Writing a Thesis Statement

1. Writing a Thesis Statement Carwile Fall 2010 9th Grade Research: An Author’s Life and Motivation for Writing

2. What a thesis is… • A thesis statement is a sentence that tells the reader of an essay what the writing will be about. It typically answers a given prompt.

3. Where do we find a thesis statement? • A thesis statement appears at the end of the introductory paragraph: it is the last sentence.

4. Where is the thesis statement? • The book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verse eighteen, states that, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (NIV). This passage means that with wisdom and experience come sadness and grief; the joy and innocence of childhood is replaced with the troubles of growing up. No greater lesson can be learned about this subject than from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Golding paints for the reader a picture of several young boys, innocent of the world, who become “experienced”, or savage, rather, as the plot of the novel unfolds. Through careful analysis, the reader comes to understand Golding’s lessons about one of the major themes of the novel, the loss of innocence.

5. Here it is… • The book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verse eighteen, states that, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (NIV). This passage means that with wisdom and experience come sadness and grief; the joy and innocence of childhood is replaced with the troubles of growing up. No greater lesson can be learned about this subject than from William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Golding paints for the reader a picture of several young boys, innocent of the world, who become “experienced”, or savage, rather, as the plot of the novel unfolds. Through careful analysis, the reader comes to understand Golding’s lessons about one of the major themes of the novel, the loss of innocence.

6. How would you write a thesis for the following prompt? • Pretend you’ve met someone who has no idea what ice cream tastes like. How would you describe it to him? What characteristics of ice cream make it good to eat?

7. WRONG!!! • “In this paper, I will explain that ice cream has a smooth consistency, a sweet taste, and a creamy, cool texture that make it a delicious treat to eat.”

8. RIGHT!!! • “Ice cream has a smooth consistency, a sweet taste, and a creamy, cool texture that make it a delicious treat to eat.”

9. Your turn… • Prompt: Explain how the author’s life and the time period in which he wrote shaped his writing.

10. Thesis Example • The ideas of poverty and wealth and of the separation of social classes are themes present in both Charles Dickens’ own life and in his works A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol.