Question

Read the paragraph from a student’s literary essay comparing two different works.

(1) Sandra Cisneros’s “Mericans” is about a young American girl of Mexican descent who is struggling to find her own cultural identity. (2) Cisneros illustrates this through a number of images and ideas. (3) For example, the speaker, Micaela, calls her grandmother “awful,” and seems to resent the woman’s strict views and religious ideals. (4) The speaker also mentions how she and her brother emulate characters from popular American television programs when they play make-believe. (5) Lastly, she describes physically standing outside her family’s church, an act that symbolizes the fact that she feels like an outsider to Mexican culture. (6) Although Micaela is of Mexican descent, she seems to feel a stronger connection to the United States.

Which best describes this paragraph?

-the introduction to the essay
-a body paragraph of the essay
-the thesis of the essay
-the conclusion of the essay

Answer 1

-a body paragraph of the essay

It is clear that this is a body paragraph in a comparison essay because it sets up only one of the texts and what that story is about. It gives important information and presents an argument about that text but if it were the introduction it would have to introduce both texts to set up the full essay.

Answer 2

-a body paragraph of the essay

It is clear that this is a body paragraph in a comparison essay because it sets up only one of the texts and what that story is about. It gives important information and presents an argument about that text but if it were the introduction it would have to introduce both texts to set up the full essay.