Thesis Statements for Chronicle of a Death Foretold Computer Lab 204 tomorrow, COMPLETE rough draft due at the end of class.

The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In other words, the thesis must be something that people could reasonably have differing opinions on. If your thesis is something that is generally agreed upon or accepted as fact then there is no reason to try to persuade people.

What is your debatable position? Flora Miguel is most responsible for the murder of Santiago Nasar. Write it down now….. I will call on some one to read and then someone else to debate it – that’s how we will test it!

What are the reasons your debatable position is true? Write them down now. If you want to do the traditional, three reasons corresponding to three paragraphs, that is fine. If you would like to mix it up and use a larger (but try not to get vague!) concept that encompasses it all, that is fine.

Examples Flora Miguel is most to blame for the ignominious death of her saccharine fiancé because she knew they were going to kill him and she didn’t stop him from leaving her house to go to his death, yet she was the one who was supposed to love him most in the world, being that he was her virile savior from her unmarried disgrace.

Example Flora Miguel’s heinous selfishness in rejecting Santiago when she had full knowledge of the danger he was in clearly makes her culpable in his ultimately avoidable murder.

ADJECTIVES! This is that emotional, persuasive language part. Right now add two adjectives to lead your reader to FEEL something about your position.

Now, the Subordinate Adverbial Clause dum, dum, dum, dummmmmm Clause has both a subject and a verb. Use a subordinating conjunction Either modify the thesis statement you have now, or add to it. Will you be rebutting anything in your essay? Then you might want to use the “although” or ‘’even though’’ subordinating conjunction.

If you are rebutting… Although Colonel Aponte’s position as mayor gives him civic responsibility, Flora Miguel’s status as his fiancé makes her most responsible for the ignominious death of her saccharine fiancé because she knew they were going to kill him and she didn’t stop him from leaving her house to go to his death, yet she was the one who was supposed to love him most in the world, being that he was her virile savior from her unmarried disgrace.

If not…. Since Flora Miguel’s status as his fiancé makes her most answerable for the ignominious death of her saccharine fiancé, she should be ashamed of her heinous selfishness, knowing they were going to kill him and not stopping him from leaving her house to go to his death simply because of her own misguided jealousy and perceived tarnished honor.

Why are we doing this? Why do we need this big flowery thesis? Because you are playing with language. Manipulating it. Hitting it over the head and rummaging through its pockets for loose change. Calling it names in the school yard and making it chase you. You are increasing your writing repertoire. You are exploring your options.