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“The Bet” Thesis Statement, Topic Sentences, and Outline
Now that you have a thesis and three body paragraph topic ideas, you need to make an outline. An
outline is like a road map, and while you can alter your route, having an outline illustrates the big
picture of the paper.
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Have a thesis statement which answers the question. Your thesis statement needs to be a
complete sentence
2. Compose
3
topic sentences which explain
HOW
your body paragraph topic relates to
your thesis.
3. In each body paragraph, select two quotes and one specific which illustrates your point
Why do you think you would
sometimes want to use full quotes, as
opposed to partial quotes, or specifics?
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Outline Template
THESIS:
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Topic sentence:
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Topic sentence:
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Topic sentence:
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Read the following paper and annotate as you read:
Theme of “The Bet”
Anton Chekhov’s short story “The Bet” introduces that materials are not the most important focuses in life. In the short
story, the main character is the lawyer who makes a bet that he can stay in confinement for fifteen years in exchange for 2
millions. The banker agrees to this bet and rejoins his rich life while the lawyer goes into the banker’s lodge in his garden.
During the fifteen years, the lawyer can see the world outside of all people and distractions and see the wrong in it. Through the
banker’s epiphany and changes, the lawyer’s epiphany and changes, and manner in which “The Bet” was created, Chekhov
reveals that materials are not as important as the knowledge that can lead to freedom and they can even blind you from gaining
the important knowledge.
After the lawyer’s fifteen year confinement, the banker realizes that he was blinded by all the luxuries in his own life
and because of that didn’t gain as much knowledge as he could have. The author clearly states how much the banker has in the
beginning of the short story because two millions is nothing to him. By the end of the fifteen years, the banker still relies heavily
on his luxuries. His problems “desperate gambling on the Stock Exchange” get rid of the materials or money that he craves. He is
so blinded by his money that he announces “‘the one means of being saved from bankruptcy and disgrace is the death of that
man!’” The banker then has his epiphany that materials are not that important when he reads the letter that the lawyer wrote to
him. Because of his epiphany, he changes his view on how to live his life. Because of the letter, “he felt so great a contempt for
himself.” The final change is that instead of locking away his money in a fireproof safe, the banker locked the letter instead.
Through the banker’s epiphany, did he realize he was blinded my materials and had to change the way he lived.
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Make a star next to the strongest part of the paper:
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Squiggle the part that needs revision:
o
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Write: What makes that part so strong? Be specific.
Revise it yourself:
Give this writer feedback on:
o
Thesis:
o
Embedding quotes:
o
Topic Sentence:
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REFLECT AND REVISE:
I. THESIS:
They learn that material possessions aren’t worth anything in the grand scheme of things and they have no true
value. The material items of the world are short lived and illusory and can trick one into thinking they have
reached true happiness and satisfaction.
TOPIC SENTENCE
It is obvious that the lawyer disapproved of material items when he rejected the cash prize and expressed his
distaste for the banker’s values.
YOUR REVISION(S):
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__________________________________________________________________________
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II.
THESIS:
Chekov’s short story, “The Bet”, shows that life is not worth living unless you have
something that is really worth living for and people are often blinded of this by false
priorities.
TOPIC SENTENCE
Although the lawyer believed that money would give him a luxurious life, he was sadly mistaken. He decided to
stake his freedom for two million dollars but soon discovered that the bet was slowly ruining his life.
YOUR REVISION(S):
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
How am I going to relate what I’m learning here to my writing?
[And/or TIPS AND TRICKS I WANT TO IMPLEMENT (from other pages) ]
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III.
THESIS:
In the next few paragraphs, I will show you the change in both men. Reflection and
exposure to different perspectives humbles man’s pride.
TOPIC SENTENCE
Since the characters were so narrow-minded at the start of the bet, the exposure of different perspectives opened
new doors, which humbled them.
YOUR REVISION(S):
__________________________________________________________________________
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IV.
THESIS:
Through his use of the lawyer’s acceptance of the bet, the banker’s desperation, and then finally the lawyer’s
epiphany, Anton Chekhov weaves his story around the theme that humans will covet money over all else, despite
the foolishness of this practice.
TOPIC SENTENCE
As a nervous, jittering man, the banker displays the worst effect of coveting material possessions: desperation at
the thought of losing them.
YOUR REVISION(S):
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REFER TO THESE WORDS
Having trouble embedding quotes or reiterating your thesis? Trying to avoid “show”? Use these
words:
Portray
Depicts
Illustrates
Stresses
Renders
Indicates
Proves
Supports
Evidences
Verifies
Demonstrates
Conveys
Represents
Conveys
Presents
Reveals
Substantiates
Defends
Emphasizes
Exhibits
Describe
Exemplifies
Expresses
Paints
Accentuates
Highlights
Justifies
Reiterates
Clarifies
Confirms
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