Much of the focus in grades nine and ten is on writing a solid literary paragraph. Whether we are studying Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, To Kill a Mockingbird, or advertising and media, I am always teaching students the fundamentals of paragraph structure.
I often use samples that they can use as models. The following sample is one I used in a short stories unit. It compares two stories, “The Most Dangerous Game,” and “Saturday Climbing.” It demonstrates use of a hook to get the reader’s attention, a clear thesis, explanation, and a conclusion.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH
“Are you not entertained?” This Gladiator quote mimics the question I ask myself after every story I read. Literature should provide an escape. I want to feel my pulse quicken as I turn the pages. I want to be taken somewhere outside my own experience. “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell achieves these objectives. It is a story full of suspense, action, and adventure far beyond the scope of daily life. Unfortunately, W.D. Valgardson’s “Saturday Climbing” does not provide the literary escape I crave when reading. It is a story of familiar themes and environments. “The Most Dangerous Game” is a superior story because it entertains.
