“Mending Wall”
I. Intro: thesis statement, author, title
II. Literal meaning (two guys mend a fence each year)
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
III. Neighbor believes “Good fences make good neighbors”
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
IV. The speaker does not believe they need a wall and tries to convince his neighbor
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
V. The speaker looks down on his neighbor and his arrogance builds a wall between them: irony
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
VI. What Frost is saying about metaphorical walls and what you think of them
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
VII. Conclusion
“Blades”
I. Intro: thesis statement, author, title
II. First understanding: punky kid
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
III. After the first turn: racism
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
IV. After the second turn: memory
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
V. After the third turn: forgiveness
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
VI. What is Williams saying about humanity and violence and forgiveness, etc.
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
VII. Conclusion
“One Art”
I. Introduction: title, poet, thesis
II. Surface meaning (the progression of lost items, light hearted)
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
III. The turn: the final stanza reveals that the poem has a more serious topic
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)IV. Repetition of “the art of losing isn’t hard to master”
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)V. The real meaning: the art of losing is hard to master, writes the poem to convince herself that she can handle it
VI. Conclusion
“Mother to Son”
I. Intro: thesis statement, author, title, Literal meaning (life has been a wooden stair, not a crystal one)
II. Really about having a hard life and having to struggle for each achievement
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
III. Develop the metaphor: life on the crystal stair = XXXX
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
IV. Develop the metaphor: life on the wooden stair = XXXX
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
V. Pride in achievement: why life on the wooden stair can be better than life on the crystal stair.
a. Topic sentence
b. Context of the quotation
c. Quotation
d. Reflection/analysis (several sentences)
VI. Conclusion