English 7 H Name______________ Tickle Date_______________ Period______________

Crafting Your Argument and Creating a Thesis Statement

You need to choose a character from “Song of the Trees,” “The Smallest Dragonboy,” or “Bargain” to write your essay about. Then you will need to create a thesis for that character. A strong thesis statement is essential to an essay of persuasion. When we analyze a character from literature, we are attempting that our viewpoint about the character is valid, thus, the argument—thesis statement—upon which the entire essay is based must be solid.

A thesis statement is often a response to a question the reader asks himself or herself about a character. For example, I asked you, “How did Roger’s perspective on Miss Orville change?” Your answer formed your thesis statement.

Try asking yourself a question about the character you’ve chosen. Your answer will be your thesis statement. Ask questions like this: 1. What role does my character play in the story? 2. What do my character’s traits allow him to accomplish in the story? 3. Does my character change? 4. What caused my character to become what he is? 5. Does my character represent a symbol mentioned in the story? One of these questions could lead to a thesis statement.

Here are some sample thesis statements written by students. Notice that the thesis statements usually include subpoints, the points the students will develop in their essays. With a partner, figure out which question they answered. Write the number of the question (those listed above) before the thesis statement. _____1. Buck’s admirable traits—he is concerned, loyal, and kind—make him the best caretaker that Cal could ask for. _____2. Boo Radley from To Kill a Mockingbird represents the mockingbird we must not kill. Like the songbird, Boo is a fragile creature who does no harm but brings joy. _____3. Because Huck Finn doesn’t have a family to take care of him, he is insecure, ignorant, and free-willed. _____4. Initially, Huck longs to join the society of St. Petersburg, but because of strict societal standards, he becomes discouraged and loses faith in people.

Be sure to use this sheet to help you with your argument this evening! You need to have three subpoints for this essay!

Here are some examples of roles you could use in your argument:

hero bully/villain/antagonist mentor victim narrator leader (“man of the house”) protector (not Cassie) role model (not Mr. Baumer) helper

Adapted from C. Close