How to Write an Essay ConclusionSeptember 25, 2017

It might be an exaggeration to compare essay writing to a military campaign, even preparing a week-long sojourn in the Outback. It should be a simple task, but you may not have a clue on how to write a paper. Moreover, you're unaware of your writing skills. It's not uncommon among university students.

As the term implies, you don't come up with a new idea at the end of your paper. It's too late for that. On the other hand, summarizing what you have written rather seemed lame on your part. Novels won't help you on this one. (It seemed silly to think of a dramatic end similar to Anna Karenina's tragic demise at the train station.) A movie could give you some helpful tips. Think of Muriel Heslop and Rhonda Epinstalk inside the cab, both happy to leave Porpoise Spit for the last time. And then the long road (to Sydney) would reveal an uncertainty. It should show on their sudden change of expression. If this doesn't fancy you, then how about the fall of the stock (in "The Bank"). The working class would have gotten even on the businessmen who have profited off them for many years.

The above illustration would suggest three steps, namely highlighting what you have written in your essays, drawing an idea from it, and what could your readers gain from it. Let's cite an example, which should help you understand it.

This is how to end your essay

Highlight the important ideas. You have presented your main argument (in your introduction), and then supported it with compelling information (in the body of your essay). You can't repeat all of it in the end, which is the worst way to conclude it. Why not consider two or three important ideas (or themes)? If you're confused about it, then recall what part of the text becoming the turning point(s). Let's look at Rosalie Ham's bestselling novel, "The Dressmaker". It may be a recent release, but the book could be deemed worthy of being discussed within the four walls of the lecture room. Ham turned a small community in the Outback into a Gothic setting, of how narrow minds (and a fascination on haute couture) could flame the feelings of love and hate. Gothic is often associated with horror, but Victorian authors have defined it as dark thoughts (or feelings). And the bright (Aussie) sun should make it a bit too obvious. It wouldn't be hard to ponder on fashion. It had nothing to do with the runaway, not even the latest trends. It's rather envy. You could draw a raw, if not thought-provoking conclusion from it.

What is your closing statement? Let's use "The Dressmaker" to clarify this step. Tilly Dunnage, the titular character, had painful memories of her hometown. There was no doubt that it fueled her desire to succeed in Paris. Her return didn't follow the textbook, though. One interesting conclusion that could be derived from it would be anyone (or anything) could take a girl out of the town. It seemed impossible to take the town out of the girl, though. This would point to the petty issues that surfaced and simmered after Tilly's return. And Ham's mention of various fabrics would allude to the fleeting feelings that could have a disastrous effect on Tilly and her townmates. It shouldn't take you a paragraph or two (to complete this step), and this should have an impact on your readers. (Expect your professor to be impressed at how you've come to this point.) Some readers may be too perceptive, as they might think that you would try to point out (again) what you have done in the previous pages (of your paper). If you have written it well enough, then that's all that matters at the moment.

Show what your readers can learn from it. You don't need to be preachy about something, which would turn off this scholarly exercise. After all, literature doesn't judge events and people. You're supposed to see yourself in the thick of events, even relate to the characters. Don't hesitate to think of what might be unpleasant or shocking about the book (or the characters). You must understand it, even relate to it. (Someone you know could remind you of the text. There may be a coincidence somewhere.) Going back to "The Dressmaker", Ham would show that anyone could be like Tilly. Anyone could think (and act) like her townmates. If that wouldn't jolt your readers, then add one more. The Outback wouldn't be different from the big city.

Remember the following before your submit your essay

Make sure that your conclusion aligns with your main argument. In other words, read your entire piece. Look at the body (of your essay) closely, as you may have overlooked one more idea that could lead to a more compelling end. You won't be able to do it if you don't start on your paper early.

You're about to make a statement, which doesn't mean that you should resort to short sentences. It could confuse your professor, as you didn't compose a prose. Vary the length of your sentences, where there would be long statements along the way. You should limit it to a few, though.

A conclusion doesn't necessarily mean the end. If you could encourage your readers that your topic deserve another look (or writing), then you would exceed what is expected from you.

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