Creating the "Hook"

Dear Ms. K,

When I'm writing an essay, I always struggle with creating an interesting "hook" to pull in my reader. Do you have any suggestions on how I can begin my essay in a more interesting way?

Dear Student:

There isn't a magic formula for introductory paragraph hooks. However, I do have a few suggestions to help you in your writing. Here are a few methods:

1. Make a provocative statement of your own.
2. Begin with a quotation from the play and explain it.
3. Describe the situation.
4. Create an atmosphere.
5. Ask a question

Can you think of any others?

You are going to create a mini-essay on Act I of The Crucible. First, however, you are going to write an introductory paragraph for each of the essay prompts, using a different method for starting each paragraph.

Here are the essay prompts. Make sure you write one introductory paragraph for each essay prompt.

1. What prompts Tituba and the girls to claim they've seen the devil at the end of the act?
2. What conflicts are present in the community of Salem at the beginning of the play and what are the causes of them?
3. What kind of character is Abigail? Explain her behavior in this act.
4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of Salem in the first act of The Crucible?
5. How has the balance of power shifted by the end of Act I? Why does this happen?

So, now it's your turn! Each of you should post one sample introductory paragraph from today's homework. It needs to be posted by 11:00 pm Monday, March 19th. Your digital copy of five intro paragraphs should be in the class folder by 4:00 pm on Monday, and hardcopy printout put under my door. See you Tuesday!

(p.s. We miss you, M. from Japan. And, to "fatandconfused" at MUN in China, I hope you're doing well. BTW, this assignment is for you, too!)

Comments

[PurPly_PunK]

I chose to being with an introductory pargraph that describes the situation.

4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere in the first act of the play?

Disputes over land, money and witchcraft flare in the village of Salem mainly in the authority figures. The once most respected figures’ power in Salem is handed off to the Tituba, the black servant from Barbados, and the teenaged girls that claim to have seen citizens walk with the devil. Money and land are not longer measures of power and authority as the importance of keeping one’s names clean becomes the most main goal in the everyday life of Salem as seen in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

[wh!te_lOvE13]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that creates an atmosphere.

4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of Salem in the first act of the play?
The church stood in the so-called “town” with a small neighborhood of wooden houses. Toward the bay, a few dark houses were clustered together in the freezing winter. There were no novelists and no “vain enjoyment”. In the pitch dark forest beyond the village, the devil awaited, ready to attack and tear down the virtuous land. Fear and cautiousness overpower everybody’s minds to eliminate the devil’s evil ambition in The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller.

[Mud]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that describe a situation. Here it is: 1. There are three people in the room at two men and a girl. They are Abigail, Parris and Hale. Abigail is being questioned by Parris and Hale finally she brings out a name "Tituba!"

[StandAlone]

I chose to being with an introductory pargraph that describes how does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere in the first act of the play.

Deep in the forest, in the village of Salem, a secret has been exposed, witchcraft. It was what the people fears and what that will make the people do anything to get rid off. Everything started off with Tituba and some village girls. A village that had no witches, started off by this in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

[ringmybella]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that I made a provocative statement about.
1. What prompts Tituba and the girls to claim that they have seen the devil at the end of the act?
- One simple village turns into chaos. As Tituba starts to confess about Sarah’s true identity, all the girls start confessing. There is no trust anymore. Everyone is in war against each other and possessed by the fear they have within them in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible.

[x.zonix]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that describes a situation.

What prompts Tituba and the girls to claim they've seen the devil at the end of the act?

A group of teenage girls were secretly dancing in the woods with a black slave, named Tituba. When they were discovered of what they were doing, the girls started accusing certain individuals in the village of dealing with witchcraft. Within a blink of an eye, the entire village is controlled by a devil that exists within the fear of each person. A drama of suspense and impact, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, explores through the individuals' guilt, vengeance and fear.

[DieAloneXplosiv3]

I choose to begin with a introductory paragraph that creates an atmosphere.

4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of Salem in the first act of The Crucible?

In the village of Salem, where it is peaceful and cheerful, suddenly turned to be a gloomy and dark village due to witchcraft. Everyone in the village has an enemy and they are scared if their enemies use witchcraft upon them. The witchcraft is also though to be the devil, as they believe that it is ready to tear them apart. All these fears and anxiousness have made the wonderful village of Salem dark in The Crucible, a play be Arthur Miller.

[Bert]

i chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that creates an atmosphere. here it is yo:

3. He does not dare look into the eyes of Abigail. She longs for him, and deep down inside his heart, John Procter longs for her as well. Abigail grabs his hand, persuading him to feel the way he once did. In Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” Abigail fearlessly shows her love for John Procter, but also shows her toughness when she yells at Betty to get out of her spell.

[haha921]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that creates an atmosphere.

Here it is...

4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of Salem in the first act of the play?

In the place full of darkness and mystery, in Salem, Massachusetts, villagers are immensely shocked after hearing about witch trials practiced among teenage girls in Arthur Miller’s play, the Crucible. Alarmed and terrified, townspeople curiously rush to the parlor where they slowly fill the room and wait to see the girl who they thought was bewitched by the Devil. Upstairs, Reverend Parris kneels by the bedside and laments for his daughter while blaming his niece for getting involved in witchcraft and ruining his reputation if the public finds it out.

[Watersfish]

I chose to begin with a Describe the situation-

A large fire burning in the middle while a crowd of young girls running and jumping around engulf Tituba in an atmosphere of devilish witchcraft In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. But the consequences of one night may be more then these young girls can handle.

[chAos D.]

I choose to begin with an introductory paragraph that is to create an atmosphere, here it is: Out in a new land, a new world far from their old home, there is a small settlement called Salem is surrounded by a "claimed" to be enchanted forest. The work of the devil and his accomplices are planning to destroy this peaceful settlement of god. Witchcraft is a new idea to take revenge; long-held hatreds are now brought out in the open by the new term called witchcraft. Arthur Miller's work The Crucible shows the works and arts of the devil inside a person.

[miniart168]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that begins with the quotation, here it is:

1. What prompts Tituba and the girls to claim they've seen the devil at the end of the act?

“You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!” Parris cried with bitter anger at Tituba. Every village people around them in the Arthur Miler’s play The Crucible, held back their breath silently wanting to know what had happened to Tituba and the girls. But all of them looked scared and shocked. Feeling the pressure of Parris and the people, she began to tell what had happened in the forest not knowing the consquences she's going to get as well as everyone in the village.

[Slayer 19]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that is a 'Describe the situation'

4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of Salem in the first act of The Crucible?

Sobs and mumbling of gentle prayers fill the air of a dark cold room. Opposite the bed where Betty lies inert with Revernd Parris right beside her, is a narrow window. And through its leaded panes, morning sunlight streams and breaks the dark, giving light into this sulken dry place where devil's spirits linger about. Now, the door opens which triggers the start of the to-be-solved mystery in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible.

[XKira]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that Begins with a quotation from the play, here it is

“I saw Alice Barrow with the Devil! I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil! I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil! I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!” Betty and Abigail starts to blame the people of Salem at the end of Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. This is the start of the conflict, between people who believe in witchcraft and people who don’t trust them.

[Go_Rush]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that begins with a quatation from the play

Here it is:

3. What kind of a character is Abigail? Explain her behavior in this act.
- Begin with a quotation from the play and explain it
“I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!” Abigail still loves John Proctor and she can’t forget about him. She believes that if Elizabeth Proctor is gone, then she can be with John Proctor again. Because of this, Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor as a witch and eventually, the whole village is in the panic in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

[GOdsmurf]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that creates an atmosphere.

In the small American town of Salem, trouble brews underneath the surface. The mood is dark and with people backstabing each other. Rumors of the devil and mystic witchcraft is afloat. The devil's work or just ordiniary jealous townspeople over each other's property. In Auther Miller's Crucible, there is an uncertainty.

[Ball4Life]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph with my provocative statement in it...

Reverend Parris looks at Betty and wonders what happened the night before in the woods. Putnam and Mrs. Putnam claims that witchcraft was done and that Betty was touched by the Devil. This later was said to be true by Tituba and Abigail. Reverend Parris is going to have to deal with a lot of problems, both with Betty and the civilians of Salem in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible.

[bakz]

I chose to being with an introductory pargraph that describes the situation.

4. How does Arthur Miller create the atmosphere in the first act of the play?

In the village of Salem, the witchcraft has appeared all of sudden which brings to people fearful and anxious minds. They understand witchcraft as the devil that would destroy the entire of the peaceful village into bloody place, and Arthur Miller create the atmosphere of the Crucible by expressing people's disquieting feeling toward the witchcraft.

[choxyspace]

I chose to begin with an introductory paragraph that is a provocative statement of my own.

Here it is:

A small room, enlightened by the bright sun of a fresh morning in Salem, is enveloped by the devil’s darkness. A helpless girl captured by the devil lies inert on a bed. Next to her a minister kneels down to pray for Gods help. This new town in the Americas is infected by the destructive beliefs of witchcraft in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.