Beginning an Argumentative essay

Question

Im writing an Classical Argumentative essay, for my college english class, and was wondering if it is okay to begin with or make my "hook" be lines from a poem?

Answer 1

Hello Taylor. This may be too late, but i would advise against this. if all of the lines are from a poem, it may seem to the reader that you had no creative process and just decided "Hmmm ill just stick this poem here". I would recommend making the "hook" lines (the first line of your new paragraph) connect the concept in the last paragraph to the concept you are about to present in this new paragraph. If you are absolutely adamant about including these lines from a poem, i would use them in the meat of the paragraph. here is a little example:

 

The italicized words are the last sentence in my first body paragraph in my paper about the symbolism and hidden meanings in the objects in the poem "The Red Wheelbarrow":

 

In the poem "The Red Wheelbarrow" the simplicity of the different stanzas in the poem assign a deeper meaning to the objects then they had at first glance.

 

The bold words below are the first and second sentences of the second body paragraph:

 

The first stanza of the poem presents the image of something important, but neglects to tell the reader what it is. The line, "so much depends on", sets the theme of the importance of seemingly insignificant objects for the entire poem (Williams 1-2).