Turning the Quotation Log into a Thesis / Introduction
Hint: If you know you will win the race before you start, the race if fixed. There will be nothing authentic in your running.
If you know the thesis before you even interact with text, your essay will be inauthentic. There will be no energy to it. You will have killed the enthusiasm.
Step 1: Colour code the quotations into groups of three. There will be some quotes which do not fit. Leave them out.
Step 2: Name each colour. Blue: fear of jealousy. Green: feeling above jealousy. Pink: Confront jealousy.
Step 3: Write an ah-ha sentence which summarized the key points of each colour. Let this sentence reveal something new to you. The idea here is to synthesize. Let the phoenix rise from the ashes. Create a strong sentence for each colour.
Samples:
The faact that Othellow beleives he is above jealousy reveals his falw: he is not yet able to understand the depths of passtion -- great love equals great jealousy.
Othellow strives to be a warrior in life but he cannot bea a warrior in the bedroom--he must realize the enegmy is himself.
In order for OThello to truly connect with Desdemona, he must step down from the etiquette of VEnice into the steam of Cyprus and allow himself to be vulnerable to passion.
Step 4: Create the thesis. Be frank. Be clear. Be emotional. Change the world (or how we see this play) with your interpretation of the work.Build the thesis directly from your three summary statements. Be sure to add the author and the title. Italicize the title of plays.
Sample Thesis:
A warrior cannot love. Only a man can love--vulnerable to jealousy and fear--knowing unconditionally that love does not require trust in the beloved but rather, love demands trust in oneself in Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello.
Tonight: Create the introduction. Use the four sentences you created in class plus create a definitive hook to slowly entice the reader toward your thesis. Type it up. Submit it to me for editing tomorrow. While you write the test, I will edit.
Ensure that you have it printed before class begins.
Introduction
Sentence 1: Hook
2: Thesis, plus author, title
3: First colour summary
4: Second colour summary
5: Third colour summary
6: Repeat the thesis in a more emotional manner. Usually short.
Remember a thesis must SAY something.
Do not say: Iago has many ways to manipulate Othello. Uh? Yeah? You think?
Tell us what you have discovered about his manipulative ways.
Iago, knowing Othello is not from Venice, plies him with lies which feed Othello's unspoken insecurities.
Okay. You are ready. Write. Write. Write.
Study for tomorrow's test by reviewing your notes. Looking closely at the literary must-haves that are used for all formal literary responses.
Look at the "musings" which you have done and re-read a few of the key scenes. Try to predict which passage I will use and why.
