On Paragraphs
MINI-LECTURE
Before you read this mini-lecture, read your handbook's discussion of paragraphs. In the Scott, Foresman, it's Chapters 10 and 11. You should know that we're not talking about introductory, concluding or transitional paragraphs. We're dealing with the kinds of paragraphs that usually make up the body of an essay.
Here is one such paragraph from Annie Dillard's book An American Childhood.
Some boys taught me to play football. This was fine sport. You thought up a new strategy for every play and whispered it to the others. You went out for a pass, fooling everyone. Best, you got to throw yourself mightily at someone's running legs. Either you brought him down or you hit the ground flat out on your chin, with your arms empty before you. It was all or nothing. If you hesitated in fear, you would miss and get hurt: you would take a hard fall while the kid got away, or you would get kicked in the face while the kid got away. But if you flung yourself wholeheartedly at the back of his knees--if you gathered and joined body and soul and pointed them diving fearlessly--then you likely wouldn't get hurt, and you'd stop the ball. Your fate, and your team's score, depended on your concentration and courage. Nothing girls did could compare with it.
The paragraph is 161 words long, my computer tells me, and it's a well-organized paragraph. Let's look at its organization with the aim in mind that you will come to understand how you can analyze one of your own paragraphs in a similar manner to determine whether it is well organized. Since the topic sentence is the most important sentence in the paragraph, we'll identify it as number 1. All other sentences in the paragraph will be subordinate to it and will be numbered accordingly.
Here's how I analyze Dillard's paragraph:
1. Some boys taught me to play football. Introduction (2)
2. This was fine sport. Topic Sentence (1)
3. You thought up a new strategy for every play and whispered it to the others. First reason why it was fine sport(2)
4. You went out for a pass, fooling everyone. Second reason why it was fine sport(2)
5. Best, you got to throw yourself mightily at someone's running legs. Third reason why it was fine sport(2)
6. Either you brought him down or you hit the ground flat out on your chin, with your arms empty before you. Description of what happened when you threw yourself(3) [This one has to be a level 3 because it makes no sense without the preceding level 2 sentence.]
7. It was all or nothing. Suggestion of why she thinks the third reason is best(3) [This can be a level 3 because (as subsequent sentences make clear) she's still talking about throwing yourself at someone's legs, or it might be classified as a level 4, clarifying the sentence that immediately precedes it. I choose level 3 because if the preceding sentence were removed, this one would still make sense.]
8. If you hesitated in fear, you would miss and get hurt: you would take a hard fall while the kid got away, or you would get kicked in the face while the kid got away. Explanation of why you might get nothing(4) [One could also classify this as a level 3 for the reason stated above.]
9. But if you flung yourself wholeheartedly at the back of his knees--if you gathered and joined body and soul and pointed them diving fearlessly--then you likely wouldn't get hurt, and you'd stop the ball. Explanation of how you could get all(4) [This has to be classified at the same level as the one preceding.]
10. Your fate, and your team's score, depended on your concentration and courage. Summary of the consequences of hesitating or of being fearless (5) [I could also build an argument for calling this a level 3
11. Nothing girls did could compare with it. Conclusion(2)
As you can see, there's room for argument and interpretation, but it's equally clear that one can talk meaningfully about the relationships among the sentences and about the reasons why each sentence ought to be included in the paragraph or in a particular place in the paragraph. If you can explain the relationships of the sentences in each of your paragraphs, you're well on your way to being in control of your writing.