Thesis Development Activity

For each of the following stories:

A. "Harrison Bergeron"
B. "The Masque of Red Death"
C. "The Lottery"

Develop 4 different thesis statements for each story (each chosen from a different prompt listed below) for a total of 12.

Prompt #1

Writing Situation: We all make mistakes in life. These mistakes can affect us and other people.
Writing Directions: Choose a character who has made a mistake. In a multi-paragraph essay, briefly identify the mistake discuss in what ways the mistake affects the character. You may want to consider how the mistake affects other characters as well.

Prompt #2

Writing Situation: A goal is something that a person aims for and hopes to achieve. People work toward various goals in order to accomplish something important.
Writing Directions: Think of a character who has a goal. In a multi-paragraph essay, briefly identify the goal and discuss in what ways the character is successful or not in reaching it. (You may choose more than one goal if you wish) In addition, you may want to consider problems that the character faces in working toward the goal as well as how the character reacts to these problems.

Prompt #3

Writing Situation: We all have to make decisions in our lives. These decisions can be either good or bad ones and can affect both us and the people we know.
Writing Directions: Think of one character who has made either a good decision or a bad decision. In a multi-paragraph essay, identify that decision, tell how it affected the character, and explain why you thought the decision was a good one or a bad one. You may want to consider how the decision affected other characters in positive or negative ways. You might also want to consider the consequences of that decision.

Prompt #4

Writing Situation: All people face problems. We triumph over some problems, yet some defeat us.
Writing Directions: Think of a problem that makes a character’s life difficult. In a well-developed multi-paragraph essay, analyze (describe) the problem and discuss how the character either solves or fails to solve the problem.

Prompt #5

Writing Situation: In life we meet various people, some of whom we greatly admire. For example we may admire them for their courage, honesty, loyalty or commitment.
Writing Directions: Think of a character you admire. In a well-developed multi-paragraph essay, discuss several reasons why you admire that character. Include examples from the piece of literature of what the character says and does that show why you chose this character.

Prompt #6

Writing Directions: We have all been given responsibilities in our lives. Sometimes we accept these responsibilities and other times we haven’t been able to.
Writing Directions: Think of one character that has been given responsibility(ies) that he/she has accepted or rejected. In a well-developed multi-paragraph essay, discuss the responsibility, the reaction and the effect on the other characters and others involved.

Prompt #7

Writing Situation: In many novels the author writes about characters who have experienced conflicts and as a result of these conflicts, they experience some degree of change.
Writing Directions: Think of one character who encountered a conflict or conflicts and as a result of these experiences changes. In a well developed multi-paragraph essay, discuss what the conflict(s) is/are, how the character reacted/responded to it/them, and the outcome of the conflict (whether positive or negative.) You may want to discuss the consequences of the conflict on the other characters and how the character was different as a result of it.

Prompt #8

Writing Situation: At times we meet people who are different than we are in age, background and/or lifestyle. However, despite these major differences, we still feel alike in terms of values, character, hopes, dreams, and/or the way we look at life.
Writing Directions: Think of one character with whom you most identify. That is who regardless of differences in age, background or lifestyle, you feel is most like you in character values and/or outlook on life. In a well-developed multi-paragraph essay, compare yourself to this character. Tell in what very specific ways you are alike and different.

Prompt #9

Writing Situation: Self-discovery is an important element in the process of maturing and a common theme in literature.
Writing Directions: Think of a character who experiences self-discovery. In a well developed multi-paragraph essay, explain the character’s experience and how the experience affects the character.