The Writing Prompt:The Writing Prompt:Writing About a QuoteWriting About a Quote

Catherine Wishart

Literacy Coach

Copyright © 2009. All rights reserved.

Responding to a Controversial Responding to a Controversial QuoteQuote

The Controversial QuoteThe Controversial Quote

• ““In many things it is In many things it is not well to say, not well to say, ‘Know thyself’; it is ‘Know thyself’; it is better to say, ‘Know better to say, ‘Know others.’”others.’”– MenanderMenander

http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/people.html

• Ask yourself: “Do I Ask yourself: “Do I agree or disagree agree or disagree with this quote?”with this quote?”

• If you agree, think If you agree, think about why you about why you agree.agree.

• If you disagree, If you disagree, think about why you think about why you disagree. disagree.

A Sample Response to this QuoteA Sample Response to this Quote

• Introduction: – Write name of author and quote in a sentence.– “While some people agree with this quote, other people

disagree. ”– “But what does this quote mean to me? As for me….” (thesis

that lists three ideas)

• Paragraph 2, 3, and 4– Topic sentence (paragraph 2 for first part of thesis, paragraph 3

for second part of thesis, and paragraph 4 for last part of thesis– In each paragraph, give one or two examples to prove the topic

sentence is correct

• ConclusionConclusion– ““In conclusion, (the author) was right (or wrong!)In conclusion, (the author) was right (or wrong!)– Explain why you agree or disagree with the authorExplain why you agree or disagree with the author– Restate your thesis statement using different wordsRestate your thesis statement using different words

Planning a Response to This Quote:Planning a Response to This Quote:The Introductory ParagraphThe Introductory Paragraph

• State the quote and the author in the first sentence.State the quote and the author in the first sentence.• Explain that some people agree with this quote while Explain that some people agree with this quote while

other people disagree with it. other people disagree with it. • Ask, “But what does this quote mean to me?”Ask, “But what does this quote mean to me?”• Write a thesis statement. Your thesis statement will Write a thesis statement. Your thesis statement will

change according to your response. change according to your response. – You can start your thesis statement with: “As for me….”You can start your thesis statement with: “As for me….”– Your thesis statement should also say if you agree or Your thesis statement should also say if you agree or

disagree with the quote.disagree with the quote.

• Try to list three ideas in your thesis statement that Try to list three ideas in your thesis statement that you will talk about. These three ideas will be your you will talk about. These three ideas will be your outline for your essay. outline for your essay.

A Sample Response to This Quote: A Sample Response to This Quote: The Introductory ParagraphThe Introductory Paragraph

According to Menander, “In many things it is not According to Menander, “In many things it is not well to say, ‘Know thyself’: it is better to say, ‘Know well to say, ‘Know thyself’: it is better to say, ‘Know others.’” While some people agree with this quote, others.’” While some people agree with this quote, other people disagree. But what does this quote mean other people disagree. But what does this quote mean to me? As for me, I disagree with this quote because I to me? As for me, I disagree with this quote because I think knowing myself is important so I am able to make think knowing myself is important so I am able to make good choices, avoid peer pressure, and plan my future. good choices, avoid peer pressure, and plan my future.

The Second Paragraph:The Second Paragraph:Answering the First Part of the Thesis Answering the First Part of the Thesis

StatementStatement

• Thesis statement: As for me, I disagree Thesis statement: As for me, I disagree with this quote because I think knowing with this quote because I think knowing myself is important so I am able to myself is important so I am able to make good choicesmake good choices, avoid peer , avoid peer pressure, and plan my future. pressure, and plan my future.

• This paragraph should talk about This paragraph should talk about making good choices.making good choices.

A Sample Response to This Quote:A Sample Response to This Quote:The Second ParagraphThe Second Paragraph

I know that I need to know myself so that I can I know that I need to know myself so that I can make good choicesmake good choices. If I didn’t know that I really enjoy . If I didn’t know that I really enjoy music more than I like playing sports, I might be on a music more than I like playing sports, I might be on a sports team and not enjoying myself. But I know that I sports team and not enjoying myself. But I know that I like music a lot. So I spend time learning how to play like music a lot. So I spend time learning how to play the guitar and practicing singing. I also have made the guitar and practicing singing. I also have made friends who enjoy the same kinds of things. We can friends who enjoy the same kinds of things. We can talk about what we like about music and we can talk talk about what we like about music and we can talk about which artists interest us the most and why. about which artists interest us the most and why.

The Third Paragraph: The Third Paragraph: Answering the Second Part of the Answering the Second Part of the

Thesis StatemenThesis Statement t

• Thesis statement: As for me, I disagree Thesis statement: As for me, I disagree with this quote because I think knowing with this quote because I think knowing myself is important so I am able to make myself is important so I am able to make good choices, good choices, avoid peer pressureavoid peer pressure, and , and plan my future. plan my future.

• This paragraph should be about how to This paragraph should be about how to avoid peer pressureavoid peer pressure..

A Sample Response to This Quote: A Sample Response to This Quote: The Third ParagraphThe Third Paragraph

I also know that I need to know myself so I can I also know that I need to know myself so I can avoid peer pressureavoid peer pressure. If I listen to others instead of . If I listen to others instead of myself, I could fall into trouble. Some of my friends myself, I could fall into trouble. Some of my friends smoke cigarettes. Because I know myself, I don’t let smoke cigarettes. Because I know myself, I don’t let them talk me into smoking, too. Whenever friends them talk me into smoking, too. Whenever friends suggest something, I can decide what to do because I suggest something, I can decide what to do because I know myself. know myself.

The Fourth Paragraph:The Fourth Paragraph:Answering the Third Part of the Thesis Answering the Third Part of the Thesis

StatementStatement

• Thesis statement: As for me, I disagree Thesis statement: As for me, I disagree with this quote because I think knowing with this quote because I think knowing myself is important so I am able to make myself is important so I am able to make good choices, avoid peer pressure, and good choices, avoid peer pressure, and plan my futureplan my future. .

• This paragraph should be about how to This paragraph should be about how to plan my futureplan my future..

A Sample Response to This Quote:A Sample Response to This Quote:The Fourth Paragraph The Fourth Paragraph

I also need to know myself so that I can plan my I also need to know myself so that I can plan my future. Many people have ideas about what I should do future. Many people have ideas about what I should do and what kind of job I should get. But I’m the only one and what kind of job I should get. But I’m the only one who knows me well enough to decide what is best for who knows me well enough to decide what is best for me. I like music, so I might decide to do something with me. I like music, so I might decide to do something with music for a job. I have to think about what I like and what music for a job. I have to think about what I like and what I am good at to plan my future. I am good at to plan my future.

The Fifth Paragraph:The Fifth Paragraph:Planning the Conclusion Planning the Conclusion

• Start out with “In conclusion,” and then Start out with “In conclusion,” and then say that the author of the quote was say that the author of the quote was right or wrong. right or wrong.

• Explain why the author was right or Explain why the author was right or wrong in one sentence. You can use wrong in one sentence. You can use part of the quote in your answer.part of the quote in your answer.

• Restate your thesis statement. Try to Restate your thesis statement. Try to use different words to say the same use different words to say the same thing. thing.

A Sample Response to This Quote:A Sample Response to This Quote:The ConclusionThe Conclusion

In conclusion, Menander was wrong. I think he In conclusion, Menander was wrong. I think he was wrong because he believes that people need to was wrong because he believes that people need to know others better than they know themselves. But I know others better than they know themselves. But I need to know myself so I can do the right thing, listen need to know myself so I can do the right thing, listen to myself more than my friends, and prepare for my to myself more than my friends, and prepare for my future. future.

Putting It All TogetherPutting It All Together According to Menander, “In many things it is not well to say, ‘Know thyself’: it is

better to say, ‘Know others.’” While some people agree with this quote, other people disagree. But what does this quote mean to me? As for me, I disagree with this quote because I think knowing myself is important so I am able to make good choices, avoid peer pressure, and plan my future.

I know that I need to know myself so that I can make good choices. If I didn’t know that I really enjoy music more than I like playing sports, I might be on a sports team and not enjoying myself. But I know that I like music a lot. So I spend time learning how to play the guitar and practicing singing. I also have made friends who enjoy the same kinds of things. We can talk about what we like about music and we can talk about which artists interest us the most and why.

I also know that I need to know myself so I can avoid peer pressure. If I listen to others instead of myself, I could fall into trouble. Some of my friends smoke cigarettes. Because I know myself, I don’t let them talk me into smoking, too. Whenever friends suggest something, I can decide what to do because I know myself.

I also need to know myself so that I can plan my future. Many people have ideas about what I should do and what kind of job I should get. But I’m the only one who knows me well enough to decide what is best for me. I like music, so I might decide to do something with music for a job. I have to think about what I like and what I am good at to plan my future.

In conclusion, Menander was wrong. I think he was wrong because he believes that people need to know others better than they know themselves. But I need to know myself so I can do the right thing, listen to myself more than my friends, and prepare for my future.

Take Your ChoiceTake Your Choice

Carefully read both of the quotes listed below. Decide to which quote Carefully read both of the quotes listed below. Decide to which quote you would like to respond. you would like to respond.

• ““You can’t just turn You can’t just turn on creativity like a on creativity like a faucet. You have to faucet. You have to be in the right be in the right mood” mood” (Bill Watterson). (Bill Watterson).

• ““Anyone who trades Anyone who trades liberty for security liberty for security deserves neither deserves neither liberty nor security” liberty nor security” (Benjamin Franklin). (Benjamin Franklin).

Works CitedWorks Cited

• Easy LiteracyEasy Literacy. . http://www.easyliteracy.com.

• Inspirational QuotesInspirational Quotes.. http://www.inspirational-quotes.info.

• Think Exist. Think Exist. http://www.thinkexist.com.