What DoI PutInMy Conclusion? Why Writea Conclusion?:

Conclusions are oftenthe most difficultpartofan essayto write,andmanywriters feelthat they havenothinglefttosayafterhavingwrittenthe paper. Awriter needs to keep in mind that theconclusionis often whata reader remembers best.Yourconclusion shouldbe the best partof yourpaper.

A conclusionshould

stress theimportance ofthethesis statement, give theessay asense ofcompleteness,and leave a finalimpressionon the reader. NEVERwrite “Inconclusion...”

Suggestions

Answerthe question"SoWhat?"

Showyour readers why this paper wasimportant. Showthemthat yourpaper was meaningfulanduseful.

Synthesize, don't summarize

  • Don'tsimply repeatthingsthatwere inyourpaper. They have readit. Show themhowthepoints youmade andthesupportandexamples youusedwere not random, but fit together.

Redirectyourreaders

  • Give your reader something tothinkabout, perhaps awaytouse your paper in the"real" world. If yourintroduction wentfrom generaltospecific,make yourconclusion go fromspecific to general. Thinkglobally.

Create a newmeaning

  • Youdon'thave to give newinformation to create anew meaning.By demonstrating howyourideas worktogether, you can create anewpicture. Oftenthe sum ofthepaper is worthmore thanits parts.

SEE BELOW FOR EXAMPLES:

Strategies

Echoingthe introduction:Echoingyourintroductioncanbe a goodstrategyif it ismeant to bring the reader full-circle. If you beginby describingascenario, youcanendwith thesame scenario asproof thatyouressaywas helpfulincreatinga newunderstanding. Or,if you beginwith a quotation byAtticus, forexample, you couldendwith anotherpowerful quotation byAtticus.

EXAMPLE: ScoutFinch,aseekerofadventure andmockingbirds, teaches her readers how togrow up duringtroubledtimes;theGreat Depression,theTomRobinson case, andthe BooRadleyincidentshelp definethis emotional, inquisitive,and dynamic girl.Although America recoveredbyslowlycreepingawayfromthe grim conditions oftheGreat Depression andbeganto cleanse itself oftheugliness of racism, itspastshouldnotbe forgotten. JustasScoutlearns thatBoo Radleyis nothing to fearafterexperiencinghis life firstasfictionthenas truth, Americamustlearnfromhermistakes.Jean Louis“Scout”Finchremindsherreadersthatourparentscanbeourgreatestteachers whenshereflects,“Atticuswasright. One time he saidyouneverreally knowaman untilyoustandinhis shoesandwalkaround in them”(Lee 374).

Beprofound:Leavethereader thinkingaboutthecharacter’sconnectiontolife today.Inother words, notonly wasDillanimportantcharacter in the novel, he isimportanttoday because he representsthe life of a neglectedchild. Unfortunately, neglectedchildrenareeverywhere today.

EXAMPLE:Although MayellaEwellwasonlypresent inTo KillaMockingbirdforashort time, it iseasytotellhowtrulyabused, isolated, andsensitive this girlwas. Mayellawas trulyunlikeableto notonlythereaderbuttoother characters. However, notallofher behavioris her fault.Ifshe didnothave suchahorriblefather, orperhaps if her mother wasstillalive, then Mayellawould have hadavery differentlife andpersonality.She would probablyhave anactuallife andTom Robinson wouldstillbe alive. That dayinthe courtroom, she condemnedherself toalife of embarrassmentandsolitude. Ifshe had spokenup then she wouldhave hadabetter future aheadofher. Even if her father disappears fromherlife, thepastis the past, andashardaswemaytry, we cannotchange it.Mayella’scharacterservesasaremindertothishardtruth:ourparentsraiseus,our parents shape us—withoutthemwe are nobody;with themwe are eitherblessedor doomed.

EXAMPLE:ScoutFinch, aseekerofadventure andmockingbirds, teaches her readers how togrow up duringtroubledtimes;theGreat Depression,theTomRobinson case, andthe BooRadleyincidentshelp definethis emotional, inquisitive,and dynamic girl.Although America recoveredbyslowlycreepingawayfromthe grim conditions oftheGreat Depression andbeganto cleanse itself oftheugliness of racism, itspastshouldnot be forgotten. JustasScoutlearns thatBoo Radleyis nothing to fearafterexperiencinghis life firstasfictionthenastruth,AmericamustlearnfromHermistakes.JeanLouis“Scout”Finchreminds herreaders whatitwasliketo be youngandcurious from a child’s perspective--apoint-of-view whichshouldalwaysreflectthe lessons discoveredin childhood.

Remindthereaderofthecharacter’ssignificance:Showhowimportant yourcharacter is to the novelwithoutusingyour body paragraph examples. Go beyondthe body paragraphs.

EXAMPLE:Atticus demonstrates that he is fair,compassionate, andcourageous throughoutthenovel.He teaches the reader thatpeopleshouldnotthinkanythingless of otherpeoplejustbecauseof thecoloroftheirskin. He begantocreateapath toward equality—apath whichwouldnothave beenexpectedbackin thetimeoftheGreat Depression.Inthe 1930s, racism wasprevalent, andno one wouldhave takena black man’ssideovera whiteman’s.Even though Atticusknewhewasnotgoingto winthecase, he stilldefendedTom Robinson,whichshowedhowgoodofapersonhe really was.Ifhe didnotmake animpression on everypersoninMaycombthrough his actions,he certainly taughthis children whatitmeans to love and respectpeopleofall races.He showedthe reader thatitdoes notmatterwhatis on theoutside; onthe inside is whatcounts.