133The Anecdote
I was driving my four-year-old nephew to Little League practice,
and in front of us was a truck full of tires. My nephew clapped
his hands together and squealed, “Look! It’s a playground!”
That childlike ability to see the world rose-colored and paint
the blandest of images with imagination is a skill to protect no
matter how old we grow.
The Statistic
Half of all American children come from divorced homes and
approximately half of these kids will witness the disintegration
of a parent’s second marriage as well.
The Analogy
Watching my grandparents together is like watching a beautiful
dance. They know each other’s rhythms, they move at the same
count, and they can tell what the other needs by a flick of the
wrist or a slight movement in step.
This is one of my favorite types of
hooks. Start looking around and
gathering your anecdotes. Life is full
of them!Show how smart you are by coming
in with specific knowledge at the
very beginning of your essay.A great type of hook for you creative
types out there.- The second element your intro paragraph needs is a Thesis – your argument or point of view.
In order to test your thesis, ask: Do I clearly answer the question?
- The third element is an Explanation of the Thesis - it is not enough to merely answer the
question, you must expand on your thesis and explain WHY you think the way you do.
In order to test your explanation, ask: Do I explain why I have the opinion I do?
Note: The hook can be a single sentence or several.
No matter the length, it leads you to your thesis.Note: You do not ever need to use the words “I think...” or “I believe...” You are
the author of the essay, so we know it is you who is doing the thinking and the
believing. That being said, you can use the pronoun “I” throughout your essay.
How else are you to provide personal observations?