Essay Writing - GREAT PETAL TREE

Exclamation

Finish on a memorable note. Try to leave a lasting impression on your reader with a sharp and insightful take on the topic / question. e.g. "While the story ends tragically for the central protagonists, Shakespeare reveals the ultimate redemptive and healing qualities that love brings through the unification of the feuding families."

Technique

Here is where you need to provide your evidence. This part of your body paragraph highlights one or more techniques that have been identified from a quote, or example from the text, that you are going to explore. You may have noticed we have already referenced one in the last section. These are not hard and fast rules! e.g. "By love, who first did prompt me to inquire; He lent me counsel and I lent him eyes. I am no pilot" (2.2) In this quote Shakespeare conveys, through the use of personification, how love has controlled Romeo's actions and brought him to Juliet's balcony, and imminent danger. It is because of love that he is 'no pilot'."

Link

In this part of the paragraph, focus on your thesis statement from the introduction. Make explicit reference to the thesis in relation to what has been discussed in the paragraph. e.g. "Blinded by their overpowering infatuation for each other, R&J make a hasty decision to get married, based on what they believe is love. It is love which ironically brings them into deadly conflict with the world of their feuding families and contributes to the inevitable, tragic outcome of the play."

General Grabber

In your first sentence, provide a general outline which introduces the topic. Be sure to grab the readers attention with a statement that is interesting and engaging e.g. "It is said that love makes the world go around. However, it can also be the end the world for some."

Relevance

Introduce your text/s, the composer and explain how these relate to the set topic or question that you will explore in the essay. e.g. "In the play 'Romeo and Juliet', Shakespeare reveals how love can make people experience a vast range of emotions and place themselves in challenging situations."

Elucidate Arguments

State the main POINTS you will focus on in the essay. These will determine the content of each body paragraph and the order in which they appear. They will become your statement / topic sentences. e.g. "The nature of love is shown to be a DANGEROUS, though WONDERFUL experience and enables people to have a RENEWED ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE."

Thesis

The first sentence of your conclusion should restate your thesis statement. Avoid using exactly the same words. e.g. "The complex irony of love bringing about tragedy is the fundamental focus of the play, 'Romeo and Juliet'."

Recap

The next part of your conclusion should focus on your three arguments. Once again, when reaffirming your POINTS, try to find fresh and interesting ways of expressing the same ideas. e.g. "Love can be seen to bring about beautiful and joyous moments in life, allowing people to rediscover themselves. However, Shakespeare also reminds the audience that while love enables people to challenge the status quo, this also brings about harmful ramifications."

Elaborate

This can also be known as a supporting or developing sentence. It discusses your 'point' in more detail, exploring the ideas presented in greater depth. e.g. "At the beginning of Act 2 Sc II, Romeo is risking death by breaking back in to the Capulet mansion, just so that he can see Juliet again. Through the use of high modality language, Juliet clearly warns him, "If they do see thee, they will murder thee." (Act 2 Sc II) However, Romeo ignores these warnings and after only knowing each other for a matter of hours, R&J, born into rival families at war, decide to get married."

Introduction

This is GREAT. It follows a funnel approach, from a general outline of the topic to the most specific, your thesis statement. It should get the reader interested, show that you understand the question and outline the topics you will discuss in the body.

Point

This is otherwise known as a 'Topic Sentence'. It is usually the first sentence of your body paragraph and outlines what the paragraph will be about. It should clearly relate to the specific arguments / 'points' you have raised in your introduction. e.g. "Shakespeare presents R&J falling in love at first sight and explores how their abrupt choice to get married, despite the family feud, results in their tragic deaths."

Analyse

This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of your body paragraph. It requires you to provide an insight into the EFFECT of the techniques used from the evidence you have given. You should reveal how the composer has made you think or feel a certain way. e.g. "Driven by the emotion of love, the character of Romeo is shown to have a reckless nature as he disregards the looming prospect of death if he is caught in the Capulet mansion. Shakespeare portrays him as no longer being capable of making his own decisions. Instead, Romeo simply acts at love's behest. This can often prove foolhardy and even hazardous."

Conclusion

This is the final paragraph of your essay. Here you will focus on the TREE technique. It is the opposite funnel shape to the introduction, beginning with the most specific, your thesis statement, towards a more general summation.

GREAT PETAL TREE

This is the overall structure of the essay, incorporating the introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion. For the purposes of this Quizlet, we are focusing on how Shakespeare reveals the nature of love in R&J.

and Thesis

This sums up your essay in a succinct statement and should be the last line of your introduction. It is usually only one or two sentences long. It is the spine which holds your essay together. e.g. "Therefore, it can be seen that Shakespeare demonstrates love to be a many splendid, though often complicated affair. The play effectively explores the complex nature of desire versus true love."

Evaluate

Try to provide an evaluation of how your arguments have addressed the question. e.g. "'Romeo and Juliet' powerfully conveys the complex and intricate role that love plays in a world where hate rules."

Body paragraph

We are using the PETAL technique here. It is very similar to PEEL, however, it ensures you incorporate a (T) technique in your analysis. This is the meat in your burger.