Thesis statement:
“In The Richest Poor Man in the Valley, Macrae presents ideas about living a happy and contented life through ‘Harry’ and depicts his concept of a simple existence: it is one free from monetary possessions, working in companionship with animals and nature and one that is built on valuable friendships.”
Some other tips:
- Introductions should not be too long, or include all the details of what each paragraph will include
- You will not be rewarded for including the same information twice, so don’t waste time repeating yourself
- Always include the poem in your thesis statement:
- Write your thesis in the third person, not the first person (don’t use “I”)
- “I believe that the poet presents ideas about living a happy and contented life in order to…” ❌
- “Macrae presents ideas about living a happy and contented life … in order to show …” ✅
Paragraphs
- Try to include three separate paragraphs that cover three separate points
- This will ensure your response is to what examiners call the “full task”
- Start each paragraph with a topic sentence
- A topic sentence is an opening sentence which details the focus of its paragraph
- It should include the words of the question
- All topic sentences must relate to your thesis
- They should be seen as sub-points that provide a more specific and narrower focus than your thesis statement
- Everything that follows a topic sentence in a paragraph must support the point it makes
Example of a topic sentence:
“Macrae uses a first name, ‘Harry’, almost as an afterthought, which brings a sense of familiarity to the reader.”
- Paragraphs should include an analysis of the poem
- The most important thing is that you include a detailed and expanded analysis of the poet’s methods to show how and why they present ideas about living a happy and contented life as they do
- Beware of writing an overly structured paragraph which follows a set pattern
- You may have learned PEE, PEAL, PEED, or other structures for your paragraphs
- However, examiners often say that although these are excellent for learning what to include in essays, they can be limiting in an exam
- Instead, be led by the ideas in the text, and prove your own argument (both the overall thesis and your topic sentences)
Conclusion
- It is always a good idea to include a conclusion to your essay so that your essay reads coherent and focused on answering the question throughout
- This can result in improved marks for AO1
- However, there is no need to spend a long time writing your conclusion
- A conclusion for an unseen poetry essay should only summarise the proof you have provided for your thesis
- It only needs to be two or three sentences long
- It should include the words of the question and your thesis
- Remember, you do not get rewarded for including the same information twice
An example of a conclusion:
“To conclude, in The Richest Poor Man in the Valley, Macrae presents ideas about living a happy and contented life to illustrate an existence which is free from the fixation on shallow material possessions to one which cherishes what Macrae considers to be the most important things in life, such as treasured friendships, the joy of nature and ultimately being content within your own self.”