1. Thesis Statements and You
Our mantra: Opinion plus plan.
Opinion + plan

2. In “The Most Dangerous Game,” what is/are the most important kind(s) of conflict that Rainsford encounters?

3. Thesis is the brain of the essay.
Answer the prompt with your
Opinion
Tell your
Plan of how you will support that opinion, proving it is correct.

4. What do you think of General Zaroff? This is the OPINION part.
General Zaroff is freak.
General Zaroff understands the true nature of survival of the fittest.
General Zaroff doesn’t understand sportsmanship.
General Zaroff is smarter than Rainsford.

5. Next you have to add Plan/REASONS – how are you going to support your OPINION?
General Zaroff is a freak of society because he thinks murder is sport and he has to hide what he is doing.
General Zaroff doesn’t understand sportsmanship because he uses unequal advantages and he is a poor loser.

6. Opinion + plan/reason
Opinion + plan/reason

7. Your turn Fix these thesis statements.
What is this one missing?
Red is the most vibrant color.

8. Fix this one…
My leopard gecko is yellow with black spots, looking kind of like a ripened banana.

9. One more….
MacIntosh computers are far superior to PCs.

10. How many? Your paper only needs one thesis statement.
You will remind the reader of the thesis statement in the conclusion.

11. Where?
Put it as the last sentence of your introduction paragraph.

12. Now you get to write a thesis statement all on your own.
From the information you’ve learned so far from reading the short story, “The Most Dangerous Game”, write an effective thesis statement for the following prompt.
In “The Most Dangerous Game,” what is/are the most important kind(s) of conflict that Rainsford encounters?

13. Starters
You may use the following sentence structure or create your own:
Although Rainsford experiences many conflicts throughout the story, his main conflicts are with ____________ and _____________.
General Zaroff
Nature
Himself
society

14. Exit Ticket On a slip of paper that your teacher provides you, write:
Your name
Your thesis statement
Underline the opinion part once
Underline the reason part twice.