Remember that your essay will have a general theme. For example, good vs evil, coming of age, corruption or the American dream are a few common themes used in literature and essays. Your hook statement should reference this theme. Then create a bridge statement that connects the theme to your text (short story, poem, play or novel). Then, state the background information (who, what, where, when, why) of the text so that the reader can better understand your essay. Finally, add your thesis statement to complete the introduction paragraph.