1. 3-part Thesis Statement

2. Thesis Statements  In the simplest terms a thesis statement is A specific subject + A specific stance All thesis statements must include these two things.

3. Respond to the Prompt  All thesis statements must respond to the prompt.  What is multiculturalism? Discuss some implications of multiculturalism in contemporary society. Level one questions posed in the prompt must have level one answers in the thesis statement

4. Announce a specific topic  Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories is a clear allegory for Rushdie’s life at the time he wrote the novel.  The book is a clear allegory for the author’s life.

5. Include a Definite Statement  “Some people believe that Chris McCandless is an American hero, while others believe he isn’t.”  “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain reinforces racist stereotypes.”

6. Key information  When working with only one or two texts, the author and title of the work should always be included in the introduction paragraph.  In John Krakauer’s novel Into the Wild…

7. Adopt the appropriate scope  “Native Americans have faced many difficulties throughout the history of the United States.”

8. Show Knowledge of the Topic  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald critiques the American dream in its treatment of the excesses of prohibition- era 1920s, suburban New York City commuter culture, and as seen through the trajectory of Gatsby’s life.

9. Placement  Where should a thesis statement be located?

10. One strategy: 3-part thesis Specific Topic + Specific Stance + Supporting Argument A + Supporting Argument B + Supporting Argument C

11. 3-part Thesis  What are the strengths of this approach?  What are the weaknesses of this approach?

12. 3-part thesis: examples  For example, if a student is writing a critical essay on Herman Melville's Billy Budd, Sailor, arguing that Billy is a one-dimensional character, an effective thesis sentence would be: "In Herman Melville's Billy Budd, Sailor, Billy is a one-dimensional character because he is ignorant of cruelty, his goodness and purity are manifest physically in his appearance, and despite being a foundling, he is well- born."

13. Some sample thesis statements: literary analysis of poems  In "If you Were Coming in the Fall," Emily Dickinson uses simile, diction, and syntax to describe how people wait, hoping to fall in love.  Critics classify Langston Hughes’s work into poems of social and “racial protest” and poems of racial affirmation” (DiYanni 522-523). “Theme for English B,” however, does not nestle neatly within either category, as it exudes a more complicated tone of both pride and frustration.

14. Thesis Statement Checklist  Does your thesis statement respond directly to the prompt?  Does your thesis contain a definite statement?  Does your thesis show you have knowledge about your topic?  Is your statement appropriate in scope (not too broad or too narrow)?  Does your thesis list the key points to be discussed in your essay?  Can you provide evidence to back up your thesis?

15. Practice: Choose 3 of the following prompts & write a well-constructed thesis statement. 1. Should American students be required to learn a second language? Why or why not? OR Should high school students be required to take physical education courses? Why or why not? 2. Are high schools adequately meeting the needs of their students? Explain your position using specific examples from your observation and experience. 3. Do Americans seem unable to relax in their leisure time? Explain your position using specific examples from your observation and experience. 4. What do you consider the most important event of the past decade? Why? 5. "Human rights" is a term frequently used but seldom defined. Discuss what rights should belong to every human being. 6. If you were guaranteed a steadily improving standard of living (in terms of buying power, free time, quality of goods and services, etc.), would you be willing to give up your right to vote? Explain.

16. Your thesis statements Christopher McCandless is an American Hero because he took the risks nobody else would. He survived off of the wild and challenged himself to be independent. Christopher McCandless should be recognized for his heroism.

17. Your thesis statements Christopher Johnson McCandless, although argued by some to be an American hero, is in fact not, because his actions, did not really benefit anyone but himself.

18. Your thesis statements Chris McCandless is not a hero; he was overconfident, and paid for it with his life, but his determination to live life to the fullest and pursue his dreams should be admired.

19. Your thesis statements An American hero is someone that shows great bravery or patriotism or just embodies what America represents. Christopher McCandless is not an American hero just because he dared himself to think about the ethics about living in American society.

20. Your thesis statements Is Christopher McCandless an American hero? I don’t think so because he made some stupid decisions on his way to Alaska and right before he went into the wild.

21. Your thesis statements A hero is someone who would risk their well being for the safety or inspiration of others. In the book Into the Wild by John Krakauer Chris McCandless portrays the definition of a hero and a role model.