Introduction

The outline is the “skeleton” of your paper

Rough drafts are putting “meat” on the “bones.”

Hypothetical Thesis

Mark Twain criticizes 19th century America’s narrow-minded racist ideals by depicting Huckleberry’s gradual growth and rejection of racist values in favor of friendship with Jim.

Hypothetical Outline

A. Huck ultimately realizes that Jim is no different than he is inside.

1. Tom is gravely injured; likely to die. Jim sacrifices self to save his friend.

2. “I know’d he was white inside” (Twain 230).

3. Huck recognizes that although Jim’s skin color is different than his, he has the same morals and values.

4. Secondary Source: __________________________

Step 1: The Topic Sentence

Clean up your topic sentence. Make it exceptional. Make it clear what the entire paragraph

is about. Use appropriate transitions.

Step 1: The Topic Sentence

Huck ultimately realizes that Jim is no different than he is inside.

As the novel progresses towards a conclusion, Huck ultimately realizes that Jim, through his kind actions, is no different than he is, and recognizes the unimportance of race.

Step 2: Adding Context

You cannot simply drop your primary source quote after the topic sentence.

You must introduce it by BRIEFLY summarizing the relevant plot details.

This is your CONTEXT. On your outline, I requested only brief

fragments. Now, expand them.

Step 2: Adding Context

1. Tom is gravely injured; likely to die. Jim sacrifices self to save his friend.

Tom Sawyer, in a delirious coma after being shot in a foolish attempt to unnecessarily rescue Jim, is about to die. Jim, seeing the situation, comes out of hiding, risking his own life and freedom, to help find a doctor.

Paragraph So Far

As the novel progresses towards a conclusion, Huck ultimately realizes that Jim, through his kind actions, is no different than he is, and recognizes the unimportance of race. Tom Sawyer, in a delirious coma after being shot in a foolish attempt to unnecessarily rescue Jim, is about to die. Jim, seeing the situation, comes out of hiding, risking his own life and freedom, to help find a doctor.

Step 3: Add The Quote

The primary source quote follows the context.

Don’t orphan the quote – be sure to introduce it in some way.

Primary source quote must be followed by parenthetical citation.

Step 3: Adding the Quote

“I know’d he was white inside” (Twain 230).

Huck, in seeing Jim’s kindness, remarks, “I knowed he was white inside” (Twain 230).

OR“I knowed he was white inside,” Huck

remarks upon seeing Jim’s kindness (Twain 230).

Paragraph So Far

As the novel progresses towards a conclusion, Huck ultimately realizes that Jim, through his kind actions, is no different than he is, and recognizes the unimportance of race. Tom Sawyer, in a delirious coma after being shot in a foolish attempt to unnecessarily rescue Jim, is about to die. Jim, seeing the situation, comes out of hiding, risking his own life and freedom, to help find a doctor. “I knowed he was white inside,” Huck remarks upon seeing Jim’s kindness (Twain 230).

Step 4: Add an Inference

After the quote, it is necessary to provide an inference explaining its relevance to your paper’s thesis.

Expand, if necessary, the inference from your outline.

If you can’t tie the quote to the thesis, the quote is no good!

Step 4: Adding an Inference

Huck recognizes that although Jim’s skin color is different than his, he has the same morals and values.

Huck’s statement affirms his progression into a dynamic character. Huck recognizes that though Jim’s skin color is different, he possesses the same “insides,” or morals and values, as he and the rest of white society do.

Paragraph So Far

As the novel progresses towards a conclusion, Huck ultimately realizes that Jim, through his kind actions, is no different than he is, and recognizes the unimportance of race. Tom Sawyer, in a delirious coma after being shot in a foolish attempt to unnecessarily rescue Jim, is about to die. Jim, seeing the situation, comes out of hiding, risking his own life and freedom, to help find a doctor. “I knowed he was white inside,” Huck remarks upon seeing Jim’s kindness (Twain 230). Huck’s statement affirms his progression into a dynamic character. Huck recognizes that though Jim’s skin color is different, he possesses the same “insides,” or morals and values, as he and the rest of white society do.

Step 5: Adding a Secondary Source Quote

Secondary source quotes are scholarly affirmations of your original thought.

You are very smart, but must rely on learned English scholars to support your assertions.

If you don’t have a secondary source to support what you said, you are probably wrong (no offense).

Step 5: Adding a Secondary Source Quote

You cannot simply drop a secondary source quote.

It, like a primary source quote, must be introduced.

Step 5: Adding a Secondary Source Quote

“Twain's antiracism was and remains effective in the uncontroversial showing that blacks are human, that black ties of love and family are as strong and genuine as white ones” (Kaye 15).

Huck’s breakthrough revelation serves to support the overarching theme of the book that, “Twain's antiracism was and remains effective in the uncontroversial showing that blacks are human, that black ties of love and family are as strong and genuine as white ones” (Kaye 15).

So Far….

As the novel progresses towards a conclusion, Huck ultimately realizes that Jim, through his kind actions, is no different than he is, and recognizes the unimportance of race. Tom Sawyer, in a delirious coma after being shot in a foolish attempt to unnecessarily rescue Jim, is about to die. Jim, seeing the situation, comes out of hiding, risking his own life and freedom, to help find a doctor. “I knowed he was white inside,” Huck remarks upon seeing Jim’s kindness (Twain 230). Huck’s statement affirms his progression into a dynamic character. Huck recognizes that though Jim’s skin color is different, he possesses the same “insides,” or morals and values, as he and the rest of white society do. Huck’s breakthrough revelation serves to support the overarching theme of the book that, “Twain's antiracism was and remains effective in the uncontroversial showing that blacks are human, that black ties of love and family are as strong and genuine as white ones” (Kaye 15).

Step 6: Wrapping It All Up

Now, it is time to add a conclusion sentence.

The conclusion sentence should do two things: explain the significance of the quotation, and reconnect to the thesis. This is sometimes difficult to do well.

Finally:

As the novel progresses towards a conclusion, Huck ultimately realizes that Jim, through his kind actions, is no different than he is, and recognizes the unimportance of race. Tom Sawyer, in a delirious coma after being shot in a foolish attempt to unnecessarily rescue Jim, is about to die. Jim, seeing the situation, comes out of hiding, risking his own life and freedom, to help find a doctor. “I knowed he was white inside,” Huck remarks upon seeing Jim’s kindness (Twain 230). Huck’s statement affirms his progression into a dynamic character. Huck recognizes that though Jim’s skin color is different, he possesses the same “insides,” or morals and values, as he and the rest of white society do. Huck’s breakthrough revelation serves to support the overarching theme of the book that, “Twain's antiracism was and remains effective in the uncontroversial showing that blacks are human, that black ties of love and family are as strong and genuine as white ones” (Kaye 15). Twain thus manages to simultaneously reject the racist values of 19th century America and affirm the kindness and compassion he believes Americans should feel for one another, regardless of race, through the thoughts of an adolescent boy.

Introductory and Concluding Paragraph

The introductory and conclusion paragraphs should be the last ones that you write.

Develop all of your supporting details first; you will use the introduction to lead into them, and the conclusion to summarize them.

Sample Intro Paragraph

Here is the original thesis:Mark Twain criticizes 19th century America’s narrow-minded racist ideals by depicting Huckleberry’s gradual growth and rejection of racist values in favor of friendship with Jim.

The following slide depicts its placement in an introductory paragraph.

Sample Intro Paragraph:

19th century America was indeed a time of tumultuous change. Within a single century, the entire nation was ripped apart and reunited in bloody civil war, while a large percentage of the national population, once considered property, became known as citizens. Mark Twain was certainly attune to the national discordance of feelings. As a southerner who frequently traveled north to revel in the success of his first masterpiece, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain was able to see the marked contrast in values, and reacted with disgust towards his southern peers. In the process of creating Huckleberry Finn, what Twain set out to create, an amusing sequel to his light-hearted previous success, quickly transformed into a bitter criticism of the world around him, and his hero Huck Finn transforms from a careless renegade into a thoughtful symbol of progress. Mark Twain criticizes 19th century America’s narrow-minded racist ideals by depicting Huckleberry’s gradual growth and rejection of racist values in favor of friendship with Jim.

Conclusion Paragraph

Conclusion essentially does the opposite. Rephrase the thesis at its opening, and gradually broaden, growing towards a connection to the modern world.

Keep it short; allow this to be the shortest part of your paper.

Sample Conclusion Paragraph

Through the moral development of his young protagonist, Mark Twain succeeds in criticizing the narrow-minded racism of 19th century America. Twain intended for Huck’s growth and change to be the model for those who read his work, and hoped that Huck’s “sound heart” would succeed in fracturing the “deformed conscience” of the society Twain maligned. In many ways, Twain’s vision has yet to come to fruition, as over 150 years after the emancipation proclamation, African Americans still face a disparity of wealth and career opportunities, yet his optimism still inspires, and his work remains a mainstay of American secondary education. Perhaps Huck’s journey is not yet over after all.

MLA CITATIONSA Brief Reminder of Parenthetical Citatons

MLA CITATIONS

MLA citations are required to give credit to the author who wrote the quotation

You must include MLA citations whenever you provide a direct quote, or you are plagiarizing.

The information is put in parenthesis after the quote, and is called a parenthetical citation.

FORMAT

A parenthetical citation includes the author’s last name, and then the page on which the quote appears.

Ex: If a book was written by Gordon Smith, and the quote you want to use appears on page 32, your citation would be: (Smith 32).

QUOTE WITH INTRODUCTION FIRST

In realizing Finny has kept him from succeeding in his studies, Gene remarks, “We were even after all, even in enmity.”

In realizing Finny has kept him from succeeding in his studies, Gene remarks, “We were even after all, even in enmity” (Knowles 46).

QUOTE WITH INTRODUCTION LAST

“We were even after all, even in enmity,” Gene reflects after discovering Finny had set out to make him fail.

“We were even after all, even in emnity,” Gene reflects after discovering Finny had set out to make him fail (Knowles 46).

QUOTE INTERRUPTED

“We were even after all,” Gene remarked after discovering Finny had made him fail, “even in enmity.”

“We were even after all,” Gene remarked after discovering Finny had made him fail, “even in enmity” (Knowles 46).

WORKS CITED

If you use a parenthetical citation, you must have a works cited

Works cited is its own page (no other text)

Heading, centered: Works Cited Beneath it, alphabetical list of all works

cited.