August 28, 2013 - How to Write and Introduction

When I asked students how do they write an introduction, most kids said the following:

• write the main idea
• list the main points that you will talk about 
• use a hook
• introduce your topic

While all these responses were valid, imagine how bored you would get as a TCAP grader if you had to read a thousands essays that sound like this:

"First I am going to tell you about how Eichmann didn't feel responsible for his actions. Next, I will tell you about . . . "  BORING!

"How does power of authority affect how responsible people feel for their choices?" BORING 

Now imagine you graded 999 papers, and you read this introduction:

Shhhh.  Listen to the power.  

Clapping could be heard around the camp.  And laughter.  He stomped his combat boots against the hard dirt because clapping was not enough.  The sight was hilarious.  And it was all for him.  Without his power this never would have happen.  Without his power he never would have laughed and clapped and stomped his combat boots.  What a sight it was.

Shhhh.  Now listen to death whispering between the clapping hands.

Death.  Death.  Death.  Three people hung from the gallows.  Tongues out.  Soiled pants.  Necks hanging to the side, eyes bulging out as if something on the ground  waved for attention.  

Nothing about that is funny.  There should have been no clapping or laughing or combat boot stomping.  There should have been no deaths.  Without power, without authority, with some acceptance of responsibility none of that would have happened.

Responsibility comes with power, but with power comes the ability to relinquish responsibility to higher authorities if the choices made are deemed unnecessary or wrong .  

Your assignment: Paint a picture of a scene we have encountered in one of the texts we have read this quarter for your introduction.

Try this:

• Make a list of CONCRETE IMAGES from an article (example: gallows, noose, chair, skinny, rib cage, Nazi Uniform, combat boots, etc.)
• Then choose one image to focus your introduction around. (the example above used the concrete image of combat boots). 
• Write! Don't worry about over thinking it. Just write and then read and edit it.