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Paraphrase Example

The original passage from a source
A plagiarized paraphrase of the passage
An acceptable paraphrase of the passage
The Works Cited entry for the source
Here is the original passage as it appeared on page 610. Click on the ] at the end of each paragraph to jump to an unacceptable paraphrase of it.
Charles Portis is one of the most inventive comic writers of Western fiction. With an unerring ear for the rhythms of speech and idiosyncrasies of language, he delivers deadpan humor as his characters strive to come to terms with their own limitations in an increasingly cockeyed world.]
True Grit is easily one of the best contemporary westerns, a curious amalgam of parody, formula, and myth. At first, the novel seems a straight parody. Deputy Marshal Rooster Cogburn, “an old one-eyed jasper,” violates almost all of the preconceptions of the western hero. He is an immoderate drinker, a questionable marksman, a hapless gambler. Motivated by greed, not justice, he chooses cases according to the size of the reward and constantly schemes to cheat government, his prisoners, and his clients. ]
Portis overlays realism on the romantic world of the West. Rooster is not burdened by the moral introspection of a Virginian or Shane. He plots to shoot an outlaw in the back, drags another over a fire, and casually kicks another. Through the plain and graceful narration of Mattie Ross (another superior achievement), we are given a new vision of the West that verges on the grotesque. The characters bear the obvious signs of their harsh lives: Rooster has lost an eye, is wounded in the shoulder, has shotgun pellets embedded in his face; Mattie has an arm amputated; outlaws have their fingers chopped off and parts of their lips shot away.]
Despite its realism and debunking, the novel is not merely a spoof, for its theme and structure fall within the borders of the genre. The pursuit of individual justice is one of the most common plots in western literature, and although Rooster is clearly imperfect, he eventually proves himself to be heroic: unflinchinglybrave, enormously skilled, and capable of affection and self-sacrifice. ]
Portis’s accomplishments in True Grit are considerable. By introducing fresh elements of parody and realism, he has taken some of the sweetness out of the Western formula and made it more palatable. True Grit does not mock the western myth, but creates new variations and suggests other possibilities for Western writers.]
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Here is an unacceptable paraphrase of the original passage. Its flaws amount to plagiarism:
Phrases in red are stolen from the original phrases in blue in each original paragraph.
The organization is copied; all the information is given in the same order.
Some of the original meaning (in green) is distorted.

Illegal Paraphrase: Charles Portis is the most comic, inventive western writer. His unmistakable ear for speech brings deadpan humor as his people struggle in a world that is more and more cockeyed. ]

Original: Charles Portis is one of the most inventive comic writers of Western fiction. With an unerring ear for the rhythms of speech and idiosyncrasies of language, he delivers deadpan humor as his characters strive to come to terms with their own limitations in an increasingly cockeyed world.
Illegal Paraphrase: True Grit is a curious mixture of myth, parody, and formula. It begins with parody. Elderly one-eyed Rooster Cogburn, contradicts all that we conceive of the Western hero. He drinks, he shoots without asking questions, and he gambles. Greed, rather than justice, motivates him; he picks cases for the reward money, and is always cheating everyone. ]
Original: True Grit is easily one of the best contemporary westerns, a curious amalgam of parody, formula, and myth. At first, the novel seems a straight parody. Deputy Marshal Rooster Cogburn, “an old one-eyed jasper,” violates almost all of the preconceptions of the western hero. He is an immoderate drinker, a questionable marksman, a hapless gambler. Motivated by greed, not justice, he chooses cases according to the size of the reward and constantly schemes to cheat government, his prisoners, and his clients.
Illegal Paraphrase: Portis lays realism over romance. Rooster shoots an outlaw in the back, drags him over a fire, and kicks him. His characters are almost grotesque: lost eyes, arms cut off; chopped off fingers and shot away lips. ]
Original: Portis overlays realism on the romantic world of the West. Rooster is not burdened by the moral introspection of a Virginian or Shane. He plots to shoot an outlaw in the back, drags another over a fire, and casually kicks another. Through the plain and graceful narration of Mattie Ross (another superior achievement), we are given a new vision of the West that verges on the grotesque. The characters bear the obvious signs of their harsh lives: Rooster has lost an eye, is wounded in the shoulder, has shotgun pellets embedded in his face; Mattie has an arm amputated; outlaws have their fingers chopped off and parts of their lips shot away.
Illegal Paraphrase: The novel is not a spoof, it is a western in structure and theme. Individual justice is the most common plot in Westerns, and although obviously flawed, he finally becomes a hero when Rooster sacrifices himself without flinching.]
Original: Despite its realism and debunking, the novel is not merely a spoof, for its theme and structure fall within the borders of the genre. The pursuit of individual justice is one of the most common plots in western literature, and although Rooster is clearly imperfect, he eventually proves himself to be heroic: unflinchingly brave, enormously skilled, and capable of affection and self-sacrifice.
Illegal Paraphrase: Portis accomplished a lot in True Grit. He introduced parody and realism, and made the western bitter. True Grit does not make fun of the western; instead it suggests possibilities for other writers of westerns (Cleary 610). ]
Original: Portis’s accomplishments in True Grit are considerable. By introducing fresh elements of parody and realism, he has taken some of the sweetness out of the Western formula and made it more palatable. True Grit does not mock the western myth, but creates new variations and suggests other possibilities for Western writers.

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Here is a successful paraphrase of the original. Notice its strengths:
It creates its own sentences and use its own words rather than manipulates the original sentences and words.
It is much shorter than the original.
The way to produce an acceptable paraphrase is to close the source and summarize without looking at the original language.
The opening phrase “Cleary points out that” signals where the paraphrase begins.

Cleary points out that in True Grit, Portis takes liberties with the traditional Western. Deputy Marshall Rooster Cogburn comically drinks too much, gambles badly, and shoots worse.  He will drag someone over a campfire, kick him, or even shoot him in the back.  Characters have facial scars or have lost an eye, an arm or fingers. Despite the harsh comedy, the plot and theme of True Grit are traditional, and Rooster does act like a hero in the end.  Cleary argues that rather than being mere parody, True Grit offers a fresh view of the western that other writers might pursue (Cleary 610).

Here is the Works Cited entry for the source: