Thursday's class: The Pearl Topic Sentences and Supporting Details

1. Today in class, we are going to help each other find details to use to support our topic sentence conclusions.

For example,

Kino's journey towards prosperity (wealth) actually robs him of everything important to him.  

Kino's journey is a hero's journey.

START by writing your topic sentences at the top of three sheets of binder paper.

Highlight the key words that demand SHOWING details.

Brainstorm a few places where you might be able to find a quotation or paraphrase to use.

Pass the papers clockwise and, looking very carefully at the highlighted words, suggest a few places where he/she might look for examples or details to use.

2. After you have found key details to use in your paragraph, you will need to pay careful attention to how you will use them to support your topic sentence.

For example,

Kino's journey towards prosperity actually robs him of everything important to him.  In the beginning, a poor native finds himself with a beautiful object; it's a pearl, one that seems of great wealth, yet he becomes an beserk animal out of greed and fear. "greedy fingers went through his clothes, frantic fingers searched him, and the pearl, knocked from his hand" (59). 

Do you see how the above quotation is abruptly stuck into in the paragraph and is a bit confusing?
This writer needs to transition from his topic sentence to the quote.  Here is how you fix it:

Kino's journey towards prosperity actually robs him of everything important to him.  In the beginning, a poor native finds himself with a beautiful object; it's a pearl, one that seems of great wealth, yet he becomes an beserk animal out of greed and fear. After Kino rejects the pearl merchants fraudulent offers for the pearl,"greedy fingers went through his clothes, frantic fingers searched him, and the pearl, knocked from his hand" (59). This quotation shows......


That part before the quotation is called CONTEXT.  Always introduce who is speaking or who is acting or place your quote in the plot arc for your reader.

Don't forget to add COMMENTARY after the quotation.  This is where you tell me what is important about your quotation and what it shows (hopefully your highlighted word in your topic sentence.)