Writing a Statement of Theme

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Writing a Statement of Theme

• Thesis Statements

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Theme Statements

• To write a quality theme statement from a
  question/prompt you must do the following
• Address all parts of the question/prompt
• Take a position that others may challenge or
  oppose Be specific!
• Answer the questions How? or Why? Dont be
  open-ended or non-specific
• Elaborate on your point Compare / Contrast /
  Infer Examine / Analyze / Conclude / Theorize /
  Judge Defend / Justify / etc

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Practice

• At the beginning of the novel, with whom is Huck
  living? In what ways do they try to change Huck?
  Do you think they succeed? Explain.
• Lives with Widow Douglas and Miss Watson
• They try to make him act respectable and live
  according to societys standards
• They are unsuccessful in getting him to change
• He is just too set in his ways - rebellious
• They ask too much too soon of him religion,
  school, manners, etc

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Sample Thesis

• At the beginning of the novel, with whom is Huck
  living? In what ways do they try to change Huck?
  Do you think they succeed? Explain.
• At the beginning of the novel, Huck Finn lives
  with Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, two old women
  who try to make him live according to society's
  standards, religious values, and proper manners,
  but they are ultimately unsuccessful due to
  Hucks rebellious nature and their own high
  demands

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• At the beginning of the novel, Huck Finn lives
  with Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, two old women
  who try to make him live according to society's
  standards, religious values, and proper manners,
  but they are ultimately unsuccessful due to
  Hucks rebellious nature and their own high
  demands
• The Widow Douglas, she took me for her son, and
  allowed she would sivilize me (Supports their
  desire to change him)
• it was rough living in the house all the time,
  considering how dismal regular and decent the
  Widow was in all her ways (Supports how
  uncomfortable it is for Huck)
• When I couldnt stand it no longer. I lit out
  (Supports Hucks rebellious nature)