Strong Introductory Paragraphs and Thesis Statements

#1
Robert Frost's poem, "Acquainted with the Night" is a very short, sweet poem in which the title says it all. The poem follows some of Frost's similar works in which he writes about simple things or actions to symbolize a higher theme. In "Acquainted with the Night," Frost uses strong symbolism, word choice, and structure to correlate the simple things of the night with one's personal journey through life, and in so doing, Frost suggests not joy, but indifference and moral insecurity to life's experiences.

#2
Alice Elliot Dark captures the emotional turmoil of a mother losing a son in her shorts story "In the Gloaming." The 'gloaming' is an hours in Scotland where everything looks enchanged and purple; a twilight hour that holds a special meaning to Dark's characters. Although the denotation of this term has positive interpretations, the connotation relays something entirely different. Dark plays with the connotation of words throughout the text to help illustrate the heaviness and sadness that both Janet and Laird are experiencing. Using a limited third person point of view also aids int he overarching tone of the story. Dark also continually overlays memories of Laird as a helpless child to reinforce mother/son relationship.