2: 12 Angry Men- Thesis Statements- Lesson Plans and Activities

Thesis Statements

SLO:  Formulate and support an explicit or implied thesis.

The professor will discuss the basic definition of a thesis statement:

“. . .the one sentence [in your essay] that encapsulates the result of your thinking, as it offers your main insight or argument in condensed form.” (Excelsior OWL)

In other words, the main idea of the idea of the essay that the writer actively supports with evidence throughout the essay.

It is composed of two parts:

1. Topic

2. Controlling Idea

The professor will explore more nuances of what makes a strong thesis statement by presenting these other tenets from the McClean edition of Writing for Success: 

https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Composition/Introductory_Composition/Writing_for_Success_(McLean)/9%3A_Writing_Essays_-_From_Start_to_Finish/9.1%3A_Developing_a_Strong_Clear_Thesis_Statement

• Specificity. A thesis statement must concentrate on a specific area of a general topic. As you may recall, the creation of a thesis statement begins when you choose a broad subject and then narrow down its parts until you pinpoint a specific aspect of that topic. For example, health care is a broad topic, but a proper thesis statement would focus on a specific area of that topic, such as options for individuals without health care coverage.

• Precision. A strong thesis statement must be precise enough to allow for a coherent argument and to remain focused on the topic. If the specific topic is options for individuals without health care coverage, then your precise thesis statement must make an exact claim about it, such as that limited options exist for those who are uninsured by their employers. You must further pinpoint what you are going to discuss regarding these limited effects, such as whom they affect and what the cause is.

• Ability to be argued. A thesis statement must present a relevant and specific argument. A factual statement often is not considered arguable. Be sure your thesis statement contains a point of view that can be supported with evidence.

• Ability to be demonstrated. For any claim you make in your thesis, you must be able to provide reasons and examples for your opinion. You can rely on personal observations in order to do this, or you can consult outside sources to demonstrate that what you assert is valid. A worthy argument is backed by examples and details.

• Forcefulness. A thesis statement that is forceful shows readers that you are, in fact, making an argument. The tone is assertive and takes a stance that others might oppose.

• Confidence. In addition to using force in your thesis statement, you must also use confidence in your claim. Phrases such as I feel or I believe actually weaken the readers’ sense of your confidence because these phrases imply that you are the only person who feels the way you do. In other words, your stance has insufficient backing. Taking an authoritative stance on the matter persuades your readers to have faith in your argument and open their minds to what you have to say.

The professor will then assign several different thesis statements from the Readings on Twelve Angry Men text and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Certain students will be assigned different thesis statements, given 5-10 minutes to write down their thoughts, then share these thoughts with the rest of the class when the time has run out.

https://archive.org/details/readingsontwelve0000unse/page/84/mode/2up

Since the class will discuss the idea of a thesis being “debatable”, students will also express whether they agree or disagree with the thesis as well as defend their position. 

The thesis statements presented will be:

• “Twelve Angry Men is a reflection of the political climate of the 1950s, in which Cold War Liberals. . . and corporate capitalists formed an alliance in the name of pluralism to allow for the survival and continuation of American society.” (Biskind 56)

• “Twelve Angry Men is not a story of just one jury but of the entire jury system. While some see the story as an intentional attack on the jury system, most see it as a tribute to the system.” (Nardone 84)

• “The 1957 film version of Twelve Angry Men is a good, entertaining piece of cinematography, but it has multiple, inaccurate portrayals of real justice.” (Smith 97)

• “Although the screenwriter’s criticism of the jury system is insightful, the story’s reliance upon coincidences and unconvincing changes in characters’ attitudes mars its believability.” (Harris 102)

Students will also have an opportunity to draft what they believe is the thesis for Twelve Angry Men itself.

For example, a thesis for Twelve Angry Men might read “Any jury can legitimately compensate for an incomplete or weak  legal representation of the accused if it makes an effort to analyze the case beyond what was presented in court.”