Essay Outline Template

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Hook & Background Information

1. Hook: General background information that grabs attention (reference)

Cujo is a big loveable St. Bernard that gets rabies from a bat biting
his nose.

2. More specific background information to lead into the thesis (reference)

Cujo belongs to the camber family in Castle Rock, Maine.

B. Thesis statement

1. Topic

It is about a dog named Cujo that catches rabies.

2. Mapping your key points

Cujo is a very affectionate and well-mannered St. Bernard that loves

children.

II. BODY

A. Body Paragraph 1

1. Topic Sentence

The story takes place in the setting for many King stories: the
fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine.

2. Supporting Evidence

a. Revolving around two local families, the narrative is

interspersed with vignettes from the seemingly mundane lives
of various other residents.
 b. The middle-class Trentons and the blue-collar Cambers.

3. Transition sentence

Vic Trenton discovers his wife, Donna, has recently had an

affair. In the midst of this household tension, Vic's advertising
agency is failing, and he is forced to travel out of town, leaving
Tad and Donna at home.

B. Body Paragraph 2

1. Topic Sentence

Cujo, the Cambers' large, good-natured Saint Bernard, chases a

wild rabbit in the fields around their house and inserts his head in
the entrance to a small limestone cave.

2. Supporting Ideas

a. A rabid bat bites him on the nose and infects him with rabies.

b. While Charity and Brett leave town, Cujo kills their alcoholic
neighbor, Gary Pervier.

3. Transition sentence

When Joe goes to talk to Gary, Cujo kills him as well.

C. Body Paragraph 3

1. Topic Sentence

Donna, home alone with Tad, takes their failing Ford Pinto to the
Cambers' for repairs.
 2. Supporting Ideas

a. The car breaks down in Camber's dooryard, and as Donna

attempts to find Joe, Cujo appears and attacks her.

b. During one escape attempt, Donna is bitten in the stomach and

leg but manages to survive and escape back into the car.

3. Transition sentence

She plans to run for the house but abandons the idea because she
fears the door will be locked and that she will be subsequently killed
by Cujo, leaving her son alone.

III. CONCLUSION

A. Reiterate thesis statement

Cujo was a good dog who always tried to keep his owners happy, but the
ravage of rabies drove him to violence.

B. New thoughts

Charity gives Brett a new, vaccinated puppy named Willie.