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To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example

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To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example
To Kill A Mockingbird: Expository Essay

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Instruction: You are to write a 1000-2500 word five-paragraph expository essay on suggested topics from To Kill A Mockingbird. The notion behind expository writing is that the writer attempts to expose or reveal information that the reader is not likely to know. Your primary goal, then, is to explain a concept. Your objective in this essay is to demonstrate your proficiency at using well-chosen examples of various types. You will be expected to refer to your lecture notes, your textbooks and the class website as resources for your writing. See below for suggested topics and structure.

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Essay Topics

1. Analyze the childhood world of Jem, Scout, and Dill and their relationship with Boo Radley.
2. Explore how Jem and Scout change during the course of the novel. Evaluate how they remain the same.
3. Examine what it means to be the “other” or an outsider in the novel. Place your analysis in historical context, taking into consideration the social and economic milieu of the 1930s.
4. Discuss the role of symbolism in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Organising and Structuring your Essay

1. Introductory Paragraph: Begin your expository essay by raising the audience’s interest in the introductory paragraph with an anecdotal example (or another hook to get your reader interested). While using anecdotes is not the only method of building an introductory paragraph, it is fundamentally easy and an effective strategy for connecting with your audience. In the very last sentence of your introductory paragraph, state your expository thesis. Usually expository thesis statements, like the sample topics above, are expressed in the form of an opinion/claim. Yours should be stated in the form of an opinion/claim as well.

Feel free to e-mail me or meet with me to discuss your expository thesis.

2. Main Body Section: In the main body of your essay, you must use 3-4 general examples.

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