Sample Hooks and Introduction Paragraphs
NOTE: The following sample introductions all contain the same elements as far as a thesis statement goesthey build background and explore the essays argument, and then conclude with a clear statement of position and introduction to both the historical period and short story. The only part that changes is the hook and the brief explanation of the hook for each.
Familiar or Famous Quote:
Blues is what the spirit is to the minister. We sing the blues because our hearts have been hurt, our souls have been disturbed (Alberta Hunter). Although many people cannot fully understand the depth of blues music because they have not experienced immense suffering, everyone--to some degree--knows what it feels like to be blue. Blues music is much deeper than songs that make you feel sorrow. The genre is a way of communicating profound pain and undying hope and began as a style of music that represented an entire subculture that faced blatant oppression and often violence. James Baldwins story, Sonnys Blues highlights both these issues of oppression for African Americans in Harlem after World War II, and demonstrates the beauty and complexity of the blues genre. Baldwins main character, Sonny, uses blues music to help both himself and his community cope with the challenges of life in Harlem prior to the Civil Rights Movement.
Rhetorical Fragment:
Despair. Sorrow. Melancholy. These are often the emotions that individuals associate with blues music, and many famous blues singers did communicate these emotions through the timbre and lyrics of their music. Although many people cannot fully understand the depth of blues music because they have not experienced immense suffering, everyone--to some degree--knows what it feels like to be blue. Blues music is much deeper than songs that make you feel sorrow. The genre is a way of communicating profound pain and undying hope and began as a style of music that represented an entire subculture that faced blatant oppression and often violence. James Baldwins story, Sonnys Blues highlights both these issues of oppression for African Americans in Harlem after World War II, and demonstrates the beauty and complexity of the blues genre. Baldwins main character, Sonny, uses blues music to help both himself and his community cope with the challenges of life in Harlem prior to the Civil Rights Movement.
Anecdote:
Bessie Smith has experienced it all. From moments of heartache when her no-good boyfriend left her for another woman, to loneliness when her friends are nowhere around once she lost all her money. Here is a woman who knows trouble, pain, love, betrayal and everything in between and sings out her sorrow with a voice that embodies all the range of human emotions. Although many people cannot fully understand the depth of blues music because they have not experienced immense suffering, everyone--to some degree--knows what it feels like to be blue. Blues music is much deeper than songs that make you feel sorrow. The genre is a way of communicating profound pain and undying hope and began as a style of music that represented an entire subculture that faced blatant oppression and often violence. James Baldwins story, Sonnys Blues highlights both these issues of oppression for African Americans in Harlem after World War II, and demonstrates the beauty and complexity of the blues genre. Baldwins main character, Sonny, uses blues music to help both himself and his community cope with the challenges of life in Harlem prior to the Civil Rights Movement.
Startling Fact or Statistic:
Sample Hooks and Introduction Paragraphs
When Europeans first heard the blues in America, it unsettled them (Humphries). Europeans who first heard the blues were likely incapable of understanding the rich sound and solemn lyrics that communicated a lifetime of sorrow, and simultaneous joy and hope. Although many people cannot fully understand the depth of blues music because they have not experienced immense suffering, everyone-to some degree--knows what it feels like to be blue. Blues music is much deeper than songs that make you feel sorrow. The genre is a way of communicating profound pain and undying hope and began as a style of music that represented an entire subculture that faced blatant oppression and often violence. James Baldwins story, Sonnys Blues highlights both these issues of oppression for African Americans in Harlem after World War II, and demonstrates the beauty and complexity of the blues genre. Baldwins main character, Sonny, uses blues music to help both himself and his community cope with the challenges of life in Harlem prior to the Civil Rights Movement.