Transcript Writing an analytical essay

WRITING AN ANALYTICAL ESSAY
English III
PROMPT
According to the characteristics
outlined by Aristotle, is John Proctor a
tragic hero?
STEP 1
Examine the characteristics to see if John meets ALL of them.
1. At the beginning of the story, when the tragic hero is introduced, he is happy.
2. The tragic hero is respected in the society and holds a superior status or privilege.
3. The tragic hero is ethical – meaning he has principles and a sense of right and
wrong. He tries to do the right thing.
4. The tragic hero has a flaw – a personality trait/quality – that is to blame for his
destruction.
STEP 2
Based on your analysis of the characteristics, determine a thesis – the point you will
try to prove correct in the body of your essay.
Does John meet
Aristotle’s definition
of a tragic hero?
POSSIBLE THESIS STATEMENTS
YES:
John Proctor possesses all the characteristics of a tragic hero.
NO:
Although John Proctor is a character the audience pities, he does not meet all the
characteristics of a tragic hero.
STEP 3
Gather the evidence from the play (quotes) that you will use to support your
argument.
Make sure to take note of who said the line and in which act the line appears.
For example, here’s a quote that supports the idea that John was not happy at the
beginning of the story:
Act II, John Proctor: “I confessed. Confessed! Some dream I had must have mistaken
you for God that day. But you’re not, you’re not, and let you remember it! Let you
look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not.”
ESSAY STRUCTURE
Introduction
 Hook
 Background Information (title of work being analyzed, author)
 Thesis
Body (4 paragraphs – one for each of the characteristics of the tragic hero)
 Textual evidence (quotes) supporting thesis
 Rebuttal – address the opposing point of view and show how that argument is weak or flawed
Conclusion
 Restate the thesis in NEW words
 Summarize the main points of the essay
TRANSITIONS
SAMPLE INTRODUCTION
HOOK
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Imagine losing your life over a crime you did not commit? This is the case for John
Proctor, the protagonist of Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible. In this tragic story of the
Salem witch trials, Proctor is the tragic hero. According to the Greek philosopher
Aristotle, the tragic hero is introduced as happy, powerful, ethical and ends up
suffering or dying because of his own actions or mistakes. Since John Proctor meets all
of these characteristics, he is the perfect example of a tragic hero.
THESIS
SAMPLE BODY PARAGRAPH
TRANSITION
One of the characteristics outlined by Aristotle in order that a character may be
considered a tragic hero is that he must be happy at the beginning of the story.
However, this is not the case for John Proctor. As he has committed adultery, Proctor is
plagued by guilt and has not been able to repair his relationship with Elizabeth as
demonstrated in the following quote, “I confessed. Confessed! Some dream I had must
have mistaken you for God that day. But you’re not, you’re not, and let you
remember it! Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not” (Act
II). Earlier in this same Act, Proctor tells Elizabeth that he aims to please her. He is
careful not to hurt her feelings. First, he conceals the fact that he was alone with
Abigail in Salem, and next he seasons the stew and later lies to Elizabeth about how
TEXTUAL
well it tastes. These actions show that he is walking on eggshells and can’t possibly be EVIDENCE
happy while this tension exists in his relationship.
RESTATED THESIS
SAMPLE CONCLUSION
As demonstrated, Proctor cannot possibly be considered a tragic hero. He is neither
happy at the beginning of the play, nor an ethical person, as evidenced by his affair.
Although the reader can feel compassion for the way Proctor’s mistakes lead to his
demise, he clearly does not meet all the criteria necessary to be labeled a tragic
hero. Although some may argue otherwise, the facts are clear.
SUMMARY OF
MAIN POINTS