Writing an Intro

A solid introduction is essential to good writing. It is your chance to pull the reader in
and set up the rest of your essay. An introduction should have all of the following:
1. Hook - An opening sentence that will pull the reader in. This could be a
provocative question, a bold statement, an anecdote, or a relevant and engaging
quote.
2. A brief summary of the characters, plot, setting, etc.
3. A clear and concise thesis statement
Example Intro:
Imagine being accused, tried, and convicted of a terrible crime. Imagine living in a
prison full of murderers and rapists. Imagine spending the rest of your life behind bars. Finally,
imagine if you were innocent. This is the situation in which Andy Dufresne finds himself in
Stephen Kings novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption and its film adaptation
directed by Frank Darabont. The film and the novella both depict the growing relationship
between Red, a convicted murderer, and Andy, an innocent banker, as the years of the mid
20th century pass by in Shawshank prison, a correctional facility in the state of Maine. While
the film follows the novellas narrative arc, tracing one mans attempt to hold onto hope in an
unjust and morally corrupt system, it also makes its own trajectory. T he addition of
characters and scenes of violence heighten the conflict in Darabonts adaptation,
placing the viewer squarely on the side of the inmates by portraying their humanity in
contrast to the systems cruelty and corruption.