We have done several informal responses to literature through journal writing. We are now going to turn our attention to how to write a formal response. The formal literary paragraph, uses the general paragraph structure that you are already familiar with:
a topic sentence
three supporting details
a concluding sentence
However, your supporting details are expanded in the formal literary paragraph. The supporting details must state a specific example of how your given topic appears in the story (assertion), include a quotation/reference (citation) from your selected text (novel, film, short story, poem, etc.), and a clear explanation of how the quotation support your topic sentence. This is referred to as the ACE Format (assertion + citation + explanation). Please review the notes provided below (these were also provided in class as handouts).
Question: How does the idea of intolerance show up in the film "X-Men"?
***Remember intolerance is not just a feeling of dislike; but an unwillingness to accept views, beliefs, or behaviour that are considered different from a defined "norm." Intolerance may appear verbally, or through action, as one group attempts to control, oppress, or destroy the other.
Part One: Before you begin writing the full paragraph, you will need to create an outline that includes the following:
Topic Sentence -- which states where the issue (intolerance) comes from, and what effect it has on society.
e.g. “X-Men,” a film by Bryan Singer, takes place in an alternate reality where the government inspires rampant intolerance within the general public through the use of registration upon the quickly rising mutant population.
Three Assertions -- three examples of how/where/when the issue (intolerance) shows up in the film.
e.g. The first source of intolerance in the world of "X-Men" comes from the government.
Three Citations -- specific quotes/paragraphs/descriptions of what the issue (intolerance) looks like.
e.g. More specifically, the government wishes to register or document all mutants. This is promoted through the character Senator Kelly when he says, "there are even rumors, Miss Grey, of mutants so powerful that they can enter our minds and control our thoughts, taking away our God-given free will... Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is that mutants are very real, and that they are among us. We must know who they are, and above all, what they can do!"
Your outline will be checked, and you will have opportunity for feedback before proceeding to write the entire paragraph.
Part Two: Using your outline, you will write the full paragraph. In building on your outline, you will need to explain each citation.
Three Explanations -- explain how each citation/quotation supports your topic sentence, and answers the question.
e.g. The government and Senator Kelly spend most of the film promoting the "dangers of the mutant race," and create wild generalizations that all mutants are dangerous; when in fact they are not. They government wants “to force mutants to expose themselves” and reveal their identities as well as abilities to the public. These actions take advantage of the growing fear and paranoia found within the general population, while also further encouraging intolerance of the mutant population.
Concluding Sentence -- restates the title, and states what has been learned about the topic (intolerance).
e.g. In the end, “X-Men” shows that intolerance may exist among all types of people regardless of status, and that fear and paranoia are the perfect breeding ground for violence and extremism.
Part Three: Have your paragraph peer edited by one of your classmates. Then, using your peer's feedback you will write a final copy of your paragraph in class. This final copy be submitted by the end of the following class.