Thesis Statements: A Brief Review
Look at the thesis statements below and figure out which ones are correct and which ones are not and
WHY. Remember, the prompt asked you to identify the reactions of the citizens, the symbol, and the
theme. You must also identify the title of the work and the author. Also, make sure that the punctuation
is correct and that the title is either underlined or italicized. An example of a proper thesis statement for
this assignment is below.
Although the citizens of Brave New World believe that soma makes
them happy, nevertheless, Aldous Huxley used soma as a symbol for
escapism because he wants the reader to understand that escaping
problems does not make them go away.
Put a check mark in the box if the thesis is done correctly.
† Although the citizen in Fahrenheit 451 think that the television parlors are just a form
entertainment, nevertheless Ray Bradbury uses the parlors to represent the government’s
influence over society, because he wants to show the readers that through technology
governments can distract and control society.
† Although the mechanical hound is thought of as a murderer, nevertheless, Bradbury uses the
hound to symbolize a consequence because Bradbury tells the reader how in the future the
government will have absolute control over the society, with the help of sophisticated hounds that
can track you down if you do something against the government.
† Although the citizens in Fahrenheit 451 were not affected by the constant distractions of everyday
life, nevertheless, Ray Bradbury viewed the distractions as having a controlled mind because the
citizens could not let their minds wonder or they would realize they were being controlled and over
throw the government.
† Although the citizens in Fahrenheit 451 believe that these suicide machines save lives, nevertheless
Ray Bradbury used the suicide machine because he wants to show the reader how society has
taken even life for granted.
† Although most people take Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” book literally or just as a good story,
there is a much deeper meaning, nevertheless I think that these flames represent the destruction
of human intellect because these fire-fighters are sent on nightly raids to burn books so as to keep
people from learning to think for themselves, as well as the destruction of society.
† Although the citizens of Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451 perceived the phoenix on the
firemen’s helmets as a symbol of power, nevertheless, Bradbury uses the phoenix at the end of the
novel to represent the rebirth of the city because he wants the reader to remember the mistake of
the past, and he wants to show the reader that when humanity falls it will rise again from the
ashes.
† Although the citizens in Fahrenheit 451 believe the mechanical hound protects them, nevertheless,
Ray Bradbury uses the mechanical dog to symbolize technology because the hound is more
powerful then anyone else in the book.
† Although the citizens in Fahrenheit 451 trust the mechanical hound, nevertheless, Bradbury
believes that the peoples own best friend will turn on them by the will of the government, because
society is becoming less trusting the hound represents betrayal.
† Although the characters in Fahrenheit 451 are brainwashed by the government, nevertheless the
parlor walls seize the people’s lives from them, make them believe the television characters are
their family, and draw them away from their own family.