Ms. K's Website

"The Journey" by Mary Oliver: a sample literary analysis

  "One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice...

...a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

...kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper into the world..."

-from Mary Oliver's "The Journey"

Look below the fold for the poem in its entirety, an accompanying literary analysis by Ms. K, and guidelines for your literary analysis papers.

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!)