Guide to spelling, punctuation and grammar

Closing paragraph
Dickens, then, 
(1)
has represented Pip’s moral journey
from honesty to dishonesty, lack of pride to snobbery,
human warmth to emotional coldness, and back
again. 
(2)
The interesting aspect of Pip’s journey is
that we, as readers, cannot simply condemn him for
his aspirations. We can understand his need to
better himself, we can sympathise with his love for
the disdainful Estella and even with his
exasperation with Joe. In addition, Dickens makes
us understand why Pip would be so horror-struck at
the revelation that a convict was his benefactor. It is
because Pip seems all too human in his failings that
we can warm to the account of his moral journey
and rejoice in his moral regeneration.
A
NALYSIS
Opening paragraph 
(1) The opening sentence of the essay addresses the topic immediately
by mentioning the values that Pip has learnt at the forge and then
contrasts them with those values he encounters in London. ‘Waffle’
is avoided because the first sentence says something specific about
the novel.
(2) Sentences two and three provide further relevant response to the
question by mentioning Miss Havisham and Estella and their
influence on him. These are again specific references introducing
subjects that will be dealt with later in the essay.
(3) The last sentence refers to the central topic of ‘moral values’ and
makes mention of Magwitch and Pip’s feelings of responsibility
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12 –S
AMPLE ESSAY
7:
WRITING ABOUT A NOVEL

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towards him. This once again focuses on the central topic of the essay.
Paragraph 2
(1) Sentence one picks up on a point made in the opening paragraph (Joe
Gargery’s influence on Pip). This helps to establish the impression
that you are going to follow up on the points you made in the first
paragraph.
(2) Sentences two, three and four give detailed examples of Joe’s
attitudes with close references to the novel. Joe’s attempts to protect
Pip from his wife’s ‘rampages’ and his dislike of the snobbery of the
relatives are mentioned to illustrate the values Joe stands for.
(3) The last sentence makes a general statement about Joe that
emphasises Joe’s moral influence and ends the paragraph neatly.