This first sentence of a Body Paragraph always starts with a transition word (First, To start, To begin, etc.).

After the transition word, you will restate (say in a different way) the first argument that you stated in your Thesis Statement. The topic sentence should be a little general and not state something specific to the story. This specific statement will be your point sentence(s).

Example

Here is the Thesis Statement regarding Santiago being a role model in the novella The Old Man and the Sea:

Through his humbleness, determination, and bravery, it is clear that Santiago is an ideal role model, which is important because Santiago motivates Manolin to strive for his dreams.

The first argument listed is Santiago’s humbleness, which makes him an ideal role model. So your Topic Sentence (and focus of this first body paragraph) should restate this idea:

Topic Sentence

“First, throughout the novella, Santiago consistently shows a high degree of humbleness in his exchanges with people and the natural world.”