The Paragraph
A paragraph forms a distinct section of any piece of writing. A number of sentences make up a paragraph, and paragraphs make up a piece of composition. Each sentence deals with one thought, and each paragraph, an idea. Para-graphs are essential to divide a piece of prose into convenient units of thought so that the essay will have clearness.
A paragraph should have five qualities – Unity, Coherence, Balance, Variety arid Simplicity of style.
1. Unity: Every sentence in the paragraph must be closely connected with the central idea of the paragraph and they are therefore held together by the oneness of the purpose; and this is what is meant by Unity of a paragraph.
2. Coherence: Consists in the logical sequence of thought; this can be secured if the order of the sentences is such that the line of thought is continued from one sentence to the
next.
3. Balance: The ideas must be gradually developed avoiding repetition, but the main idea must on no account be obscured or weakenend, as the paragraph progresses. The space devoted to each sentence should be in proportion to the importance of the idea it expresses.
Note: The two most important sentences in the para- graph are the first and the last. The first should be a topical sentence (i,e. one stating the central idea of the paragraph). The sentences that follow should amplify the idea by way of elaboration or illustration. The last sentence should be an effective restatement of what is contained in the first sentence (i.c. the central idea) from a different standpoint or in another light or should be a sort of summing up of the details in the paragraph.
4. Variety: The sentences in a paragraph should differ from one another, both in the language and structure: some may be short and some, long. Brier sentences give clearness and force while long sentences give impressiveness and weight. Secondly, the paragraph may be a mixture of simple, complex and compound sentences.
5. Style: Should be simple and clear.
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Note:-(1) The beginner would do well to attempt general- ally short paragraphs since they make for clearness and simplicty.
(2) The test of a good paragraph is that it should be capable of being easily summarised and expressed in a word or phrase.
The following is a perfectly constructed paragraph:
There is some truth in the common saying that while dogs become attached to persons, cats are generally attached to places. A dog will follow its master anywhere, but a cat keeps to the house it is used to. Even the house changes hands, the cat will remain there, so long as it is kindly treated by the new owner. A cat does not seem to be capable of devotion often shown by a dog. It thinks most of its own comfort, and its love is only cupboard love.
Note:- Let us study the construction of the above para-“graph.
The main idea (the difference in the attachment of dogs and cats) is set forth in the first sentence (topical sentence). The next two sentences affirm the truth of the saying under two strikingly different circumstances; so these two sentences may be said to amplify the main point. The fourth sentence fur- nishes the emotional cause, while the last gives selfishness as the reason for what is stated in the first. Thus the last sentence forms the emphatic restatement of the main idea in another light-
1. Hence the coherence of the paragraph.
2. The paragraph possesses unity, for every sentence in it is closely connected with the central idea.
3.!t has also variety in as much as it is a mixture of simple, complex and compound sentences; some short and some long.
4. Balance is secured by the gradual development of the idea, avoiding repetition.
5. Lastly, the style is simple, clear, and pleasing.
Note: The following paragraph is set as an exercise for the student to establish that it is perfectly constructed:
A man of polite imagination is let into a great many pleasures that the vulgar are not capable of receiving. He can converse with a picture and find an agreeable companion in a statue. He meets with a secret refreshment in a description and often feels a greater satisfaction in the prospect of fields and meadows than another does in their possession. It gives him indeed a kind of property in everything he sees and makes the rude, uncultivated parts of nature administer to his pleasures, so that he looks upon the world, as it were, in another light, and discovers in it a multitude of charms that conceal themselves from the generality of mankind- Addison (The spectator)
N.B.-It cannot be sufficiently emphasized that the teacher must give good practice to pupils in paragraph writing, given an idea; one must master the art of writing a good paragraph to be able to write an essay, worth the name. What is said of a paragraph applies to an essay; in short, a paragraph is an essay in miniature. Good practice in paragraph -writing can be given by setting exercises in Expansion of an idea
Expansion Of An Idea
An exercise in Expansion appers to be opposite in nature to an exercise in precis-writing. In the latter, one is required to omit unnecessary matter and put the important thoughts re- lated to the main idea cogently. In Expansion, one is asked to supply other related thoughts in a congent manner with a view to bringing out the full implication and significance of the idea.
An exercise in Expansion is a saying, a proverb, a maxim, an adage or a trite sentiment. The length of the expansion may be about fifteen lines.
The following should be noted when attempting an expansion:-
1. Think over and grasp the precise meaning of the statement; a mistake committed here renders the performance a failure.
2. Avoid beginning the Expansion with such phrase as: “The meaning of this proverb is, “The maxim teaches us”. etc.
3. Avoid using the pronouns “I” and “you”
4. Explain by paraphrasing.
5. Prove by reason or argument.
6. The expan- sion should read as a complete piece of composition.
7. If the passage for Expansion is a metaphor, expand it into a simile and explain. Its full meaning in plain language and give reasons to support it.
8. If the sentence for Expansion is a conclusion, the steps by which the conclusion has been arrived at, are to be traced.
9. Deal with the counter proposion and its denial.
10. Give, if possible, an illustration to bring out the force of the statement to be expanded.
1.No Man Is Completely Happy
Evils that beset life on earth are so \many and so varied that one’s happiness is dependent on conditions and factors beyond one’s control. The result is: it is impossible to attaincomplete happiness. Health of mind and body is an important condition of happiness. But ill health of mental suffering of both seem to be the common lot of man-kind. Again man’s happiness greatly depends upon those whom he has to deal with daily life. Plenty does not seem to solve the problem; for the more on has, the more one desires. Alexander who con- quered the then known world wept for more worlds to con- quer. True, whoever has no wants, has contenment which leads to complete happiness. Perfect contentment ever re- mains an ideal to be realised. The sentiment of compassion in man prevents him from being happy. Buddah who could not bear to see human suffering, renounced the world and preached the gospel of universal sympathy. So life is not an unmixed joy. It is well worth considering the effect of this on life. The attendent difficulties and sufferings in life are a blessing in disguise. They help make man grow morally and spiritually, in as much as they tend constantly to remind him of God, the giver of bliss. Hence Kunthi’s last prayer to Lord Krishna for troubles in life, so that she may always think of Him.
2. Oh! It Is An Excellent Thing To Have A Giant’s Strength, But It Is Tyrannous To Use It Like A Giant.
Life on earth is not an unmixed joy; even so, all things in life have two sides, the dark and the bright. The goodness or otherwise of a thing is not inherent in it. It depends upon the use we make of it. Let us take for example the knife. It is so useful that hardly a day passes without using it; but the same knife can be used to wound or even kill others. Hence the abuse (of a thing should not make us dispense with its use. There can possibly be no two opinions with regard to one having a giant’s strenghth, for that is useful not only to himself but to others. He can do most of his things himself but to others. He can do most of his things himself, defend himself against his enemies and protect the weak and the just against the oppressor and the tyrant. He could thus do yeoman service to society. But to use the giant’s strength for doing evil is to commit the worst crime on earth. we hear tales of giants especially in middle ages, of imprisoning, tormenting and killing people. In society we come across at least a few whose wickedness is comparable to Procrastenes. This proverb, should warn us against the abuse of our strength physical, materialistic, mental or spiritual.
3. Make Hay While The Sun Shines
The work of a farmer depends almost entirely on the weather which is an uncertain factor; and he has accordingly, to make the most of his opportunities. Hay-making requires bright sun shine. So the farmer has to be on the alert to get his hay in, while the weather is favoruable, lest it should be ruined by rain and mist. In an extended sense, the difficulties of the farmer are like the difficulties of all people, no matter what their walks of life (may be). Like the weather, life and health are uncertain; opportunities rarely occur and never repeat them- selves. When an opportunity offers itself, man must seize it and use it to the best advantage. Otherwise he gets ruined like the negligent farmer whose hay is destroyed by a change in wea- hetr. The man who takes things casy, postpones till tomorrow what he should do to-day, suffers heavily like the one who does not strike while the iron is hot. It is therefore necessary to make use of favourable opportunity. While we have health and the means, against a day when we may be deprived of one or the other, or both. “There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune, Omitted, all the voyage of their life, Is bound in shallows and in miseries”.
4. Make Hay While The Sun Shines
It is a matter of common knowledge that a stone that has been lying long in one place exposed to rain and sun, gathers moss, while a rolling stone gathers no moss. In the same way whoever works with steadiness and perseverance in one place is likely to gather experience and prosper, while one who getting easily discontented often moves from one place to an other or changes his occupation, stands to lose and proves a failure in life. In the first place he loses the friends, good name and influence he gained and deprives himself of the benefits of service and experience he put in; in the second place, he finds it an uphill task to esablish himself half so well in the new place or in the new employment. The maxim lays emphasis on the benefits of steadiness, patience and perseverance; it must not however be supposed that it entirely forbids change of place or calling under all circumstances. When one is sure that a change will be advatageous, it is worth effecting the change. There are instances to show that such changes enabled men to make their fortune.
5. Slow And Steady Wins The Race
One of the ironies of life is: all feel the wisdom of the above saying, know the definite advantages that result from following it, but fail to benefit by putting it into practice. This has universal application. It is also observed daily that people not following this, come to grief. Nevertheless, either through idleness, overconfidence, indifference or foolishness, this maxim is more honoured in the breach than in the observance. The bad effects of not practising it are markedly seen in the case of students who generally work only by fits and starts. Just before the examination, they find to their despair and bewilderment, that they can never cover the whole course and pass the examination. The following story illustrates the truth. Once a hare jeered a tortoise for its slowness, when the latter chal- lenged the former to a running race. Upon the hare accepting the challenge, without losing a moment the tortoise began run- ning the race slowly and steadily while through over-confi- dence in its superiority or contempt for the poor pace of the tortoise, the hare had a nap for sometime somewhere in the middle of the course. To its grief, it found that the tortoise had got to the winning post earlier.
6. Men’s Evil Manners Live In Brass, Their Vir- Tues We Write In Water
The idea contained in the above passage is reflected in the following lines: “The good that men do is often interred with them While the evil they do lives after them”. It is a matter of common experience that people often for-get the good done by men and more so the men who have done it. This is surely anomalous but seems to defy analysis. Their virtues are as momentary as the letters we write in water. The result is we fail to profit by their example. The authors of the good are soon forgotten. But inexplicably enough, people re- member their evil manners, as if they were engraved in brass, never to be erased. In their talk and social intercourse, people cite instances of Ravana’s evil rather than his superhuman qualities. The reasons are not far to seek; firstly, there is more evil than good in the world; secondly, people are indelibly affected by evil. Hence man’s evil behaviour persists, while his virtues become evanescent. To counteract this unfortunate tendecy in man, statues of great men are erected in prominent places; and public constructions and institutions are named after them. Great men and their noble actions are thereby sought to be enshrined in men’s hearts for their emulation, guidance and ennoblement.
7. Prosperity Brings Friends And Adversity Tries Them
Life around us bears withness to the truth of the adage set for expansion. Man is what is essentially a self-seeker. So people seeek the friendship of the prosperous, in self-interest. They get presents now and then, monetary help and a good many material benefits. Another motive behind this is a feeling of vanity to be seen in the company of the rich and the nobilty; this may incidentally benefit them. A type of this character is immortalised in Goldsmith’s Beau Tibbs. Such people court the favour of the wealthy for thaterial gains and desert them the moment they lose their riches. Not only does the true friend not desert his benefactor, but he stands by him through thick and thin. A friend in need is a friend indeed- Thus it is, that prosperity brings friends and adversity tries them. The courti- ers and the nobles that lived with the Senior Duke in the forest of Arden, denying themselves even the basic comforts of life, are shining examples of friends that stood the test of adversity. On the other hand the friends who had frequently visited Timon of Athens in his prosperity deserted him in his difficultties.
8. One Man’s Food Is Another Man’s Poison.
What is good for one need not be good for another or may sometimes be injurious. The spirit of the saying is reflected in the line-As many men, so many minds. There is an infinite variety of man’s tastes in respect of choice of books, dress, sports, religion, and even the aim of life. The food and dress of Europeans won’t suit the people of eastern countries. The for- mer living in cold countries, require more stimulating food and warmer clothing. Milk which is considered an deal and com- plete food does not agree with the constitution of some. What is true of individuals is true of races and nations. Some Hindus I eat boiled pork, whereas the Muslims abhor it. The French man’s taste for frogs seems horrible to the Englishman. There is no disputing about tastes which are highly individualistic and varied. For the matter of that, every man has his own favourite fruit and drink. In proof of the truth of the saying may be cited the examples of the Roman Catholics and the Puritans in the matter of religous faiths; the Mammon worshipper and the aspirant for God’s grace, in respect of outlook on life. It is therefore best to judge whether a particular thing is suitable for us or not. Only when it does us god, we are to adopt it.
9. Strike While The Iron Is Hot.
Everything has to be done at the proper time. This maxim involves two factors choosing the most suitable time and acting promptly to win an advantage. While the iron is in the furnace, only when it is heated to a particualr temperature, it can be beaten into the required shape; the right moment is to be chosen to hammer the iron. In the same way, for raising good crops, sowing, planting and harvesting should be done at the right time; otherwise the crops fail. The stem of a plant can be bent in the way we want, only when it is tender but not after it grows into a tree. To implant ideas of right and wrong, to inculcate good behaviour and help form good habits in one, it is the business of the parent to choose as most suitable, one’s early life(i.e. childhood) which is the formative period of a person’s life.