a broader vocabulary, and know how to use the words effortlessly in sentences