Cause & Effect
Guidelines, Hints, and Tips
Guidelines, Hints, and Tips
(part 5)
Following below, the cause and effect essay combines both chronological and emphatic order. The details are constructed in a logical order, and the most significant effect (Santa giving pause to wars) is listed in the final paragraphs. Note the thesis statement which indicates the cause and effect pattern and the clear topic. You should also note the bold italicized transitions and keywords that indicate the pattern of organization.
Example Essay
The Santa Effect
Long ago, a name was mispronounced by a group of English settlers in New Amsterdam, now known as New York. The Dutch name Sinterklass, a form of Sint Nicolaas, originally Saint Nicholas, became known as Santa Claus. The result of that verbal, historic mistake was a legend, and the “Santa Effect” continues to grow every year.
Santa Claus began as a Dutch folk tale based on a historical figure: a bishop who used his inheritance to help the needy and the sick. According to legend, a man lost his fortune, and the loss doomed his three daughters to a life of prostitution because he could no longer provide a dowry for them. Saint Nicholas anonymously gave the man enough gold for his daughters to keep their virtue and marry. When the bishop performed his good deed, he was supposedly dressed in a bright red cloak and matching triangular bishop’s hat. He wore soft white gloves because the weather was cold. Dutch folklore kept the generous figure in the traditional red suit but adopted furry white trim when storytellers enhanced their version of the story. Later accounts of the tale gave the iconic appearance twinkling eyes and a sleigh for travel.
Worldwide reports of the generous figure spread as each culture tried to capture the spirit of Santa in fresh fairy tales, often adding heart-touching accounts of Christmas miracles. Therefore, as the Santa legends grew, many cultures incorporated his story into their lives as a special season, a time for goodwill. It is believed that because St. Nicholas died on December 6th, the season was celebrated during that month, and still is. Thus, Santa’s story became a precursor to Christmas trees, stockings, letters, reindeer, “Ho, Ho’s,” gifts, carols, cards, and lights.
As a result of the legends, Santa also became the subject of books, editorials, movies, cartoons, shows, plays, and songs. Santa’s legend gave birth to such titles as A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol (novel, movies, & cartoon), A Christmas Story, Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Jingle All the Way, Santa Clause is coming to Town, Miracle on 34th Street, National Lampoons’ Christmas Vacation, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and The Nutcracker, just to name a few. And who can forget the famous newspaper editorial, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus?”
Consequently, over 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas, whether they are Christian or not. In 2004, in the United Kingdom, Parliament enacted the Christmas Day Trading Act to prevent shops over 3,000 square feet from opening on Christmas Day. The act applies to both England and Wales. Santa has affected economies, customs, arts, and media in many countries all over the world. Santa has even given pause to wars.
Long ago, when a name was mispronounced by a group of English settlers in New Amsterdam, they did not know that it was the beginning of a phenomenon. The Dutch Sinterklaas became Santa Claus, and the result was a legend that will continue to affect mankind for ages to come.
--Josephine Lewis
Content for this handout was modified using the Cause and Effect Argument Overview handout.
The original document was provided to The Study Library to assist students with writing.
You can find the original document at this address https://studylib.net/doc/6835548/cause-and-effect-essays
Content approved for download and usage 10.26.2018.
© 2018 by Jeanette L. H. Dick
Cause and Effect Argument Overview
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