Question

Think of a novel or short story that you appreciated. Write an example of a poor thesis statement for that text and explain why it is a poor example

Answer 1

My novel choice - Peak

Poor thesis - Peak Climbs a Mountain

(See how that gave no details whatsoever? It wasn't specific enough!)

Answer 2

Answer:

Dagon

Explanation:

A poor thesis statement about H. P. Lovecraft's Dagon would be:

Dagon is about the fear of being lost

This is a poor statement because, even though the main character of the story is actually lost and is not sure how he ended up in that weird place, the story is about so much more than that and it involves the unknown, the incomprehensible, and intelligent beings that only reveal the insignificance of the human race. Dagon makes you feel lost, but not as if you didn't know where you where, but more like as if nothing around you makes sense. You're not lost in a place on Earth, you're lost in the whole Universe. It's not a special fear, but an internal fear of not knowing what matters when you realize your place in the infinite universe: a place of insignificance.