Name:______
PREWRITING: GENERATING A THESIS
1. Consider how the main character (narrator, in this case) has changed over the course of the story. What LESSON do you think he learned?
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______
Now, create a theme statement that encompasses the lesson the narrator learned:
______
______
Theme Statement
2. Explore the central CONFLICT of the story. We’ll list several conflicts in class and you can choose one to address below.
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______
Now, create a theme statement that describes the outcome of the central conflict and provides an insight into life:
______
______
Theme Statement
3. Select a TOPIC from the universal list that you feel best represents the intended focus of the story.
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Universal Topic
Now, create a theme statement that encompasses the universal topic:
______
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Theme Statement
PREWRITING: SUPPORTING YOUR THESIS
4. After you’ve selected your strongest thesis statement, go back to the story and look for incidents in “The Scarlet Ibis” that support the theme.
There are two ways to do this:
______or ______
______
First Incident
Context of Quote:
Quote:
( ).
Relevance of Quote:
______
Second Incident
Context of Quote:
Quote:
( ).
Relevance of Quote:
______
Third Incident
Context of Quote:
Quote:
( ).
Relevance of Quote:
WRITING: THEME ANALYSIS ESSAY
Now that you have all of your brainstorming and prewriting done, you should be well on your way to creating a theme analysis essay.
INTRO:
1-3 sentence Hook
Consider your universal topic and create an attention getter that appeals to all audiences on the basis of our experience with that universal topic
Introduce the story
Now, transition to talking about the story we read (“The Scarlet Ibis”) and introducing how that story addresses the universal topic. USE the I-V-FT format to ensure that you include the story title.
Thesis Statement
Finally, introduce your theme statement as your thesis. There is no need to preview your paragraphs.
THREE PARAGRAPHS:
Topic Sentence to introduce the incident
**Bonus: Take advantage of transition words and subordinating conjunctions to show the progression from one paragraph to the next.
Use quote to show
Explain how quote shows the developing theme
CONCLUSION:
Restate thesis
Conclusion should restate the theme. Remind the reader how you’ve developed and proved this theme.
FCA’s:
Organization (Introduction includes all three parts; Body paragraphs use topic sentences; Body paragraphs include relevant and coherent details)
Ideas and Content (Includes relevant quotes; Quotes are introduced and explained; Paragraphs support theme; Body Paragraphs include accurate information and insightful ideas)
Conventions (Title punctuated correctly; Quotes punctuated correctly; Commas used appropriately; Verb tense used appropriately)
*BONUS: Use transition words, especially subordinating conjunctions, at the beginning of topic sentences and punctuate correctly.
*BONUS: Use past perfect or past progressive correctly.
*BONUS: Use a vocabulary word correctly.