My essay format works the same.

Consider your introduction as the creator of the shape, and then the following paragraphs making up each side. They venture outwards when called to but never abandon the safety of the formation entirely. It is a process of constant realignment, maintaining the square at all cost. In terms of "writing" you need only to create a handful of original sentences for the entire essay: a thesis, a theme, a mini-thesis which begins each paragraph and a conclusionary sentence that says what it all means. Everything else is a variation of these four sentences in some way. Together they create the square, and the serves as the point of return -- much like Chuck Palahniuk concept of "chorus lines" (see in books like Fight Club, where whenever the plot gets off track he immediately comes back to one -- "I am Jack's sense of rejection.") And so the reader always protected and the troops defend your point. Here is the outline for a hypothetical five paragraph paper: Introduction: (see a complete intro example here) 1. Begin with a broad, conclusive hook. This will be the meta-theme of the paper. Example from a paper on The Great Gatsby: "When citizens exhibit a flagrant disregard of morality and law, societies quickly crumble." 2. Thesis. This needs to specify and codify the hook in relation to the prompt/subject. Ex:"This atmosphere as shown in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby -- with blatant corruption and illegal activity -- eventually seems to become all but incompatible with a meaningful incarnation of the American Dream." 3. One sentence laying foundation for first body paragraph. (These are mini-theses for each point you will argue.) 4. Sentence for second body paragraph. 5. One sentence for third body paragraph. 1920s as the epitome of excess and reactionism symbolized a sharp break in the American tradition; one that no one seemed to mind." Notes/Advice: Some say the thesis should go at the bottom of the intro instead of the top, which I think is a huge mistake. The point of a paper is to make an assertion and then support it. You can't support it until you've made it. Body #1 1. Rewrite first body paragraph thesis. 2. Support the mini-thesis with evidence and analysis. 3. Restate body paragraph thesis in the context of thesis as a whole. Notes/Advice: -Begin with your strongest piece of evidence -Introduce quotes/points like this: Broad->Specific->Analysis/Conclusion -Always integrate the quote, and try to incorporate analysis into the same sentence. As a general rule never use more than 5-7 of the author's words. Normally you can use even less: "It was Jay, who despite the corruption around him, looked forward to what was described as an 'orgastic future.'" 6. Restate the hook and thesis into a single transition sentence into the first paragraph. "The

Body #2 1. Rewrite second body paragraph thesis. 2. Support mini-thesis. 3. Restate body paragraph thesis in context of the paragraph above and thesis as whole. Body #3 1. Rewrite third body paragraph thesis. 2. Support mini-thesis. 3. Restate body paragraph thesis in context of the paragraph above and thesis as whole. Conclusion 1. Restate hook/meta-theme. 2. Specify this with restatement of thesis once more. 3. One sentence for each body paragraph, surmising its assertion. 4. One sentence for each body paragraph, surmising its assertion. 5. 7. One sentence for each body paragraph, surmising its assertion. Last sentence must transition to general statement about human nature. "The American Dream -- and any higher aspiration -- requires a society that both looks forward and onwards as well as holds itself to corrective standard." 6. Rewrite hook and thesis into a conclusion sentence.