“Even though I found The Scarlett Letter hard to follow at times, Hester Prynne’s story is still relatable, and made me think a lot about the effects of publicly shaming people online. " “Some people believe the Old Man and the Sea is a book about failure, but it is really a story of perseverance that teaches us that success may not always come in the form we expect, and even disasters can lead to positive outcomes. "
Introduction: 1 paragraph. Analysis/Body Paragraphs: 3-4 paragraphs. How you organize these paragraphs will depend on the parameters of the assignment. Conclusion: 1 paragraph.
Do you like or dislike the text? Can you identify the author’s purpose? Do you agree or disagree with the author? Does the text relate to you and your life? If so, how? If not, why not? Does the text agree with, or go against your personal world view? What, if anything, did you learn from the text?
Taking a bit of extra time during this phase will save you a lot of time in the writing process. [3] X Research source
I think that. . . I feel that. . . I see that. . . I have learned that. . .
It is often helpful to use the first body paragraph to include more information about the text, the plotline, major themes, etc. , and then use the rest of the paragraphs to provide an analysis of how you felt about the text.
Remember that a reader response is meant to be personal, so it’s OK to incorporate personal anecdotes and opinions into your analysis. Example: “Forcing Hester Prynne to wear the scarlet “A” reminded me of a time when I was cyber-bullied in eighth grade, and my “friends” spread rumors about me online where the whole school could see. "
Example: “At the end of The Old Man and the Sea, Manolin promises to once again fish with Santiago, so the old man no longer has to be alone. This was Santiago’s greatest wish, but it was a different kind of success than he initially set out to achieve. "
Example: “‘My big fish must be somewhere,’ said Santiago. This is exactly how I felt after I received my third rejection letter, but like Santiago, I kept trying, and eventually I was accepted. " Make sure and cite your examples per class directions. You will usually be required to note the page numbers of any quotations or specific examples in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
A great way to think of your conclusion is that it’s one last chance to explain to your reader how you see all of your points fitting together.
Sometimes it’s hard to see our own mistakes, so it can really help to exchange papers with a friend, and proofread each other’s work.
