is there a thesis in a short story

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Do Short Stories Have A Thesis? The Answer May Surprise You

Did you know that short stories can have a thesis? It’s true! Many people assume that only longer works like novels and academic papers have central ideas, but short stories can pack a powerful punch with a clear message as well.

In fact, the brevity of a short story can make its thesis even more impactful. So, whether you’re a writer or a reader, it’s important to understand the potential for meaning and depth in short fiction.

As you dive into the world of short stories, you’ll discover that they come in many different forms and styles. Some are plot-driven, while others are character-driven. Some are lighthearted and humorous, while others are dark and brooding.

But no matter the genre or tone, a well-crafted short story will often have a central idea or theme that ties everything together. This might be a moral lesson, a commentary on society, or a personal reflection on the human experience.

So, get ready to explore the power of short stories and uncover the surprising world of thesis in bite-sized literature.

Key Takeaways

• Short stories have a central idea or theme that acts as a thesis for the story.
• The structure of a short story follows a simple pattern with an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion.
• Short stories are different from longer works in their conciseness, focused themes, and reliance on reader interpretation.
• Short stories can be incredibly powerful and impactful, conveying deep meaning and leaving a lasting impression on readers.

Understanding the Structure of Short Stories

You might be wondering how short stories are structured, but don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as you may think!

Understanding the structure of a short story can help you better appreciate the narrative elements that make it a compelling read.

At its core, a short story typically follows a simple structure that includes an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion.

The introduction sets the scene and introduces the characters, while the rising action builds tension and conflict.

The climax is the turning point of the story, where the conflict reaches its peak.

The falling action follows the climax and leads to the conclusion, where the conflict is resolved, and the story ends.

By understanding this structure, you can better appreciate the narrative elements of the story, such as the characters, setting, conflict, and resolution.

Examples of Short Stories with Central Ideas

So, you wanna explore some examples of short stories with central ideas? Well, let’s dive into Edgar Allan Poe’s haunting tale ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’. The narrator’s guilt over a murder drives him to confess.

Or perhaps you’re interested in Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’. It explores the complex emotions of a woman who learns of her husband’s death.

And let’s not forget Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants’. It’s a powerful story about a couple’s struggle with a difficult decision.

These stories all have central ideas that drive the plot and leave a lasting impact on the reader.

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”

Contrary to popular belief, Edgar Allan Poe’s short story ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ does indeed have a clear and thought-provoking thesis statement. The story is not just a random collection of events, but a carefully crafted piece of literature that explores the psychological tension within the main character and the symbolism surrounding the old man’s eye.

To understand the thesis of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’, it is essential to analyze the symbolism and characterization in the story. The narrator’s obsession with the old man’s vulture-like eye represents his own inner turmoil and guilt. The eye is a metaphor for the narrator’s conscience, which he ultimately destroys by murdering the old man.

Additionally, the characterization of the narrator as an unreliable and mentally unstable individual highlights the destructive power of guilt and obsession. These elements work together to convey Poe’s thesis that guilt and obsession can lead to madness and self-destruction.

Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour”

If you’re looking for a compelling short story that delves into the complexities of human emotion, Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour’ is a must-read, even if you may initially dismiss it as just another piece of feminist literature.

The story, written in 1894, follows the life of Mrs. Mallard, a woman who just received the news of her husband’s death. However, as the plot unfolds, we see that Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s death is not what we would expect. Instead of being consumed by grief, she experiences a sense of liberation, freedom, and joy.

Chopin’s use of symbolism is evident throughout the story. For instance, the open window in Mrs. Mallard’s room represents the possibility of new beginnings and the chance to escape from the social constraints that were imposed on women during that time. Also, the heart disease that Mrs. Mallard suffers from is a metaphor for the emotional and psychological burden that society imposed on her.

The story provides a feminist perspective, as it highlights the limitations that were imposed on women in the 19th century and the possibility of freedom that they could experience when their husbands were no longer around.

Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”

You’ll feel like you’re eavesdropping on a couple’s conversation as you read Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants’, set in a train station in Spain. The story revolves around a man and a woman who are discussing whether or not to undergo an abortion.

The author doesn’t explicitly state the topic of their conversation but rather uses symbolism to convey the message. The hills, the white elephant, and the train tracks all have a deeper meaning that adds to the complexity of the story.

A symbolism analysis reveals that the hills represent the woman’s pregnancy, the white elephant symbolizes the unwanted burden of having a child, and the train tracks symbolize the irreversible decision they are about to make.

As you read, you’ll notice that the woman’s motivation for wanting to keep the child stems from her desire to have a meaningful relationship with the man. However, the man’s motivation for wanting her to have an abortion is rooted in his fear of losing his freedom and his desire to continue living a carefree life.

The story ends abruptly, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusion about what decision the couple ultimately made. Hemingway’s use of symbolism and character motivation examination makes ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ a thought-provoking and memorable short story.

How Short Stories Differ from Longer Works

As you dive into a short story, you’ll find that it’s like a small gemstone, with all the facets of a larger work condensed and shining brilliantly in a compact space. Unlike longer works, short stories have to be concise in their storytelling techniques. They have to grab your attention quickly and keep it throughout the entire story.

Here are three ways that short stories differ from longer works:

• Short stories have a limited amount of time and space to convey their themes. This means that every sentence, every word, has to count. The author has to choose their words carefully to make sure that the story has impact.
• Short stories often have a more focused theme than longer works. While a novel may have multiple themes, a short story will usually have one central idea that it’s exploring. This means that the author can delve deep into that theme and explore it thoroughly.
• Short stories often leave more up to the reader’s interpretation than longer works. Because there isn’t as much room for exposition, the author has to rely on the reader to fill in some of the gaps. This can make the story more engaging, as the reader becomes an active participant in the story.

Overall, short stories are a unique and challenging form of storytelling. They require precision and focus, but when done well, they can be incredibly powerful. As you read more short stories, keep these differences in mind and see if you can spot them in action.

The Potential for Power and Impact in Short Stories

Short stories possess a unique potential for wielding powerful and impactful storytelling that can leave a lasting impression on readers. The power of brevity is a key aspect of short stories that allows authors to explore themes in a concise and effective manner.

Through carefully crafted characters, settings, and plotlines, short stories can pack a punch and leave readers with a sense of fulfillment that longer works may not achieve.

In addition, short stories allow for experimentation and innovation in storytelling. Authors can take risks and push boundaries, using their limited word count to their advantage. This leaves readers with a sense of excitement and anticipation as they never know what to expect from a short story.

Overall, the potential for power and impact in short stories should not be underestimated, as they have the ability to convey deep meaning and leave a lasting impression on their readers in a way that longer works may not.

Tips for Writing Short Stories with a Central Idea

If you want to craft a short story with a powerful central idea, consider using symbolism and imagery to allude to deeper meaning throughout your narrative. This can create tension and intrigue for your readers as they try to decipher the underlying message of your story.

For example, you could use a recurring object or color throughout the story that represents a certain theme or idea.

In addition to using symbolism, developing strong and dynamic characters is essential for a short story with a central idea. Your characters should be complex and multi-dimensional, with flaws and motivations that drive the plot forward.

By creating characters that readers can relate to, you can further emphasize the central idea of your story and make it more impactful. So, when crafting your short story, be intentional about the symbols and characters you use to convey your central idea.

You may have been skeptical at first, but hopefully you now understand how even the shortest of stories can pack a powerful punch with a clear message or theme.

With careful crafting and attention to detail, a writer can use the limited space of a short story to convey a complex idea or emotion. Imagine each word as a brushstroke on a canvas, creating a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

So, whether you’re a writer looking to hone your craft or a reader seeking thought-provoking stories, don’t overlook the potential of short fiction.

Within those few pages, you may just find a world of ideas waiting to be explored.

Recommended Reading...

Why short stories are important for readers and writers alike, why do authors use short stories the advantages of this genre, why are short stories so hard to write understanding the challenges, what is a novelette exploring the short story genre.

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What Should a Thesis Statement on an Essay About a Short Story Look Like?

How to Start a Good Book Report

A literary analysis of short stories allows writers to explain the basic elements of the story and make a deeper statement about the plot, characters, symbolism or theme. Writing such an analysis allows students to learn more about the story and gain an appreciation of literature in general. One of the most significant elements of the literary analysis is the thesis statement.

In any essay, the thesis statement establishes the purpose of the essay for the reader. A good thesis fits the assignment length, makes a statement about your overall point and includes the specific points you will give to support that idea about the story. The thesis must relate to a specific point about the short story such as the argumentative point you want to explain or defend. Place the thesis at the end of the introductory paragraph of the analysis.

When writing your thesis statement, make sure to clearly state the purpose of your essay to the reader. Narrow your focus to aspects of the story that fits the scope of the assignment, both in terms of the depth of your discussion as well as the minimum word count. For instance, saying a character is "interesting" or that many symbols appear in the story does not give your reader a clear idea of what you will discuss. Instead, choose words that emphasize your point, such as how a character's flaw causes his downfall or how a particular set of symbols illustrate the theme of the story.

The thesis for a literary analysis will determine the organization you will use in the body of the paper. Consider comparing or contrasting characters or situations, explaining a causal relationship between events in the plot, relating how a character fulfills a certain role or discussing how elements, such as the setting, illustrate the theme. Write your thesis with language like "differences," "similar," "cause," "effects" and the element or elements you will cover such as "theme," "character" and "setting."

Add subpoints to your thesis to preview the specifics you will provide in support of your thesis. These may list the characters, symbols, plot elements, similarities, differences, causes or effects you will discuss. Write these subpoints in the same order in your thesis that you will present them in the body of the paper and list them after your main idea in your thesis. For example, a good thesis might be, "The man in Jack London's 'To Build a Fire' fails in his mission due to his overconfidence in himself, his disdain toward nature’s power and his inability to retain his composure."

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• Gwynedd-Mercy College: How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay
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• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing in Literature: Overview
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Developing a Thesis

Kristie Sweet has been writing professionally since 1982, most recently publishing for various websites on topics like health and wellness, and education. She holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Northern Colorado.

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• How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing.

A literary analysis essay is not a rhetorical analysis , nor is it just a summary of the plot or a book review. Instead, it is a type of argumentative essay where you need to analyze elements such as the language, perspective, and structure of the text, and explain how the author uses literary devices to create effects and convey ideas.

Before beginning a literary analysis essay, it’s essential to carefully read the text and c ome up with a thesis statement to keep your essay focused. As you write, follow the standard structure of an academic essay :

• An introduction that tells the reader what your essay will focus on.
• A main body, divided into paragraphs , that builds an argument using evidence from the text.
• A conclusion that clearly states the main point that you have shown with your analysis.

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Table of contents

Step 1: reading the text and identifying literary devices, step 2: coming up with a thesis, step 3: writing a title and introduction, step 4: writing the body of the essay, step 5: writing a conclusion, other interesting articles.

The first step is to carefully read the text(s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.

Your goal in literary analysis is not simply to explain the events described in the text, but to analyze the writing itself and discuss how the text works on a deeper level. Primarily, you’re looking out for literary devices —textual elements that writers use to convey meaning and create effects. If you’re comparing and contrasting multiple texts, you can also look for connections between different texts.

To get started with your analysis, there are several key areas that you can focus on. As you analyze each aspect of the text, try to think about how they all relate to each other. You can use highlights or notes to keep track of important passages and quotes.

Language choices

Consider what style of language the author uses. Are the sentences short and simple or more complex and poetic?

What word choices stand out as interesting or unusual? Are words used figuratively to mean something other than their literal definition? Figurative language includes things like metaphor (e.g. “her eyes were oceans”) and simile (e.g. “her eyes were like oceans”).

Also keep an eye out for imagery in the text—recurring images that create a certain atmosphere or symbolize something important. Remember that language is used in literary texts to say more than it means on the surface.

Narrative voice

Ask yourself:

• Who is telling the story?
• How are they telling it?

Is it a first-person narrator (“I”) who is personally involved in the story, or a third-person narrator who tells us about the characters from a distance?

Consider the narrator’s perspective . Is the narrator omniscient (where they know everything about all the characters and events), or do they only have partial knowledge? Are they an unreliable narrator who we are not supposed to take at face value? Authors often hint that their narrator might be giving us a distorted or dishonest version of events.

The tone of the text is also worth considering. Is the story intended to be comic, tragic, or something else? Are usually serious topics treated as funny, or vice versa ? Is the story realistic or fantastical (or somewhere in between)?

Consider how the text is structured, and how the structure relates to the story being told.

• Novels are often divided into chapters and parts.
• Poems are divided into lines, stanzas, and sometime cantos.
• Plays are divided into scenes and acts.

Think about why the author chose to divide the different parts of the text in the way they did.

There are also less formal structural elements to take into account. Does the story unfold in chronological order, or does it jump back and forth in time? Does it begin in medias res —in the middle of the action? Does the plot advance towards a clearly defined climax?

With poetry, consider how the rhyme and meter shape your understanding of the text and your impression of the tone. Try reading the poem aloud to get a sense of this.

In a play, you might consider how relationships between characters are built up through different scenes, and how the setting relates to the action. Watch out for  dramatic irony , where the audience knows some detail that the characters don’t, creating a double meaning in their words, thoughts, or actions.

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See an example

Your thesis in a literary analysis essay is the point you want to make about the text. It’s the core argument that gives your essay direction and prevents it from just being a collection of random observations about a text.

If you’re given a prompt for your essay, your thesis must answer or relate to the prompt. For example:

Essay question example

Is Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” a religious parable?

Your thesis statement should be an answer to this question—not a simple yes or no, but a statement of why this is or isn’t the case:

Thesis statement example

Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” is not a religious parable, but a story about bureaucratic alienation.

Sometimes you’ll be given freedom to choose your own topic; in this case, you’ll have to come up with an original thesis. Consider what stood out to you in the text; ask yourself questions about the elements that interested you, and consider how you might answer them.

Your thesis should be something arguable—that is, something that you think is true about the text, but which is not a simple matter of fact. It must be complex enough to develop through evidence and arguments across the course of your essay.

Say you’re analyzing the novel Frankenstein . You could start by asking yourself:

Your initial answer might be a surface-level description:

The character Frankenstein is portrayed negatively in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

However, this statement is too simple to be an interesting thesis. After reading the text and analyzing its narrative voice and structure, you can develop the answer into a more nuanced and arguable thesis statement:

Mary Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

Remember that you can revise your thesis statement throughout the writing process , so it doesn’t need to be perfectly formulated at this stage. The aim is to keep you focused as you analyze the text.

Finding textual evidence

To support your thesis statement, your essay will build an argument using textual evidence —specific parts of the text that demonstrate your point. This evidence is quoted and analyzed throughout your essay to explain your argument to the reader.

It can be useful to comb through the text in search of relevant quotations before you start writing. You might not end up using everything you find, and you may have to return to the text for more evidence as you write, but collecting textual evidence from the beginning will help you to structure your arguments and assess whether they’re convincing.

To start your literary analysis paper, you’ll need two things: a good title, and an introduction.

Your title should clearly indicate what your analysis will focus on. It usually contains the name of the author and text(s) you’re analyzing. Keep it as concise and engaging as possible.

A common approach to the title is to use a relevant quote from the text, followed by a colon and then the rest of your title.

If you struggle to come up with a good title at first, don’t worry—this will be easier once you’ve begun writing the essay and have a better sense of your arguments.

“Fearful symmetry” : The violence of creation in William Blake’s “The Tyger”

The introduction

The essay introduction provides a quick overview of where your argument is going. It should include your thesis statement and a summary of the essay’s structure.

A typical structure for an introduction is to begin with a general statement about the text and author, using this to lead into your thesis statement. You might refer to a commonly held idea about the text and show how your thesis will contradict it, or zoom in on a particular device you intend to focus on.

Then you can end with a brief indication of what’s coming up in the main body of the essay. This is called signposting. It will be more elaborate in longer essays, but in a short five-paragraph essay structure, it shouldn’t be more than one sentence.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

Some students prefer to write the introduction later in the process, and it’s not a bad idea. After all, you’ll have a clearer idea of the overall shape of your arguments once you’ve begun writing them!

If you do write the introduction first, you should still return to it later to make sure it lines up with what you ended up writing, and edit as necessary.

The body of your essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. It contains your arguments and the textual evidence that supports them.

Paragraph structure

A typical structure for a high school literary analysis essay consists of five paragraphs : the three paragraphs of the body, plus the introduction and conclusion.

Each paragraph in the main body should focus on one topic. In the five-paragraph model, try to divide your argument into three main areas of analysis, all linked to your thesis. Don’t try to include everything you can think of to say about the text—only analysis that drives your argument.

In longer essays, the same principle applies on a broader scale. For example, you might have two or three sections in your main body, each with multiple paragraphs. Within these sections, you still want to begin new paragraphs at logical moments—a turn in the argument or the introduction of a new idea.

Robert’s first encounter with Gil-Martin suggests something of his sinister power. Robert feels “a sort of invisible power that drew me towards him.” He identifies the moment of their meeting as “the beginning of a series of adventures which has puzzled myself, and will puzzle the world when I am no more in it” (p. 89). Gil-Martin’s “invisible power” seems to be at work even at this distance from the moment described; before continuing the story, Robert feels compelled to anticipate at length what readers will make of his narrative after his approaching death. With this interjection, Hogg emphasizes the fatal influence Gil-Martin exercises from his first appearance.

Topic sentences

To keep your points focused, it’s important to use a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence allows a reader to see at a glance what the paragraph is about. It can introduce a new line of argument and connect or contrast it with the previous paragraph. Transition words like “however” or “moreover” are useful for creating smooth transitions:

… The story’s focus, therefore, is not upon the divine revelation that may be waiting beyond the door, but upon the mundane process of aging undergone by the man as he waits.

Nevertheless, the “radiance” that appears to stream from the door is typically treated as religious symbolism.

This topic sentence signals that the paragraph will address the question of religious symbolism, while the linking word “nevertheless” points out a contrast with the previous paragraph’s conclusion.

Using textual evidence

A key part of literary analysis is backing up your arguments with relevant evidence from the text. This involves introducing quotes from the text and explaining their significance to your point.

It’s important to contextualize quotes and explain why you’re using them; they should be properly introduced and analyzed, not treated as self-explanatory:

It isn’t always necessary to use a quote. Quoting is useful when you’re discussing the author’s language, but sometimes you’ll have to refer to plot points or structural elements that can’t be captured in a short quote.

In these cases, it’s more appropriate to paraphrase or summarize parts of the text—that is, to describe the relevant part in your own words:

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The conclusion of your analysis shouldn’t introduce any new quotations or arguments. Instead, it’s about wrapping up the essay. Here, you summarize your key points and try to emphasize their significance to the reader.

A good way to approach this is to briefly summarize your key arguments, and then stress the conclusion they’ve led you to, highlighting the new perspective your thesis provides on the text as a whole:

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

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Literary Criticism

• Introduction
• Literary Theories
• Steps to Literary Criticism
• Find Resources
• Cite Sources
• thesis examples

SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS

These sample thesis statements are provided as guides, not as required forms or prescriptions.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The thesis may focus on an analysis of one of the elements of fiction, drama, poetry or nonfiction as expressed in the work: character, plot, structure, idea, theme, symbol, style, imagery, tone, etc.

In “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty creates a fictional character in Phoenix Jackson whose determination, faith, and cunning illustrate the indomitable human spirit.

Note that the work, author, and character to be analyzed are identified in this thesis statement. The thesis relies on a strong verb (creates). It also identifies the element of fiction that the writer will explore (character) and the characteristics the writer will analyze and discuss (determination, faith, cunning).

Further Examples:

The character of the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet serves as a foil to young Juliet, delights us with her warmth and earthy wit, and helps realize the tragic catastrophe.

The works of ecstatic love poets Rumi, Hafiz, and Kabir use symbols such as a lover’s longing and the Tavern of Ruin to illustrate the human soul’s desire to connect with God.

The thesis may focus on illustrating how a work reflects the particular genre’s forms, the characteristics of a philosophy of literature, or the ideas of a particular school of thought.

“The Third and Final Continent” exhibits characteristics recurrent in writings by immigrants: tradition, adaptation, and identity.

Note how the thesis statement classifies the form of the work (writings by immigrants) and identifies the characteristics of that form of writing (tradition, adaptation, and identity) that the essay will discuss.

Further examples:

Samuel Beckett’s Endgame reflects characteristics of Theatre of the Absurd in its minimalist stage setting, its seemingly meaningless dialogue, and its apocalyptic or nihilist vision.

A close look at many details in “The Story of an Hour” reveals how language, institutions, and expected demeanor suppress the natural desires and aspirations of women.

The thesis may draw parallels between some element in the work and real-life situations or subject matter: historical events, the author’s life, medical diagnoses, etc.

In Willa Cather’s short story, “Paul’s Case,” Paul exhibits suicidal behavior that a caring adult might have recognized and remedied had that adult had the scientific knowledge we have today.

This thesis suggests that the essay will identify characteristics of suicide that Paul exhibits in the story. The writer will have to research medical and psychology texts to determine the typical characteristics of suicidal behavior and to illustrate how Paul’s behavior mirrors those characteristics.

Through the experience of one man, the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, accurately depicts the historical record of slave life in its descriptions of the often brutal and quixotic relationship between master and slave and of the fragmentation of slave families.

In “I Stand Here Ironing,” one can draw parallels between the narrator’s situation and the author’s life experiences as a mother, writer, and feminist.

SAMPLE PATTERNS FOR THESES ON LITERARY WORKS

1. In (title of work), (author) (illustrates, shows) (aspect) (adjective). 

Example: In “Barn Burning,” William Faulkner shows the characters Sardie and Abner Snopes struggling for their identity.

2. In (title of work), (author) uses (one aspect) to (define, strengthen, illustrate) the (element of work).

Example: In “Youth,” Joseph Conrad uses foreshadowing to strengthen the plot.

3. In (title of work), (author) uses (an important part of work) as a unifying device for (one element), (another element), and (another element). The number of elements can vary from one to four.

Example: In “Youth,” Joseph Conrad uses the sea as a unifying device for setting, structure and theme.

4. (Author) develops the character of (character’s name) in (literary work) through what he/she does, what he/she says, what other people say to or about him/her.

Example: Langston Hughes develops the character of Semple in “Ways and Means”…

5. In (title of work), (author) uses (literary device) to (accomplish, develop, illustrate, strengthen) (element of work).

Example: In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Poe uses the symbolism of the stranger, the clock, and the seventh room to develop the theme of death.

6. (Author) (shows, develops, illustrates) the theme of __________ in the (play, poem, story).

Example: Flannery O’Connor illustrates the theme of the effect of the selfishness of the grandmother upon the family in “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”

7. (Author) develops his character(s) in (title of work) through his/her use of language.

Example: John Updike develops his characters in “A & P” through his use of figurative language.

Perimeter College, Georgia State University,  http://depts.gpc.edu/~gpcltc/handouts/communications/literarythesis.pdf

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

• An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
• An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
• An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

• Explain the analysis of the college admission process
• Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

• Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

• Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

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25 Thesis Statement Examples That Will Make Writing a Breeze

Understanding what makes a good thesis statement is one of the major keys to writing a great research paper or argumentative essay. The thesis statement is where you make a claim that will guide you through your entire paper. If you find yourself struggling to make sense of your paper or your topic, then it's likely due to a weak thesis statement.

Let's take a minute to first understand what makes a solid thesis statement, and what key components you need to write one of your own.

A thesis statement always goes at the beginning of the paper. It will typically be in the first couple of paragraphs of the paper so that it can introduce the body paragraphs, which are the supporting evidence for your thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should clearly identify an argument. You need to have a statement that is not only easy to understand, but one that is debatable. What that means is that you can't just put any statement of fact and have it be your thesis. For example, everyone knows that puppies are cute . An ineffective thesis statement would be, "Puppies are adorable and everyone knows it." This isn't really something that's a debatable topic.

Something that would be more debatable would be, "A puppy's cuteness is derived from its floppy ears, small body, and playfulness." These are three things that can be debated on. Some people might think that the cutest thing about puppies is the fact that they follow you around or that they're really soft and fuzzy.

All cuteness aside, you want to make sure that your thesis statement is not only debatable, but that it also actually thoroughly answers the research question that was posed. You always want to make sure that your evidence is supporting a claim that you made (and not the other way around). This is why it's crucial to read and research about a topic first and come to a conclusion later. If you try to get your research to fit your thesis statement, then it may not work out as neatly as you think. As you learn more, you discover more (and the outcome may not be what you originally thought).

Additionally, your thesis statement shouldn't be too big or too grand. It'll be hard to cover everything in a thesis statement like, "The federal government should act now on climate change." The topic is just too large to actually say something new and meaningful. Instead, a more effective thesis statement might be, "Local governments can combat climate change by providing citizens with larger recycling bins and offering local classes about composting and conservation." This is easier to work with because it's a smaller idea, but you can also discuss the overall topic that you might be interested in, which is climate change.

So, now that we know what makes a good, solid thesis statement, you can start to write your own. If you find that you're getting stuck or you are the type of person who needs to look at examples before you start something, then check out our list of thesis statement examples below.

Thesis statement examples

A quick note that these thesis statements have not been fully researched. These are merely examples to show you what a thesis statement might look like and how you can implement your own ideas into one that you think of independently. As such, you should not use these thesis statements for your own research paper purposes. They are meant to be used as examples only.

• Vaccinations Because many children are unable to vaccinate due to illness, we must require that all healthy and able children be vaccinated in order to have herd immunity.
• Educational Resources for Low-Income Students Schools should provide educational resources for low-income students during the summers so that they don't forget what they've learned throughout the school year.
• School Uniforms School uniforms may be an upfront cost for families, but they eradicate the visual differences in income between students and provide a more egalitarian atmosphere at school.
• Populism The rise in populism on the 2016 political stage was in reaction to increasing globalization, the decline of manufacturing jobs, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
• Public Libraries Libraries are essential resources for communities and should be funded more heavily by local municipalities.
• Cyber Bullying With more and more teens using smartphones and social media, cyber bullying is on the rise. Cyber bullying puts a lot of stress on many teens, and can cause depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should limit the usage of smart phones, monitor their children's online activity, and report any cyber bullying to school officials in order to combat this problem.
• Medical Marijuana for Veterans Studies have shown that the use of medicinal marijuana has been helpful to veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Medicinal marijuana prescriptions should be legal in all states and provided to these veterans. Additional medical or therapy services should also be researched and implemented in order to help them re-integrate back into civilian life.
• Work-Life Balance Corporations should provide more work from home opportunities and six-hour workdays so that office workers have a better work-life balance and are more likely to be productive when they are in the office.
• Teaching Youths about Consensual Sex Although sex education that includes a discussion of consensual sex would likely lead to less sexual assault, parents need to teach their children the meaning of consent from a young age with age appropriate lessons.
• Whether or Not to Attend University A degree from a university provides invaluable lessons on life and a future career, but not every high school student should be encouraged to attend a university directly after graduation. Some students may benefit from a trade school or a "gap year" where they can think more intensely about what it is they want to do for a career and how they can accomplish this.
• Studying Abroad Studying abroad is one of the most culturally valuable experiences you can have in college. It is the only way to get completely immersed in another language and learn how other cultures and countries are different from your own.
• Women's Body Image Magazines have done a lot in the last five years to include a more diverse group of models, but there is still a long way to go to promote a healthy woman's body image collectively as a culture.
• Cigarette Tax Heavily taxing and increasing the price of cigarettes is essentially a tax on the poorest Americans, and it doesn't deter them from purchasing. Instead, the state and federal governments should target those economically disenfranchised with early education about the dangers of smoking.
• Veganism A vegan diet, while a healthy and ethical way to consume food, indicates a position of privilege. It also limits you to other cultural food experiences if you travel around the world.
• University Athletes Should be Compensated University athletes should be compensated for their service to the university, as it is difficult for these students to procure and hold a job with busy academic and athletic schedules. Many student athletes on scholarship also come from low-income neighborhoods and it is a struggle to make ends meet when they are participating in athletics.
• Women in the Workforce Sheryl Sandberg makes a lot of interesting points in her best-selling book, Lean In , but she only addressed the very privileged working woman and failed to speak to those in lower-skilled, lower-wage jobs.
• Assisted Suicide Assisted suicide should be legal and doctors should have the ability to make sure their patients have the end-of-life care that they want to receive.
• Celebrity and Political Activism Although Taylor Swift's lyrics are indicative of a feminist perspective, she should be more politically active and vocal to use her position of power for the betterment of society.
• The Civil War The insistence from many Southerners that the South seceded from the Union for states' rights versus the fact that they seceded for the purposes of continuing slavery is a harmful myth that still affects race relations today.
• Blue Collar Workers Coal miners and other blue-collar workers whose jobs are slowly disappearing from the workforce should be re-trained in jobs in the technology sector or in renewable energy. A program to re-train these workers would not only improve local economies where jobs have been displaced, but would also lead to lower unemployment nationally.
• Diversity in the Workforce Having a diverse group of people in an office setting leads to richer ideas, more cooperation, and more empathy between people with different skin colors or backgrounds.
• Re-Imagining the Nuclear Family The nuclear family was traditionally defined as one mother, one father, and 2.5 children. This outdated depiction of family life doesn't quite fit with modern society. The definition of normal family life shouldn't be limited to two-parent households.
• Digital Literacy Skills With more information readily available than ever before, it's crucial that students are prepared to examine the material they're reading and determine whether or not it's a good source or if it has misleading information. Teaching students digital literacy and helping them to understand the difference between opinion or propaganda from legitimate, real information is integral.
• Beauty Pageants Beauty pageants are presented with the angle that they empower women. However, putting women in a swimsuit on a stage while simultaneously judging them on how well they answer an impossible question in a short period of time is cruel and purely for the amusement of men. Therefore, we should stop televising beauty pageants.
• Supporting More Women to Run for a Political Position In order to get more women into political positions, more women must run for office. There must be a grassroots effort to educate women on how to run for office, who among them should run, and support for a future candidate for getting started on a political career.

Still stuck? Need some help with your thesis statement?

If you are still uncertain about how to write a thesis statement or what a good thesis statement is, be sure to consult with your teacher or professor to make sure you're on the right track. It's always a good idea to check in and make sure that your thesis statement is making a solid argument and that it can be supported by your research.

After you're done writing, it's important to have someone take a second look at your paper so that you can ensure there are no mistakes or errors. It's difficult to spot your own mistakes, which is why it's always recommended to have someone help you with the revision process, whether that's a teacher, the writing center at school, or a professional editor such as one from ServiceScape .

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Flash fiction/Short stories ,

Short story structure: the art of writing a great short story.

By Aneeta Sundararaj

A short story is a piece of fiction between 1,000-4,000 words (although it can go as high as 15,000 words). Simply put, it’s a story you can read in one sitting.  

Sounds  easy to write , right? 

Wrong. 

Short stories are notoriously difficult to write, and that’s often because the writer hasn’t understood the basics of good story structure. So, if after finishing writing your short story you’re left thinking,  This is so boring!   Where have I gone wrong?   Is there a short story plot or structure I can follow?  – then you’ve come to the right place. Because chances are you may need to rework your short story structure.  

In this article I will be talking about what make a great short story and looking at the various structures you can use to keep readers gripped. But you can’t start writing short stories until you have an idea. So let us begin there…

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Getting Started: The Big Idea

Where can you get your short story idea from?

Some people have a great idea but struggle to turn it into a story (in which case you can skip to the next part). But for those of you confident about how to write a short story but need some inspiration to get you going, here are a few Jericho Writers articles to kick-start your creativity.

• How To Find Inspiration In this article, award-winning author Patrice Lawrence will guide you through the myriad ways you can find inspiration – from reading poetry and other books, to observing real life around you.
• Ideas For Writing In this article, Jericho Writers founder and author Harry Bingham, explains how to go from a seed on an idea to a novel (or short story)
• How to build a fictional world And finally, in this article, Harry is back explaining world building in fiction and how to create setting that will help your story come alive.

Great. So now you have your amazing idea, it’s time to structure it and turn it into short fiction,

Learn How To Write A Great Short Story

Firstly, let’s look at the various types of structure used when writing short stories structures and how to analyse them. 

It may seem formulaic or predictable in the beginning but trust the process and you’ll soon see results. Then, we’ll have some fun practising how to apply the generic story structure template to your work.  

By the end of this exercise, you’ll have gained the confidence to create short stories that both make you happy and showcase your talent.  

What Is Story Structure? 

The structure for a short story is not dissimilar to that of a full-length novel – your readers still expect the same rise and fall. The most basic story structure is called the ‘narrative structure’ and is defined as ‘the order in which elements of a narrative are presented to the reader or audience.’  

Essentially, there are two parts to it which are:

• The elements of a story

Author of  Plot & Structure ,  James Scott Bell , provides a further explanation:  

‘Simply put, structure is what assembles the parts of a story in a way that makes them accessible to readers. It is the orderly arrangement of a story material for the benefit of the audience. Plot is about  elements , those things that go into the mix of making a good story even better. Structure is about timing – where in the mix those elements go.’ 

Let’s take a closer look at what all this actually means.   

Structural Features Of A Short Story

As stated, there are two parts within any short story structure. The first is the plot which is ‘what happens’ or the chain of events that occur in your short story. The other is ‘story elements’ which is the ‘underlying factors that drive the narrative action: protagonists, conflicts, setting, etc.’ 

Still confused?  

A helpful analogy for how to create a traditional short story structure is when you weave a piece of fabric. Naturally, a finished product has to have a harmonious look and feel when it’s draped across your body. Similarly, when you properly weave together things that happen with things that matter in your short story, you make that vital connection with your readers. The reader should not only understand what is  happening  in your short story, but what it all  means .   

There are five main structural features of a short story:  

• Exposition 
• Rising Action 
• Climax 
• Falling Action 
• Resolution (or Denouement) 

To show you how to analyse a short story with plot structure, I will be referencing the Bengali story of  Devdas  by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee, which was adapted into a very successful Bollywood movie by the same name.

1. Exposition

This is the part of the story where the characters and setting are introduced to the reader. There are generally four types of characters: 

• The Protagonist who is the main character whose journey we follow in the story.  
• The Antagonist whose goals are often the opposite of the protagonist’s.  
• The Dynamic Character who changes as a result of the events in the story.  
• The Static Character who does not change at all.  

In the opening scene of  Devdas , you meet our protagonist by the same name. He returns home to the love of his life, Parvati (Paro). She is the dynamic character who changes upon her marriage to another. The antagonists are Devdas’s father and family, who oppose the union. The static character is Chandramukhi, the woman to whom Devdas eventually turns to.  

2. Rising Action

Here, the protagonist faces challenges and crises. It’s the catalyst which sets the story in motion, forcing the protagonist out of his comfort zone. In the story, Devdas and Paro admit to having fallen for each other, gradually becoming aware of his family’s opposition to this union.  

3. Climax

Often the most exciting part of the story, the protagonist is tested at this stage. In  Devdas , our protagonist makes a catastrophic decision to reject Paro and watches her marry another.  

4. Falling Action

This refers to the events that follow the climax, often where the protagonist believes he’s failed. Devdas begins to drink with a vengeance and goes to live with the seemingly unsuitable courtesan named Chandramukhi.  

5. Resolution Or Denouement

The conflict has been resolved and the character has changed. There can be three different outcomes: the protagonist gets what he wants; the protagonist doesn’t get what he wants; or, the protagonist doesn’t get what he wants, but realises that he has something more important.  

In  Devdas , it’s a mix because the protagonist does get his wish to go to Paro to die. However, he also acknowledges and reciprocates something important – Chandramukhi’s eternal love.  

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Types Of Short Story Structures

Now that you have an overview of a good short story structure, let’s delve a little deeper and look at some actual structures of stories beginning with the ‘Hero’s Journey’.  

The Hero’s Journey

One of the best-known story structures, ‘The Hero’s Journey’ is a pattern that exists in many world mythologies. For the mainstream storyteller of today, Christopher Vogler created a simplified version and framework of it which can be applied to almost any genre of fiction: 

• The Ordinary World , which sets out the protagonist’s everyday life.  
• The Call of Adventure , where the protagonist is incited into taking action.  
• Refusal of the Call , where the protagonist is reluctant to take action.  
• Meeting the Mentor , where the protagonist meets a mentor (parent, teacher, spiritual master, etc.) who encourages him to take action.  
• Crossing the First Threshold , where the protagonist steps out of his comfort zone and takes action.  
• Tests, Allies, Enemies , where the protagonist faces challenges.  
• Approach to the Inmost Cave , where the protagonist gets close to his goal.  
• The Ordeal , where the protagonist meets his greatest challenge. 
• Reward , where the protagonist acquires what he was looking for and victory is in sight.  
• The Road Back , where the protagonist getting what he wanted may have made things worse.  
• Resurrection , where the protagonist faces a challenge that hinges on everything he’s learnt.  
• Return with the Elixir , where the protagonist returns home, triumphant.  

Three Act Structure

One of the most notable forms of the basic short story structure is the ‘Three Act Structure’.

In some instances, the three acts are described as the  Beginning , the Middle and the End. Place them within the context of the previously listed structural features of a short story, and they can be described as Setup, Confrontation and Resolution.  

In Act 1 (Setup), include the element of Exposition where the protagonist’s ‘ordinary world’ is set up. Additionally, you’ll also have an Inciting Incident where an event will set the story in motion, and Plot Point One, where the protagonist crosses the threshold. The story truly moves into gear. 

In Act 2 (Confrontation), increase the stakes for our protagonist by using the element of Rising Action. Next, move to the Midpoint where there’s an event that upends the protagonist’s mission. Act 2 ends with Plot Point Two where he is tested and fails. His ability to succeed is now in doubt.  

Act 3 (Resolution) begins with the Pre-Climax which can best be described as the ‘the night is the darkest before dawn’. Our protagonist must muster all his courage and choose success over failure. Next comes the Climax where the reader must wonder if the protagonist will fail or succeed. Finally, there’s Denouement where, against all odds, the protagonist has succeeded. This part ends with the consequences (both good and bad) of such success.  

Seven-Point Story Structure

Developed by Dan Wells, this structure encourages you to start at the end with the Resolution, and work your way back to the starting point. The elements of the Seven-Point Story Structure will include the following:  

• The Hook , which states the protagonist’s current situation.  
• Plot Point 1 , where the protagonist is called to action.  
• Pinch Point 1 , where the protagonist faces his first blow.  
• Turning Point , where the protagonist becomes active and decides to meet any conflict head-on. 
• Pinch Point 2 , where the protagonist faces his second blow. 
• Plot Point 2 , where the protagonist sees that he has had the solution to the problem all along. 
• Resolution , where the story’s primary problem is resolved.

A Few More Story Structure Examples

Although they’re uncommon, there are four more short story structures you can use. 

Freytag’s Pyramid

The first is  Freytag’s Pyramid , which is described as a ‘five-point dramatic structure that’s based on the classical Greek tragedies,’ and used in more depressing contemporary tales.  

Story Circle

Dan Harmon’s ‘Story Circle’ is heavily inspired by the ‘Hero’s Journey’. It is focused on the protagonist’s character and his wants and needs.  

Save The Cat

A variation of the ‘Three-Act Structure’ is the  ‘Save the Cat Beat Sheet’ , created by a Hollywood screenwriter called Blake Snyder. A very precise structure, everything in the story happens  exactly  where and when it should.  By working with key story ‘beats’, the screenplay or novel is broken down into the following sections within each act:

• Act 1 (setting, inciting incident, and decision)
• Act 2 (start of the journey, the fun and games where all the action and obstacles happen)
• Act 3 (bad guys close in, all is lost, hero works it out, resolution)

Fichtean Curve

The ‘Fichtean Curve’ effectively starts with the Rising Action and does away with Exposition because the characters and setting will reveal themselves from this point on.  

How To Write A Short Story Structure

Let’s look at these ideas and structure suggestions in action. Here is a breakdown of one of my own short stories,  The Flame , long-listed for the  Exeter Literary Festival . 

• Ordinary world:  Nina receives a wedding invitation and encounters a familiar dilemma – “What should I wear?”   
• Something shocking happens to break the status quo and the protagonist receives a call to action:  The dress code is surprising – ‘Ethnic Best’.  
• The protagonist vacillates, but ultimately answers the call to action:  After contemplating other options, Nina decides to wear a sari.   
• Although the protagonist makes a sincere attempt to attain her goal/meet her need, she fails and feels defeated:  Nina chooses a georgette-chiffon sari the family calls ‘The Flame’. Nina’s mother cautions her about wearing this sari.  
• This is the mid-point where the protagonist tries to defeat the thing preventing her from getting what she needs. If she succeeds, a bigger challenge faces her. If she fails, she has to face up to her weakness (usually internal). More often than not, she’s made the problem worse:  Nina’s mother reminds her that it’s ‘a rule’ that women wear silk garments at Hindu wedding ceremonies. Nina stages a protest.   
• This is the time for self-reflection, a mentor’s pep-talk, or, the protagonist hits rock bottom:  Nina does some research into this ‘rule’.   
• The protagonist accepts her fate and begins to make a concerted effort to overcome her weakness:  Rejecting the ‘rule’ Nina insists on wearing ‘The Flame’.   
• At this ¾ mark, all seems lost. The protagonist figures out that there’s a chance at success, but it’s a long shot:  ‘The Flame’ is nowhere to be found.  
• The final push where everything that is improbable yet plausible happens. Yet, the protagonist succeeds because she’s overcome all her weaknesses:  Nina turns the house upside down looking for ‘The Flame’.   
• This is the wrap up where the protagonist returns to the status quo a transformed person:  Nina finds ‘The Flame’ and is the only guest who’s comfortable at the wedding.   

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about writing a short story? Take a look at these questions short story writers have been asking us lately:

What Are The 5 Parts Of A Short Story Structure?

• Exposition  Give us a glimpse of what the main character’s life looks like before the big thing happens. Who are they? What’s the setting? What does their life look like? How do they interact with others?
• Rising Action  This is the big where the big thing happens – without this inciting incident there would be no story (In Romeo and Juliet it’s the part where they meet, in A Christmas Carol it’s the part where the ghosts visit Scrooge).
• Climax  Bang! It’s all coming to a head, there’s been a big twist in the middle, and now the bad guys are closing in. This is the part where people should be on the edge of their seats (or at least flipping the pages faster).
• Falling Action  Things are going from bad to worse but the main character is nearly there.
• Resolution (or Denouement)  And phew, they made it. Whether they got the girl, won the fight, or learned a lesson about themselves, the story is all wrapped up and the reader is (hopefully) happy.

Do Short Stories Have Structure?

Yes, they must, otherwise you are simply writing a snippet of prose (which is lovely, but you’re not telling the reader anything). Like any story, regardless of its length, a short story must have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

What Is Plot And Structure In Short Stories?

The plot and structure of a short story (otherwise known as a story arc) is the logical order in which events happen in the story. It’s important to set the scene, introduce the inciting incident and obstacles, then show the resolution.

But, as you have fewer words to play with its vital that you keep your theme simple, your storyline linear (no complicated subplots) and don’t overcomplicate your characters (of which you don’t need as many).

Try It Yourself!

I hope you have found this short story structure guide useful and are now eager to get writing. It’s easy…

Once you have your story idea, take a look at our various types of short structures, analyse them, and decide which one will work best for your short story – then see what you create! 

Writing a great short story takes time, but once you apply the skills you’ve learnt you’ll soon find yourself in the company of outstanding writers. 

About the author

Once upon a time, Aneeta Sundararaj created a website and called it ‘ How to Tell a Great Story ’. She has contributed feature articles to national newspapers and various journals, magazines and ezines. Aneeta’s bestselling novel, The Age of Smiling Secrets was shortlisted for the Book Award 2020 organised by the National Library of Malaysia. Throughout, Aneeta continued to pursue her academic interests and, in 2021, successfully completed a doctoral thesis entitled ‘Management of Prosperity Among Artistes in Malaysia’. For more on Aneeta see her Twitter or Amazon author page .

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• Tags: Fiction Writing , Short Story , Writing Tips

Writers like Anton Chekhov, O. Henry, Alice Munro, and Tobias Wolff are all big names in the short story genre. How do these writers craft such remarkable stories? They are the true masters at combining the five elements of a short story: plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme.

These five elements make short stories the best starting point for novice writers. They’re short and fairly simple, so the writer gets a chance to focus on the plot, character, and theme. Short stories also offer writers the opportunity to see their writing flourish as a piece of fiction— a great confidence boost!

If you wish to write stories that are worthy of publishing, you must understand the characteristics of a short story. To help you get there, let’s take a careful look at these five short story elements.

How do the five elements of a short story work? How can you naturally inculcate them in your stories, and how can you tie them up to create one coherent whole?

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Here are the five key elements of a short story:

Let’s take a closer look at these elements and figure out how you should use them in a short story.

A simple way to define plot is to call it a sequence of events in your narrative. It is a cause-and-effect chain of events that has a beginning point, a climax, and a resolution.

Writers use the plot to map out their story before beginning their writing process. For fiction writing, this serves as a creative outline. So, an understanding of the plot is crucial to craft a compelling narrative and make it impactful.

The sequence of events in a plot is tied to the central conflict in a story. The plot develops as the protagonist struggles with their given problem, finds a solution, and eventually accepts the results.

Six succinct stages of a plot

1. Exposition: An introduction of characters, setting, and conflict, providing all the necessary background information.

2. Opening incident: The incident that leads the main character to conflict and begins the plot.

3. Rising action: The conflict develops and takes on newer, more complicated incidents, leading to the climax.

4. Climax: The conflict reaches a peak, which then leads to a change in the course of events, giving the reader a new understanding of the story either through an event or an insight.

5. Falling action: The conflict gets resolved and the action slows down.

6. Resolution: The conflict ends, leaving the reader fulfilled. 

Plot as a short story element

Often, plots in short stories are simple but end up delivering great suspense, followed by a grand moment of revelation. For this reason alone, the plot was once considered the most important of all the five elements of a short story.

Modern short stories are often focused on the nuances of character and setting, so the plot becomes secondary. However, a plot is the spine of any given narrative, so it still features first in our study of the short story elements!

Your prime goal as a writer of short stories is to blow your readers’ minds — wrench their guts — with the least words possible. An ideal short story is between 5,000–10,000 words in length. You must keep it short and creatively blunt.

Every paragraph, every sentence, and every word should lead the reader closer to the climax. Cut anything that doesn’t serve this purpose. Short stories give you a very small space to work with, so brevity becomes important.

Some techniques to add more kick to your story are creating suspense, foreshadowing, flashback, and a short story staple, the surprise ending.

#2 Character

Your characters are the people, animals, or other figures who appear in your stories. They perform actions and say dialogue to move the story along. Without characters, a story can’t exist.

Depending on how you see it, a character can be classified as either round or flat, dynamic or static, a protagonist or an antagonist . For a short story, well-rounded and dynamic characters will be your strength.

The easiest way to write interesting characters is to make sure that they have a flaw. Always keep in mind that in any story, perfect characters fall flat.

Writing characters for short stories

Be careful that you don’t put too much emphasis on character traits and backstory. Unlike novels, characters in a short story are only glimpsed at, rather than seen in the round.

You may say that characteristics of a short story are abbreviated versions of the same in novels. So, s hort stories will feature only two or three major characters, while novels can boast a dozen!

Short stories can be great character studies, but a good rule of thumb is to focus on dialogue and action.

Make the interaction between the characters dynamic. This includes what they do and say to each other, how they affect and influence each other, and how the effects of their actions keep the story going toward the climax and the subsequent resolution.

Ever felt transported to another world while reading a short story? That’s the work of a writer who can imagine and write a whole other world into being.

This element of a short story is crucial in making it real to the reader. The setting establishes a time, place, and environment in which the characters and events of the story are based.

Aspects of setting:

1. Time: A story is usually set in a time period. This includes the historical time of the story, its specific time frame, and even the time of the day when the events take place.

2. Place: Place is the geographical landscape, real or imaginary, where a particular story unfolds.

3. Environment: The environment of a story can include anything from weather conditions to the social, cultural, and political backdrop to a given story.

For example, Guy de Maupassant’s short story The Necklace takes place during the 19th century in the city of Paris and has the environmental backdrop of class difference in French society.

Like the main conflict of class difference in The Necklace , all other characteristics of a short story derive from its setting. When well-designed, this can also help set up the dominant emotional tone. Of course, it takes a significant amount of research to deliver a setting both beautifully and believably.

#4 Conflict

Conflict is closely linked to the theme of a narrative, as it motivates the characters and affects the plot. It usually surfaces when the protagonist (main character) faces an obstacle or hardship. Conflict forms “the heartbeat of a story”, so your story needs to have a defining conflict to impact the reader’s mind.

There are two main types of conflict: internal conflict and external conflict.

Types of conflict

1. Internal conflict is a person’s struggle with themselves. It takes place inside the psyche of a character, such as Hamlet’s conflicted state of mind about how to take revenge for his father’s murder.

2. External conflict takes place between different people or groups of people. It is possible to further divide this type of conflict based on who or what the protagonist(s) are struggling against. For example, the conflict in A G ame of Thrones is between kingdoms, but also between people and the supernatural elements of the fantasy world.

Regardless of the type of conflict you choose, making it believable will hold the reader’s attention. Various literary devices like mystery, causality, empathy, surprise, insight, universality, or simply high stakes for the character, all add a different dimension of conflict to the plot. Conflict drives your story and makes it interesting.

A theme is what children would call the moral of the story. It can be the subject of the story, or an idea that runs through it, or simply the message that is conveyed from the writer to the reader through the short story. The writer can use all the other characteristics of a short story to best articulate their theme into words.

A well-told story, the kind which gets published or made into a film, explains itself. For example, while reading O. Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi , you can easily understand that the story is about the value of love and sacrifice. In this way, theme is implied rather than stated explicitly, and it is up to the writer’s skill to best convey it through their writing.

For a short story, it is usually best to decide on a single, resonant theme and then build around it. This helps maintain brevity in your story and helps you grasp the reader’s attention.

Now that you know how to craft a brilliant short story, you can experiment and create memorable masterpieces. The next step after writing stories is to edit them. If editing is not your strength, you can consider taking our story editing services .

Here are some related articles that you might find interesting:

• Writing Contests 2023: Cash Prizes, Free Entries, & More!
• How to Write Dialogue: 7 Rules, 5 Tips & 65 Examples
• How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay (Examples Included!
• How to Write a Short Story: 6 Steps & Examples

Found this article helpful?

11 comments on “ 5 Elements of a Short Story & 6 Stages of a Plot ”

hi, thanks for this useful information on the elements of a story.

A good one. I am a teacher of English, and this is quite informative…

Hi, this article on short story elements is very informative. Thanks!

Wow, it’s amazing how you organize the ideas. It’s quite simple and clear. Thank you.

How amazing! This is simple and quite clear.

Helped a lot !

It’s wonderful for all

Your information is very useful. Thank you

thank you so much…. the explanation makes me easy to teach creative writing.

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Chapter 5: Putting the Pieces Together with a Thesis Statement

5.2 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement

Learning Objectives

• Develop a strong, clear thesis statement with the proper elements
• Revise your thesis statement

Have you ever known someone who was not very good at telling stories? You probably had trouble following the train of thought as the storyteller jumped from point to point, either being too brief in places that needed further explanation or providing too many details on a meaningless element. Maybe the person told the end of the story first, then moved to the beginning and later added details to the middle. The ideas were probably scattered, and the story did not flow very well. When the story was over, you probably had many questions.

Just as a personal anecdote can be a disorganized mess, an essay can fall into the same trap of being out of order and confusing. That is why writers need a thesis statement  to provide a specific focus for their essay and to organize what they are about to discuss in the body.

Just like a topic sentence summarizes a single paragraph, the thesis statement summarizes an entire essay. It tells the reader the point you want to make in your essay, while the essay itself supports that point. It is like a signpost that signals the essay’s destination. You should form your thesis before you begin to organize an essay, but you may find that it needs revision as the essay develops.

Elements of a Thesis Statement

For every essay you write, you must focus on a central idea. This idea stems from a topic you have chosen or been assigned or from a question your teacher has asked. It is not enough merely to discuss a general topic or simply answer a question with a yes or no. You have to form a specific opinion, and then articulate that into a  controlling idea —the main idea upon which you build your thesis.

Remember that a thesis is not the topic itself, but rather your interpretation of the question or subject. For whatever topic your instructor gives you, you must ask yourself, “What do I want to say about it?” Asking and then answering this question is vital to forming a thesis that is precise, forceful, and confident.

A thesis is one sentence long and appears toward the end of your introduction. It is specific and focuses on one to three points of a single idea—points that are able to be demonstrated in the body. It forecasts the content of the essay and suggests how you will organize your information. Remember that a thesis statement does not summarize an issue but rather dissects it.

A Strong Thesis Statement

A strong thesis statement contains the following qualities:

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.

Arguability: 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.

Demonstrability: 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/Assertiveness: 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.

Self-Practice Exercise 5.4

H5P: Drafting Thesis StatementsWrite a clear, confident thesis statement for an essay on the following topic:

• Texting while driving.
• The legal drinking age in different provinces of Canada.
• Steroid use among professional athletes.

Examples of Appropriate Thesis Statements

Each of the following thesis statements meets several of the qualities discussed above: specificity, precision, arguability, demonstrability, forcefulness/assertiveness, and confidence.

• The societal and personal struggles of Floyd in the play Where the Blood Mixes, by Kevin Loring, symbolize the challenge of First Nations people of Canada who lived through segregation and placement into residential schools.
• Closing all American borders for a period of five years is one solution that will tackle illegal immigration.
• Shakespeare’s use of dramatic irony in Romeo and Juliet spoils the outcome for the audience and weakens the plot.
• J. D. Salinger’s character in Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, is a confused rebel who voices his disgust with phonies, yet in an effort to protect himself, he acts like a phony on many occasions.
• Compared to an absolute divorce, no-fault divorce is less expensive, promotes fairer settlements, and reflects a more realistic view of the causes for marital breakdown.
• Exposing children from an early age to the dangers of drug abuse is a sure method of preventing future drug addicts.
• In today’s crumbling job market, a high school diploma is not significant enough education to land a stable, lucrative job.

Now that you have read about the contents of a good thesis statement and have seen examples, take a look four pitfalls to avoid when composing your own thesis.

• A thesis is weak when it is simply a declaration of your subject or a description of what you will discuss in your essay. Weak thesis statement: My paper will explain why imagination is more important than knowledge.
• A thesis is weak when it makes an unreasonable or outrageous claim or insults the opposing side. Weak thesis statement: Religious radicals across the country are trying to legislate their puritanical beliefs by banning required high school books.
• A thesis is weak when it contains an obvious fact or something that no one can disagree with or provides a dead end. Weak thesis statement: Advertising companies use sex to sell their products.
• A thesis is weak when the statement is too broad. Weak thesis statement :  The life of Pierre Trudeau was long and accomplished.

Self-Practice Exercise 5.5

H5P: Read the following thesis statements and identify each as weak or strong.

• “The subject of this paper is my experience with ferrets as pets.”
• “The government must expand its funding for research on renewable energy resources in order to prepare for the impending end of oil.”
• “Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who lived in Baltimore during the 19th century.”
• “In this essay, I will give you a lot of reasons why marijuana should not be legalized in British Columbia.”
• “Because many children’s toys have potential safety hazards that could lead to injury, it is clear that not all children’s toys are safe.”
• “My experience with young children has taught me that I want to be a disciplinary parent because I believe that a child without discipline can be a parent’s worst nightmare.”

Writing at Work

Often in your career, you will need to ask your boss for something through an email. Just as a thesis statement organizes an essay, it can also organize your email request. While your email will be shorter than an essay, using a thesis statement in your first paragraph quickly lets your boss know what you are asking for, why it is necessary, and what the benefits are. In short body paragraphs, you can provide the essential information needed to expand upon your request.

Writing a Thesis Statement

One legitimate question readers always ask about a piece of writing is “What is the big idea?” (You may even ask this question when you are the reader, critically reading an assignment or another document.) Every nonfiction writing task—from the short essay to the 10-page term paper to the lengthy senior thesis—needs a big idea, or a controlling idea, as the “spine” for the work. The controlling idea is the main idea that you want to present and develop.

The big idea, or controlling idea, you want to present in an essay is expressed in your thesis statement. Remember that a thesis statement is often one sentence long, and it states your point of view. The thesis statement is not the topic of the piece of writing but rather what you have to say about that topic and what is important to tell readers.

Look at Table 5.1: Topics and Thesis Statements  for a comparison of topics and thesis statements.

The first thesis statement you write will be a preliminary thesis statement , or a working thesis statement . You will need it when you begin to outline your assignment as a way to organize it. As you continue to develop the arrangement, you can limit your working thesis statement if it is too broad or expand it if it proves too narrow for what you want to say.

Self-Practice Exercise 5.6

H5P: Working Toward a Working Thesis

We’re going to use that free writing strategy again. This time, try to write for ten minutes, and write down anything you know right now about your newly narrowed thesis statement. Don’t worry about looking material up or whether you’re getting everything exactly right. Instead, just focus on getting words on the screen. This is rough work to help you approach an answer to a question, not the final essay. So just keep writing.

Can you find something in your freewriting that looks like a “controlling idea”? Something that might centre your argument, something you can structure your argument around? We’ll call that your working thesis. Draft a working thesis below.

Collaboration: Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Revising a Thesis Statement

Your thesis will probably change as you write, so you will need to modify it to reflect exactly what you have discussed in your essay. Remember, you begin with a working thesis statement, an indefinite statement that you make about your topic early in the writing process for the purpose of planning and guiding your writing.

Working thesis statements often become stronger as you gather information and form new opinions and reasons for those opinions. Revision helps you strengthen your thesis so that it matches what you have expressed in the body of the paper.

You can cut down on irrelevant aspects and revise your thesis by taking the following steps:

• Working thesis: Young people have to work hard to succeed in life.
• Revised thesis: Recent college graduates must have discipline and persistence in order to find and maintain a stable job in which they can use and be appreciated for their talents.
• Working thesis: The welfare system is a joke.
• Revised thesis: The welfare system keeps a socioeconomic class from gaining employment by alluring members of that class with unearned income, instead of programs to improve their education and skill sets.
• Working thesis: British Columbian schoolteachers are not paid enough.
• Revised thesis: The legislature of British Columbia cannot afford to pay its educators, resulting in job cuts and resignations in a district that sorely needs highly qualified and dedicated teachers.

The linking verb in this working thesis statement is the word are. Linking verbs often make thesis statements weak because they do not express action. Reading the original thesis statement above, readers might wonder why teachers are not paid enough, but the statement does not compel them to ask many more questions. The writer should ask him- or herself questions in order to replace the linking verb with an action verb, thus forming a stronger thesis statement, one that takes a more definitive stance on the issue. For example, the writer could ask:

• Who is not paying the teachers enough?
• What is considered “enough”?
• What is the problem?
• What are the results
• Working thesis: Today’s teenage girls are too sexualized.
• Which teenage girls?
• What constitutes “too” sexualized?
• Why are they behaving that way?
• Where does this behaviour show up?
• What are the repercussions?

Self-practice exercise  5.7

H5P:  Polishing the Thesis Statement

A working thesis statement is always a work in progress, and we make it stronger by asking questions of it and challenging the first draft. That’s the next job you have! It takes many revisions to make your work the best it can be, so try not to get frustrated by the process.

• Copy your working thesis statement for reference here.
• Pinpoint and replace all nonspecific words, such as people, everything, society, or life, with more precise words in order to reduce any vagueness. Recopy the newly revised thesis below.
• Replace any linking verbs with action verbs. Linking verbs gives information about the subject, such as a condition or relationship (is, appear, smell, sound), but they do not show any action. The most common linking verb is any forms of the verb to be, a verb that simply states that a situation exists. Recopy the newly revised thesis below.
• Omit any general claims that are hard to support. Recopy the newly revised thesis below.

Just Asking Questions

Clarify ideas that need explanation by asking yourself questions that narrow your thesis. The most straightforward way to do this is to ask yourself the 5WHs again — who, what, where, when, why, and how — and see were you can make your thesis statement more specific. List the questions you have about your own thesis below.

Now do your best to answer those questions.

And finally, revise your thesis in relation to these points and share it below.

In your career you may have to write a project proposal that focuses on a particular problem in your company, such as reinforcing the tardiness policy. The proposal would aim to fix the problem; using a thesis statement would clearly state the boundaries of the problem and the goals of the project. After writing the proposal, you may find that the thesis needs revising to reflect exactly what is expressed in the body. The techniques from this chapter would apply to revising that thesis.

Key Takeaways

• Proper essays require a thesis statement to provide a specific focus and suggest how the essay will be organized.
• A thesis statement is your interpretation of the subject, not the topic itself.
• A strong thesis is specific, precise, forceful, confident, and is able to be demonstrated.
• A strong thesis challenges readers with a point of view that can be debated and supported with evidence.
• A weak thesis is simply a declaration of your topic or contains an obvious fact that cannot be argued.
• Depending on your topic, it may or may not be appropriate to use first person point of view.
• Revise your thesis by ensuring all words are specific, all ideas are exact, and all verbs express action.

Writing for Success - 1st Canadian H5P Edition Copyright © 2021 by Tara Horkoff is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to write a thesis statement, what is a thesis statement.

Almost all of us—even if we don’t do it consciously—look early in an essay for a one- or two-sentence condensation of the argument or analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?

• to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
• to better organize and develop your argument
• to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument

In general, your thesis statement will accomplish these goals if you think of the thesis as the answer to the question your paper explores.

How Can You Write a Good Thesis Statement?

Here are some helpful hints to get you started. You can either scroll down or select a link to a specific topic.

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is Assigned

Almost all assignments, no matter how complicated, can be reduced to a single question. Your first step, then, is to distill the assignment into a specific question. For example, if your assignment is, “Write a report to the local school board explaining the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class,” turn the request into a question like, “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” After you’ve chosen the question your essay will answer, compose one or two complete sentences answering that question.

Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are . . .”

A: “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve . . .”

The answer to the question is the thesis statement for the essay.

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How to Generate a Thesis Statement if the Topic is not Assigned

Even if your assignment doesn’t ask a specific question, your thesis statement still needs to answer a question about the issue you’d like to explore. In this situation, your job is to figure out what question you’d like to write about.

A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:

• take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree
• deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment
• express one main idea
• assert your conclusions about a subject

Let’s see how to generate a thesis statement for a social policy paper.

Brainstorm the topic . Let’s say that your class focuses upon the problems posed by changes in the dietary habits of Americans. You find that you are interested in the amount of sugar Americans consume.

You start out with a thesis statement like this:

Sugar consumption.

This fragment isn’t a thesis statement. Instead, it simply indicates a general subject. Furthermore, your reader doesn’t know what you want to say about sugar consumption.

Narrow the topic . Your readings about the topic, however, have led you to the conclusion that elementary school children are consuming far more sugar than is healthy.

You change your thesis to look like this:

Reducing sugar consumption by elementary school children.

This fragment not only announces your subject, but it focuses on one segment of the population: elementary school children. Furthermore, it raises a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree, because while most people might agree that children consume more sugar than they used to, not everyone would agree on what should be done or who should do it. You should note that this fragment is not a thesis statement because your reader doesn’t know your conclusions on the topic.

Take a position on the topic. After reflecting on the topic a little while longer, you decide that what you really want to say about this topic is that something should be done to reduce the amount of sugar these children consume.

You revise your thesis statement to look like this:

More attention should be paid to the food and beverage choices available to elementary school children.

This statement asserts your position, but the terms more attention and food and beverage choices are vague.

Use specific language . You decide to explain what you mean about food and beverage choices , so you write:

Experts estimate that half of elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar.

This statement is specific, but it isn’t a thesis. It merely reports a statistic instead of making an assertion.

Make an assertion based on clearly stated support. You finally revise your thesis statement one more time to look like this:

Because half of all American elementary school children consume nine times the recommended daily allowance of sugar, schools should be required to replace the beverages in soda machines with healthy alternatives.

Notice how the thesis answers the question, “What should be done to reduce sugar consumption by children, and who should do it?” When you started thinking about the paper, you may not have had a specific question in mind, but as you became more involved in the topic, your ideas became more specific. Your thesis changed to reflect your new insights.

How to Tell a Strong Thesis Statement from a Weak One

1. a strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand..

Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements:

There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement.

This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague.

Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers.

This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's specific.

2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.

Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statements:

My family is an extended family.

This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading.

While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family.

This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.

3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.

Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example:

Companies need to exploit the marketing potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support.

This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear. One way to revise the thesis would be to write:

Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer support.

This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because , since , so , although , unless , and however .

4. A strong thesis statement is specific.

A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you're writing a seven-to-ten page paper on hunger, you might say:

World hunger has many causes and effects.

This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this:

Hunger persists in Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable.

This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger.

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Story Analysis: How to Analyze a Short Story Step-by-Step

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Ricardo Piglia

Theses on the Short Story

I n one of his notebooks, Chekhov recorded the following anecdote: ‘A man in Monte Carlo goes to the casino, wins a million, returns home, commits suicide.’ The classic form of the short story is condensed within the nucleus of that future, unwritten story. Contrary to the predictable and conventional (gamble–lose–commit suicide), the intrigue is presented as a paradox. The anecdote disconnects the story of the gambling and the story of the suicide. That rupture is the key to defining the double character of the story’s form. First thesis: a short story always tells two stories.

The classic short story—Poe, Quiroga footnote 1 —narrates Story One (the tale of the gambling) in the foreground, and constructs Story Two (the tale of the suicide) in secret. The art of the short story writer consists in knowing how to encode Story Two in the interstices of Story One. A visible story hides a secret tale, narrated in an elliptical and fragmentary manner. The effect of surprise is produced when the end of the secret story appears on the surface.

Each of the two stories is told in a different manner. Working with two stories means working with two different systems of causality. The same events enter simultaneously into two antagonistic narrative logics. The essential elements of the story have a dual function, and are employed in different ways in each of the two stories. The points where they intersect are the foundations of the story’s construction.

Near the beginning of Borges’s ‘Death and the Compass’, a shopkeeper decides to publish a book. This book is there because it is indispensable to the framework of the secret story. How to arrange things so that a gangster like Red Scharlach is well informed about complex Jewish traditions, and capable of laying a mystical and philosophical trap for Lönnrot? The author, Borges, gets hold of this book for him so that he can educate himself. At the same time he uses Story One in order to dissimulate that function: the book seems to be there in connection with the assassination of Yarmolinsky, the reflection of an ironic causality. ‘One of those shopkeepers who have found out that there are buyers for every book came out with a popular edition of the History of the Sect of the Hasidim .’ footnote 2 What is superfluous in one story is fundamental in the other. The shopkeeper’s book is an example (like the volume of The 1001 Nights in ‘The South’, or the scar in ‘The Form of the Sword’) of the ambiguous substance that makes the microscopic narrative machinery of the story work.

The short story is a tale that encloses a secret tale. This is not a matter of a hidden meaning which depends on interpretation: the enigma is nothing other than a story which is told in an enigmatic way. The strategy of the tale is placed at the service of that coded narration. How to tell a story while another is being told? This question synthesizes the technical problems of the short story. Second thesis: the secret story is the key to the form of the short story.

The modern version of the short story that descends from Chekhov, Katherine Mansfield, Sherwood Anderson, the Joyce of Dubliners , abandons the surprise ending and the closed structure; it works the tension between the two stories without ever resolving it. The secret story is told in ever more elusive fashion. The classic short story à la Poe told a story while announcing that there was another; the modern short story tells two stories as if they were one. Hemingway’s ‘iceberg theory’ is the first synthesis of that process of transformation: the most important thing is never recounted. The secret story is constructed out of what is not said, out of implication and allusion.

‘Big Two-Hearted River’, one of Hemingway’s foundational tales, encodes Story Two (the effects of the war on Nick Adams) to such an extent that the short story seems to be a trivial description of a fishing trip. Hemingway puts all his skill into the hermetic narration of the secret story. He employs the art of ellipsis with such mastery that he succeeds in making us notice the absence of the other story. What would Hemingway have done with Chekhov’s anecdote? Recount with precise details the game and the atmosphere in which the gambling takes place, and the technique the gambler uses to place his bets, and the kind of drink he has. Never saying that the man is going to commit suicide, but writing the story as if the reader already knew this.

Kafka tells the secret story clearly and simply, and narrates the visible story stealthily, to the point of turning it into something enigmatic and dark. This inversion is the basis of the ‘Kafkaesque’. Kafka would place the story of the suicide from Chekhov’s anecdote in the foreground, recounting it as if it were entirely natural. The terrible part of the story would be centred around the gambling, which would be narrated in an elliptical, menacing way.

For Borges, Story One is a genre and Story Two is always the same. In order to attenuate or conceal the monotony of this secret story, Borges resorts to the narrative variants that genres offer him. All of Borges’s short stories are constructed through this procedure. Borges would tell the visible story, the short story, in Chekhov’s anecdote in accordance with the stereotypes (lightly parodied) of a tradition or a genre. A game of knucklebones between some gauchos on the run (say) at the back of a storeroom, in the prairies of Entre Ríos, told by an old cavalryman who served under Urquiza, a friend of Hilario Ascasubi. footnote 3 The tale of the suicide would be a story constructed out of duplicity and the condensation of a man’s life into a single scene or act that would define his destiny.

The basic variation that Borges introduced into the history of the short story consisted in making the coded construction of Story Two the theme of the tale. Borges recounts the manoeuvres of someone who is perversely building a secret plot with the materials of a visible story. In ‘Death and the Compass’, Story Two is a deliberate construction of Scharlach’s. The same is true of Azevedo Bandeira in ‘The Dead Man’ and Nolan in ‘Theme of the Traitor and the Hero’. Borges (like Poe, like Kafka) knew how to transform into an anecdote the problems of the form of narration.

The short story is constructed so as to make appear artificially something that had been hidden. It reproduces the constantly renewed search for a unique experience that would allow us to see, beneath the opaque surface of life, a secret truth. ‘The instantaneous vision which makes us discover the unknown, not in a faraway terra incognita, but rather in the very heart of the immediate’, said Rimbaud. This profane illumination has become the form of the short story.

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A short story on the "Yard Dogs" and what it means to the Virginia Tech defensive line core

Connor mardian | aug 8, 2024.

• Virginia Tech Hokies

Specific mantras define teams; they give them a way to express themselves in a variety of different ways. Of course there is the "Dream Team" of USA basketball, or the Fierce Five which earned the USA it's second ever gymnastics gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. However, thanks to Virginia Tech defensive line and associate head coach J.C Price , there is a new, maybe less sleek name in town, the "Yard Dogs"

Nestled at the point where West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky meet in Huntington, WV, is Marshall University . This is a school all Hokie fans should know as the Thundering Herd is a common opponent of the Hokies, with the two locking horns seven times since 2002. It is even more commonplace for Price, who spent eight years in various defensive roles for the Herd.

While at the Hokies media day, I overheard current defensive tackle Josh Fuga talk about this "Yard Dog" name the defensive line room had adopted, and he led us to believe it started during Price's time at Marshall.

Price then enlightened me on what it meant to be a "Yard Dog" through a story of a former player of his, Alex Bazzie, who, despite his lack of frame in comparison to his peers, would always earn the starting d-line spot because his teammates were house dogs while he was different. Price states that it was a certain mentality that always drove competitors away from Bazzie's top spot and that one day, when Price questioned why no one could pry the first string away from the walk-on. Bazzie explained, "He's a house dog. You guys let him in on the furniture. You let him up on the couch. You let him.

In the air conditioning, I said ok, so why do you play?" Said Price inside the humid Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility. "He said. Well, I'm a yard dog, I'm out in the dirt, I'm on the porch. I'm ready to bite the mailman." "And that's exactly where that came from." quoted the leader of the Hokies front five, the new "Yard Dogs".

CONNOR MARDIAN

Dissertation, Doctoral Project, and Thesis Information & Templates

Note: Forms required for the submission of theses and dissertations are available on the  Academic Forms  page.

Important Notes for Dissertation, Doctoral Project & Thesis Writers

• Information is available in Section IV.B.2 Research on Human Subjects of the  Graduate Bulletin   (from the  Resources and Policies page ).
• Additional information and forms are available on the   IRB website . Your IRB approval number must be included on the Thesis or Dissertation Proposal Form.
• Consult the  Guidelines for Dissertation, Doctoral Project and Thesis Writers  before beginning your thesis or dissertation.
• Download a template to assist with formatting your work. The templates are unlocked and can be edited (links to the template can be found in the “Submission Procedures” sections below).
• Check the Resources & Guidelines section of the ProQuest website for instructions on using the site. The Library has created a very informative series of  short videos  about the choices you must make on the ProQuest site.
• Additional information on copyright, publishing options and other topics is available on  Lauinger’s Scholarly Communication  website.
• More information about the requirements for dissertations, doctoral projects and theses can be found in the  Graduate Bulletin .

Submission of the Thesis, Doctoral Project or Dissertation

Information on the forms required leading up to a defense and also afterward appear on Submission of Thesis  and  Submission of Dissertation or Doctoral Project .

Download a Thesis / Doctoral Project / Dissertation Template

(for Master’s and Doctoral candidates) We recommend that you download a Thesis / Doctoral Project / Dissertation Template using Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Google Chrome browsers. There are some reported issues for students trying to download using Internet Explorer. The download links are shown below:

• The combined  Master’s Thesis / Doctoral Project / Doctoral Dissertation Template  for MS-Word for Windows is available at: Thesis/Project/Dissertation Template-PC
• The  Master’s   Thesis Template  for Word for Mac is available at:  Thesis Template-MAC
• The  Doctoral Template  for Word for Mac is available at  Dissertation Template-MAC
• If you use the LaTeX markup language, you can download a ZIP file folder containing several template and style documents, as well as an extensive tutorial manual, at this link:  Thesis/Dissertation Template-LaTeX . An updated .sty file was uploaded in June 2020.

LaTeX users please note: These LaTeX template materials are provided for the use of those who are already proficient in the use of LaTeX. Neither the Graduate School nor the faculty who helped develop this template are able to provide support or training in the use of this specialty software.

Mullewa's wildflowers are a sight to behold but there's a problem

A key road through the town of Mullewa, in WA's Midwest, was damaged by heavy rains.

Despite attempts by Main Roads to bridge the problem, there are fears the road is deterring visitors from the town during peak wildflower season. 

What's next? 

Main Roads WA will maintain temporary repairs until the road dries enough to undertake a permanent fix. 

Residents at the heart of Western Australia's wildflower country are worried the poor state of their town's main road will have much-wanted visitors looking elsewhere.

Wildflower season in WA's Midwest attracts thousands of visitors to the region each year.

But in Mullewa, 450km north of Perth, residents say their main road will struggle to stand up to the annual influx.

Portions of the Geraldton Mount Magnet road collapsed in July after heavy rains, leaving large, water-logged potholes.

The hundreds of cars and trucks already traversing the already-damaged road each day will now be joined by hundreds of additional tourists.

Mullewa artist Helen Ansell's gallery overlooks the damaged section of road, and says she watches hundreds of trucks, cars and caravans tackle the bumpy patch each day. 

"Some of the potholes are about a metre in diameter," she said

"It's like you're four wheel driving; if you had a cup of tea, it would spill everywhere.

"People have been ringing every day to complain to Main Roads."

Ms Hansell said the same rain that wrecked the roads should ensure a bumper wildflower season.

"There are just carpets and carpets of wild flowers already," she said.

However, Ms Hansell said the road damage is affecting her own and other small businesses by preventing caravans from parking at the information bay nearby.

"People aren't stopping," she said. 

Complex repairs

In a statement, a Main Roads spokesperson said it had done work in at attempt to bridge the problem area, but it required more complex work than average road repairs.

Until then, it said it would do ongoing maintenance of the temporary repair.

"Permanent pavement repairs and drainage improvements will commence when weather conditions improve and ground water levels subside," they said.

"Main Roads continues to investigate potential treatment options ... that will prevent the issue re-occurring."

The damage earlier this year washed away a 150 metre section of road, leaving travellers stranded for several days.

City of Greater Geraldton mayor Jerry Clune says, while Main Roads has taken measures to temporarily repair the damage, the issues repeat themselves due to the continued rain and high level of traffic.  

He says this creates difficulties with getting permanent repairs. 

"It's [the road] not getting a chance to dry out and the trucks are hammering it with heavy haulage," he said. 

Ms Ansel said there was still lots of parking available to interested visitors, about "a block down the road" from her. 

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Britain’s Violent Riots: What We Know

Officials had braced for more unrest on Wednesday, but the night’s anti-immigration protests were smaller, with counterprotesters dominating the streets instead.

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By Lynsey Chutel

After days of violent rioting set off by disinformation around a deadly stabbing rampage, the authorities in Britain had been bracing for more unrest on Wednesday. But by nightfall, large-scale anti-immigration demonstrations had not materialized, and only a few arrests had been made nationwide.

Instead, streets in cities across the country were filled with thousands of antiracism protesters, including in Liverpool, where by late evening, the counterdemonstration had taken on an almost celebratory tone.

Over the weekend, the anti-immigration protests, organized by far-right groups, had devolved into violence in more than a dozen towns and cities. And with messages on social media calling for wider protests and counterprotests on Wednesday, the British authorities were on high alert.

With tensions running high, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet held emergency meetings to discuss what has become the first crisis of his recently elected government. Some 6,000 specialist public-order police officers were mobilized nationwide to respond to any disorder, and the authorities in several cities and towns stepped up patrols.

Wednesday was not trouble-free, however.

In Bristol, the police said there was one arrest after a brick was thrown at a police vehicle and a bottle was thrown. In the southern city of Portsmouth, police officers dispersed a small group of anti-immigration protesters who had blocked a roadway. And in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where there have been at least four nights of unrest, disorder continued, and the police service said it would bring in additional officers.

But overall, many expressed relief that the fears of wide-scale violence had not been realized.

Here’s what we know about the turmoil in Britain.

Where arrests have been reported

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'Season of rain in 4 days': Weather through Thursday, then Debby, could bring 8 inches

Although still days away, Tropical Storm Debby is expected to pummel New Jersey with rain.

And that could mean a dark and stormy weekend - the early part of it.

But the weather is expected to get even worse before that.

In fact, Debby and an earlier storm combined could bring 4 to 8 inches of rain to New Jersey, said Steven DiMartino of nynjpaweather.com .

"We're going to get a season's worth of rainfall in the span of four days," DiMartino said.

First storm first.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch across nearly all of New Jersey, including Monmouth and Ocean counties that runs from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning. Add to that a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 p.m. Tuesday for all NJ counties except four in South Jersey.

.A cold front will sweep across the area Tuesday night and will interact with tropical moisture from Debby, the weather service said. That means heavy downpours.

Stay or go: NJ emergency evacuation? Here's what to do if a hurricane comes

Rainfall totals are expected to average 1.5 to 2.5 inches in New Jersey, but if a thunderstorm lingers in some areas, they could see 1 to 2 inches per hour, producing up to 4 to 5 inches of rain, according to the weather service.

It could also bring downburst gust winds - winds from a thunderstorm - which could mean downed trees and power lines, and possibly even hail, the weather service said.

Police Departments in Monmouth and Ocean counties have cancelled or postponed National Night Out events scheduled for Tuesday or moved them indoors.

There will be a short break from heavy rains before the real remnants of Tropical Storm Debby hit.

Patrick O’Hara, a meteorologist for the weather service in Mount Holly, said the arrival of Debby is still unknown.

“It could be as early as Thursday or as late as Friday night,” O’Hara said.

When it hits, expect heavy rains, he said. But the winds from Debbie by then are expected to have calmed down.

“It won’t be no wind, just not battering winds like pre-hurricane winds,” he said.

As the tropical storm sweeps north from Florida, the forecast calls for it to hug the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. Then it is expected to move further inland. By the time it reaches New Jersey, it is expected to be downgraded to a tropical depression, meaning there will be winds of less than 39 mph.

In New Jersey on Saturday, the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby will continue moving through the area, producing heavy rain at times, DiMartino said.

The second half of the weekend should make up for the first.

The forecast is calling for sunny skies along the Shore and throughout New Jersey on Sunday.

"Sunday is going to be beautiul - low humidity, clear skies - it's going to feel almost like a touch of fall," DiMartino said.

Ken Serrano   covers breaking news, crime and investigations. Reach him at 732-643-4029 or [email protected] .

Noah Lyles earns bronze in 200m final as mother reveals COVID diagnosis

Lyles mother told nbc olympics' lewis johnson that noah was recently diagnosed with covid, by nbc new york staff and eric mullin • published august 8, 2024 • updated on august 8, 2024 at 3:44 pm.

Noah Lyles , who already earned the title of "World's Fastest Man" at the Paris Olympics, fell short Thursday of his goal to become the first American to win gold in the 100m and 200m sprints since Carl Lewis in 1984. Lyles' mother told NBC Olympics that Lyles was diagnosed with Covid a couple of days ago.

Lyles came in third in the men's 200m final with a time of 19.70 seconds . Botswana's Letsile Tebogo won the gold with a time of 19.46 seconds and the USA's Kenneth Bednarek won the silver finishing with a time of 19.62 seconds.

The 200m is Lyles' premiere, preferred event and he's ranked number one in the world for it. Lyles needed medical attention after the race, and later he was seen by NBC Olympics in a wheelchair, as he mother told Lewis Johnson the runner has COVID. Lyles has been seen wearing a mask recently.

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"[Lyles' mother Keisha Caine Bishop] did confirm Noah had been diagnosed with COVID two days ago. That's right, diagnosed with COVID two days ago," Johnson reported. "But he decided, he was going to run anyway. And obviously, what he has there, may have affected how he performed. He is now, again, with medical people and again, his mom is also distraught. But that's the issue, Noah has COVID."

LETSILE TEBOGO WINS THE MEN’S 200M FOR BOTSWANA! 🇧🇼 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/jL9jm4bTKZ — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024

Lyles had a  thrilling triumph in the 100m final  on Sunday. The 27-year-old turned on the jets late to win the race  by a fraction of a second , capturing his first Olympic gold medal and  Team USA 's first 100m title in two decades.

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Usain Bolt at the Rio Olympics in 2016 was the last male athlete to win both the 100m and 200m at the same Olympics.

Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

Watch all the action from the Paris Olympics live on NBC

Watch: US earns 3 golds, women's basketball dominates and more Day 14 highlights

Is Tom Cruise performing a stunt at the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony?

Battled to bronze 🥉 @LylesNoah is your Olympic bronze medalist in the 200m. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/CoSYO1SlIR — Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 8, 2024

It was a star-studded crowd at the stadium for the 200m and included Simone Biles, Mick Jagger, Snoop Dogg, Mikaela Shiffrin and Leon Marchand.

Lyles is still expected to compete in the men' 4x100m relay final on Friday.

How many sprint doubles at an Olympics have there been?

The men's sprint double -- where an athlete wins both the 100m and 200m dashes at the same Games -- has been achieved a combined 11 times by nine athletes in the history of the Olympics.

When was the last sprint double at an Olympics?

Olympic legend  Usain Bolt  was the last man to complete the sprint double -- and he achieved the feat at three straight Games.

The eight-time gold medalist swept the 100m and 200m sprints at the  2008 Beijing Games ,  2012 London Games  and  2016 Rio Games , becoming the only man to record an Olympic sprint double multiple times. Bolt in 2012 also became the first athlete -- male or female -- to ever complete the sprint double at consecutive Games.

Fellow Jamaican  Elaine Thompson-Herah  recently became the first woman to win both the 100m and 200m races at consecutive Olympics, doing so in the 2016 Games and  pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Games . Thompson-Herah had previously become the first woman to complete the sprint double since American  Florence Griffith-Joyner  at the  1988 Seoul Games .

List of sprint doubles at an Olympics

Here's a look at every men's sprint double in the history of the Games, with Carl Lewis' 1984 feat standing as the most recent by an American:

• Archie Hahn , USA: 1904
• Ralph Craig , USA: 1912
• Percy Williams , Canada: 1928
• Eddie Tolan , USA: 1932
• Jesse Owens , USA: 1936
• Bobby Morrow , USA: 1956
• Valeriy Borzov , Soviet Union: 1972
• Carl Lewis , USA: 1984
• Usain Bolt , Jamaica: 2008, 2012, 2016

Owens, Morrow and Lewis, along with Bolt in both 2012 and 2016, expanded their sprint doubles into triples by winning the 4x100m relay as well.

What's the world record in the 200m?

Usain Bolt set the 200m world record with a time of 19.19 seconds at the 2009 World Championships. But Lyles has said  he believes he'll eventually break Bolt's record mark  -- will it be in the 200m final?

What's Noah Lyles' best time in the 200m?

The 200m is considered to be Lyles' stronger race compared to the 100m. After earning bronze at the Tokyo Games, Lyles didn't lose a single 200m race until Wednesday's semifinals in Paris.

Lyles  placed second in his semifinal heat  with a time of 20.08 seconds, finishing behind Botswana's  Letsile Tebogo  (19.96). Lyles posted the third-best semifinal time overall behind Tebogo and fellow American  Kenny Bednarek  (20.00).

Bednarek is the event's reigning Olympic silver medalist. The defending Olympic champion, Canada's Andre De Grasse, failed to qualify for the final.

Lyles'  personal-best time in the 200m  is also the American record of 19.31 seconds, which he tallied at the 2022 World Championships. His season-best time of 19.53 seconds came at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.

What other events is Noah Lyles competing in at 2024 Paris Olympics?

Lyles already competed in the men's 100m and will be competing in the 4x100m relay as well. Here's what the schedule for that event looks like:

How to watch Noah Lyles race at the Olympics

All of Noah Lyles' medal races  will be broadcast live on Peacock   and NBCOlympics.com .

Lyles' races will also be shown either live or on replay in primetime on NBC.

How many medals does Noah Lyles have?

Now Lyles currently has three Olympic medals: gold in the 100m and bronze in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, and bronze in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics.

• 2024 Paris Olympics - Bronze - 200m
• 2024 Paris Olympics - Gold - 100m
• 2020 Tokyo Olympics - Bronze - 200m

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Tropical Storm Debby unleashes widespread flooding across Southeast: Live updates

Through friday, debby could dump 10-20 inches of rainfall, and some isolated areas could receive up to 25 inches, the national weather service said..

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS: This article has been updated to reflect that a 12-year-old girl died in a Sunday vehicle crash, according to a corrected Florida Highway Patrol news release.

As Tropical Storm Debby continued its dayslong crawl through the Southeast on Tuesday, coastal areas from northern Florida to the Carolinas were inundated with rainfall, leaving streets underwater as officials ordered evacuations, conducted rescues and confirmed at least two tornadoes.

Forecasters say the conditions were only expected to worsen this week as the storm unleashes historic and potentially “catastrophic” flooding across the region.

Debby could dump 10-20 inches of rainfall through Friday, and some isolated areas could receive up to 25 inches, the National Weather Service said . By the middle of the week, bands of heavy rain will move northward from North Carolina to the Mid-Atlantic, the weather service warned: "Action should be taken to prep for impacts from high water."

Debby is moving east-northeast at a mere 3 mph, according to the latest National Hurricane Center advisory , which allows it to soak everything on a path that's expected to continue up to the New England states late this week. By the time it's done, Debby may be the wettest landfalling hurricane ever .

“Debby has been meandering at a snail’s pace, but it will blast to the Northeast like a rocket later this week,” AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. 

Debby tracker: Tropical Storm could bring 'catastrophic' rainfall to Southeast

Developments:

∎ Officials in Suwannee County, in northern Florida, are urgently warning residents to evacuate ahead of rivers expected to flood in the region. "Residents in river areas should make a decision to evacuate now," the Sheriff's Office said.

∎ Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency even though the impacts of the storm are not expected until late Thursday or early Friday, an indication of how much damage Debby could cause. "There is the potential for strong winds, heavy rains, and possible flooding across regions of the Commonwealth,” Youngkin said.

∎ Millions across Georgia and the Carolinas were under flash flood warnings and watches that will remain active into the latter half of the week, the weather service said.

∎Charleston Mayor William Cogswell said Tuesday that the city will extend its curfew until at least Wednesday morning.

Two confirmed tornadoes touch down in South Carolina

The National Weather Service office in Charleston, South Carolina, confirmed two tornadoes spun by Debby, one Tuesday in Moncks Corner, about 30 miles north of Charleston, and the other one Monday in Edisto Beach, a tourist town on the state's southern coast.

Moncks Corner Mayor Thomas Hamilton said the twister caused minor injuries and some damage to commercial but not residential structures, WCBD-TV reported.

Colleton County officials reported no injuries but "some property damage and several power poles down'' from the Edisto Beach twister.

Tornado watches were in effect Tuesday across parts of the Carolinas.

In Georgia and SC, a month's rain in a day

From North Florida to the Carolinas, local and state officials reported widespread flooding Tuesday as Debby dumped a foot of rain in some areas. Cities including Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, established curfews, ordered evacuations, closed office buildings, opened shelters and urged residents to stay indoors during the multi-day deluge.

Within the last 24 hours, parts of Georgia and South Carolina received more than a month's worth of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The storm has trapped people in their vehicles and damaged homes as winds uproot trees and knock over utility poles. On Monday night, at least three suspected tornadoes caused damage throughout southeastern areas of South Carolina.

Debby made landfall on Monday along the Big Bend coast of Florida as a Category 1 hurricane and moved across the northeast region of the peninsula, turning streets into rivers, causing widespread power outages and contributing to at least five deaths. Hundreds were evacuated from coastal communities as the storm surge pushed several feet of water inland, overtaking cars and triggering water rescues.

Dam in South Carolina has 'potential to fail'; officials order evacuations

Local officials in Colleton County, South Carolina, warned that a dam “has the potential to fail” and began evacuating residents in the area.

The warning about the vulnerable McGrady Dam, about 7 miles southwest of Walterboro, was issued by the Colleton Fire Department at 8 a.m. The National Weather Service, citing Colleton County Emergency officials, said water was overtopping the dam and that the structure “could fail at any time.”

“An evacuation notice has been sent to residents downstream of the dam,” the weather service wrote. “If the dam fails, flash flooding will occur.”

Much of Colleton County and the surrounding area has been soaked by as much as a foot of rain, and more was expected Tuesday. Flash flood warnings and other related advisories were widespread across South Carolina.

You thought Harvey was wet? Debby may double rain total

Hurricane Harvey will long be remembered as the monster rainmaker that overwhelmed Houston in 2017, at one point pouring more than 40 inches of rain over less than two days in some areas of Southeast Texas.

Debby could end up being wetter, maybe even twice as much.

Though it lost hurricane status a mere three hours after making landfall early Monday in northwest Florida, now-Tropical Storm Debby continues to cause major damage by unloading copious amounts of rain in the Southeast U.S., and it's not projected to be done until drenching eastern states all the way up to New England late this week.

By that point, Debby may have dropped upwards of 50 trillion gallons of rain from Florida to Maine, the most ever by a hurricane that made landfall, meteorologist Ryan Maue said. By comparison, Harvey delivered more than 27 trillion gallons of rain to Texas.

Power outages abound in the Southeast

As Tropical Storm Debby's impacts stretch northward, power outages have been adding up in Georgia and South Carolina while authorities work to restore power across north Florida.

Nearly 80,000 homes and businesses in Florida were still without power Tuesday afternoon, according to Poweroutage.us . The blackouts were concentrated in the Big Bend region, where the storm came ashore as a hurricane at 7 a.m. Monday before crossing the state and into Georgia.

Along with outages in Florida, about 7,000 utility customers were without power in Georgia and 6,000 in South Carolina. Officials in the states have assured residents that appropriate resources were staged to immediately begin restoring power when the storm clears.

Experts downgrade hurricane forecast − slightly

A rare bit of good news: Top meteorologists from Colorado State University on Tuesday reduced the number of storms expected this Atlantic hurricane season, from 25 to 23.  

All other numbers remained the same from the team's July forecast, including the predicted number of major hurricanes, six. (A major hurricane, defined as a Category 3 or higher, has sustained winds of at least 111 mph.)

The downgrade in the number of predicted named storms was because of the weeks-long lull in storm activity in July. "We anticipate a well above-average probability for major hurricane landfalls along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean," CSU said.

Tropical Storm Debby's rainfall totals so far

More than a foot of rain has fallen in parts of South Carolina, while rainfall totals in Georgia reached over 10 inches, according to rainfall reports from the National Weather Service office in Charleston, South Carolina. Below are some of the highest totals recorded so far.

• Ruskin: 21.7 inches
• Palm Harbor: 20.34 inches
• Parrish: 18.86 inches
• Sarasota: 17.78 inches
• Pinellas Park: 14.04 inches
• Rincon: 11.09 inches
• Blitchton: 10.46 inches
• Springfield: 10.38 inches
• Port Wentworth: 9.28 inches
• Savannah: 8.50 inches

South Carolina:

• Green Pond: 14.02 inches
• Edisto Beach: 12.42 inches
• Beaufort: 11.16 inches
• Bennetts Point: 11.10 inches
• Charleston: 11.00 inches

Storm traps South Carolina family in leaking house as roof caves in

A deluge of rain from the storm trapped Beatriz Wheeler and her three children in her home in Hampton, South Carolina, around 80 miles west of Charleston, as water poured through holes in the walls and parts of the ceiling collapsed.

The rain started on Monday at around 4 p.m., Wheeler said. By Tuesday morning, the situation was dire – her roof had sprouted at least seven leaks. "Parts of our ceiling are caving in," she said. "We're managing, but there's a lot of damage."

Wheeler's husband, who barely reached the bank where he works amid the heavy rains Tuesday morning, couldn't return after both sides of their street flooded. "We're currently discussing how he's going to get home," said Wheeler, 28.

Meanwhile, her parents faced imminent evacuation after a dam near their home in Walterboro, a town around 30 miles away, was at risk of failure. "If they're forced to evacuate, they'll probably try to come this way to bunker down with us," she said.

Tropical Storm Debby death toll rises to 5

Officials have reported at least five deaths in connection with Debby since Sunday evening.

In the southern Georgia city of Moultrie, a tree fell onto a home, killing a 19-year-old, Gov. Brian Kemp said Tuesday.

Near Tampa, a man driving a semi-truck was killed after he lost control on an interstate that had been soaked in the rain, according to National Weather Service reports.

In Fanning Springs, about 35 miles east from where Debby made landfall, a 13-year-old boy was killed by a fallen tree that landed on a mobile home.

On Sunday night, as Debby’s outer bands were lashing much of the Florida Peninsula, a woman and a 12-year-old girl died in a single-vehicle crash in Dixie County, near where the storm eventually came ashore. A 14-year-old boy, who was in the vehicle when it crashed, was rushed to a hospital with serious injuries.

Several Florida waterways at major flood level

The Manatee River at the Rye Bridge in southwest Florida broke a record Monday, hitting a level of 20.12 feet, surpassing the previous mark of 20 feet set on July 21, 1962.

Manatee County opened a dam to release water from Lake Manatee to try to "maintain appropriate water levels" and they began dropping but remained at major flood stage.

That's one of at least 10 locations in Florida where waterways are at or above major flood levels, which are also reported in three rivers west of Savannah.

Flooding in Cedar Key, but less damage than Idalia caused

As the storm passed over Cedar Key, an island town off Florida's Gulf Coast, it partially blew the roof off Michael Presley Bobbitt's clam dock and damaged a nearby boat "pretty significantly," Bobbitt said.

Bobbitt, a clam farmer known locally as "the clambassador," said the storm also flooded Cedar Key's downtown with shin-deep water and ripped the roof off a local restaurant. Still, the damage was far less than what Hurricane Idalia caused last year.

"While some of our businesses were inundated and a few houses were, overall, the damage is pretty moderate to minor," he said.

By Tuesday, businesses were open as usual, Bobbitt said. "The whole island is out today,'' he said. "We're all out working, helping our neighbors, putting it back together."

Where is Tropical Storm Debby?

Tropical Storm Debby was located 10 miles east of Savannah and 70 miles southwest of Charleston, according to the National Hurricane Center ’s 5 p.m. ET update.

The storm is moving northeast at 3 mph, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 40 mph, the hurricane center said. Tropical-storm-force winds close to 40 mph extend outward up to 205 miles from the center of the storm.

Debby is projected to move offshore, where it will drift through Wednesday before making a second landfall over South Carolina on Thursday. Debby is forecast to strengthen as it moves north along the Atlantic coast, the hurricane center said.

At least 3 suspected tornadoes reported in South Carolina

There were at least three reported tornadoes in South Carolina on Monday night as the storm crawled northward, bringing a barrage of severe weather across the Southeast.

In Edisto Beach, 50 miles southwest of Charleston, a tornado touched down and caused “some property damage,” knocking down power poles and toppling trees, according to a post on X by the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office . No injuries were reported.

In Charleston County, dispatchers reported a tornado that caused damage to at least one house, according to National Weather Service reports .

In Berkeley County, emergency services reported a tornado near the town of Moncks Corner, about 30 miles north of Charleston. An Applebee's restaurant was reportedly damaged and power poles were toppled, some onto cars, the weather service said.

What makes Debby such a treacherous storm?

Debby is a large and slow-moving storm, making the system particularly dangerous as record amounts of rain inundate many areas, especially along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina this week.

The storm’s center was forecast to move near Savannah on Tuesday night and drag along the South Carolina coast on Thursday night. "Multiple days of very, very heavy rainfall" are possible, National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan said.

The National Weather Service estimates rainfall totals could reach up to 25 inches or more in isolated locations along the coast through Friday. The weather service office in Charleston, South Carolina, warned of "potentially historic rainfall."

Debby shows there's more to a storm than wind scale

As Debby strengthened in the Gulf and drew closer to Florida, hurricane experts and scientists say it was a classic example of how the wind scale categories used to describe hurricanes can fall short of telling the whole story.

"This is another example of a storm where the primary impacts are going to be from water, rather than wind," said James Franklin, a retired branch chief of the hurricane specialist unit at the National Hurricane Center.

Jennifer Collins, a professor in the Geosciences School at the University of South Florida, has studied how to better communicate all of a storm’s threats.

Looking at the forecasts for up to 25 inches of rain in isolated locations between Savannah and Charleston, Collins told USA TODAY she’s very concerned about the likelihood of “catastrophic flooding" and hopes people will look at all of the hurricane center's forecast products.  Read more here .