Practice with thesis statements and topic sentences. Why do you need to grasp these concepts? A working thesis statement and strong topic sentences are necessary. They hold the essay together….

Tragic hero topic: compare and contrast There is room for improvement: Acceptable: Thesis- This essay will explore the three tragic hero attributes of having much to lose, being respected and flawed, and how they apply to John Proctor. Thesis- John Proctor, the protagonist of the play The Crucible, possesses a major flaw, suffers a great loss, and eventually comes to a realization; therefore, making him an ideal example of a tragic hero.

Sexual Repression topic: Compare and contrast There is room for improvement: Acceptable: Thesis- I will explore John Proctor the unfaithful husband, John Proctor the morally conflicted man, and last but not least, John Proctor the honest and truthful. Thesis- Without John Proctor and Abigail’s scandalous affair there would be no conflict, no symbolic resurrection, and no one would have died as a result of accusations.

Transformation/changing topic: compare and contrast There is room for improvement: Acceptable Thesis- Mary Warren changes a few times throughout the story which greatly affects the outcome of the story for the worse. Thesis- Throughout the play, Mary morphs from a naive girl to a treacherous woman of power, and finally into a more intelligent woman who can take care of herself by any means.

Topic Sentences Each topic sentence must directly relate to thesis. The reader should understand your direction, purpose, and argument after studying the topic sentence. See the next few slides for examples…..

Thesis: John Proctor, the protagonist of the play The Crucible, possesses a major flaw, suffers a great loss, and eventually comes to a realization, therefore making him an ideal example of a tragic hero. Topic Sentence 1: John Proctor possessed the unforgivable flaw of adultery, and this categorizes him as a tragic hero. Topic Sentence 2: John Proctor is a tragic hero because he lost his reputation and freedom. Topic Sentence 3: John Proctor’s realization, that he must confess to lies and hold on to his dignity, enables him to identify with the ideal tragic hero.

Thesis: Without John Proctor and Elizabeth’s scandalous affair there would be no conflict, no symbolic resurrection, and no one would have died as a result of accusations. Topic sentence 1: Topic sentence 2: Topic sentence 3:

Thesis: Throughout the play, Mary morphs from a naive girl to a treacherous woman of power, and finally into a more intelligent woman who can take care of herself by any means. Topic Sentence 1: Topic Sentence 2: Topic Sentence 3: