To Kill a Mockingbird The Thesis
Step one: Break down the prompt. PROMPT 1: The central issue of many novels and plays is the difficulty in discerning the truth about a certain event or situation based on the differing accounts of various characters. Several times in To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee questions who is responsible for Tom Robinson s death. Write a well-constructed para-essay discussing different characters views about where this responsibility lays, and include your own opinion towards the end of your writing. Be sure to support your opinion and conclude smoothly. *Everyone will be writing on this first prompt. You can choose the second one.
The prompt begins with a general statement that helps you get into the same mindset as the author of the prompt. What is the general statement? What does it mean? Rewrite the general statement in your own words. The next statement directs you to think about a specific idea regarding the general statement. It s now related to a specific work--to Kill a Mockingbird and a specific situation--who is responsible for Tom Robinson s death. The next portion directs your writing. Look at the verb: discuss. How do you discuss on paper? How do you say what you believe without personal pronouns?
What characters would have differing views on this quandary? Who would Atticus hold responsible? Mayella Ewell? Calpurnia? Jem? Scout? Sheriff Tate? Miss Maudie? Aunt Alexandra? Walter Cunningham, Sr.? When you are writing a para-essay, you want to stay with only 2 or 3 points in order to stay clear and focused. Would your discussion be more interesting if each character held the same view or if they held a differing views? List two characters. What might their views be? Is Scout going to blame society or a person (think about her age)? What about Calpurnia? Write down what you think your chosen characters views would be.
Now you are ready to write a simple thesis. EX: By using Scout Finch as the narrator of her novel, Harper Lee provides an innocent and naive point of view regarding Tom s death which contrasts sharply with Calpurnia s recognition of society s responsibility. With this as a thesis, what would you discuss first? What example would you use to support it? Make sure your example is detailed and specific. Don t use more than one or you will run out of time. What would you discuss next? What support? Choose only one in order to remain balanced.
Your para-essay should be layered like this: Thesis Statement Transitional sentence that leads to your first discussion (Scout s view). Establish Scout s view. Support Scout s view with a paraphrased example from the text. Explain how the example ties back to your thesis. Transition to next character (Calpurnia).
Establish Calpurnia s view on who is responsible for Tom s death. Provide a paraphrased example from the text that supports your premise. Re-connect the support to your thesis. Offer your own opinion as to who is responsible by making reference to both Scout and Calpurnia. Conclude smoothly with one sentence.
Next... Choose one other prompt and work with a partner (or two) to develop a thesis and pre-write for your chosen prompt. If you don t finish your pre-write in class, you will have to finish it at home. I will be taking up your pre-write as well as your two para-essays, so you have to have one.
the pronoun you Things to avoid... Any personal pronouns until you reach the part where you add your own opinion in prompt 1. No other prompt asks for a personal opinion, so you won t use I in the 2nd para-essay. Avoid starting a sentence with this or because. Do NOT use the reader as a subject or object. Write in literary present tense. Do NOT re-tell the story. Discuss it without re-telling it. Do not make a giant sweeping statement for your conclusion. EX: Harper Lee is one of the greatest writers in American literature. DO sum it up. EX: As a young, white child in the racist South, Scout lacks the maturity to understand the complexities of social responsibility, while Calpurnia, as a black woman, understands and even expects white society to act the way it does.