Objective: Synthesize patterns in order to create a working thesis statement making a claim about the

human condition.

WARM-UP DIRECTIONS: The following introductions were submitted for this assignment in
previous years. Read through the assigned Introduction(s) and complete the following:
1. Underline the thesis statement (keep in mind that in some works, this may be more
than one sentence)
2. Highlight the pattern/archetype in YELLOW
3. Highlight the complexity of the pattern in GREEN
4. Highlight the insight into the human condition in BLUE
5. Finally, if the thesis is lacking in any way, describe what it’s missing below the
Introduction.
Sample Introduction 1 (EXAMPLE)
One of the most commonly used Christian archetypes is that of the Christ figure—a
character sharing at least two or three similarities with Jesus Christ. While these ties can be
minor—wounds in the hands or feet, work as a carpenter, ability with children—Christ figures
almost always display major concepts in the Christian religion: love, sacrifice for others, and
redemption. These three ideas come together to create a narrative that perfectly "follows the
Christian view of redemption" (Robinson). Female Christ figures, though, often take on a
greater role. In addition to expressing the Christian redemption story, female Christ figures
highlight the novel’s feminist social message. The expressions and limitations of these feminist
messages reflect society’s attitudes towards feminism, becoming more overtly feminist over
time.

Sample Introduction 2
When a character in literature goes on a journey, whether it be across town, into a
forest or through the countryside, they always have a reason — to buy something, to meet
someone, to bury their dead mother. However, the story is not written because this character
went to a bazaar in Dublin to buy their long time crush a present, as in “Araby” by James Joyce.
It is written because the character is destined to learn something, to gain self-knowledge. A
piece of literature that follows the quest archetype is never about accomplishing the quests
explicit purpose; it is instead about the self-knowledge the character will ultimately gain from
going on a quest. In literature, the act of going a quest leads a character to gain knowledge that
would not be discovered without the quest and this knowledge helps the character find their
identity within the world. A character who goes on a quest, while they may not be intending to,
discovers who they are and their place in their community and the world.

Thesis Frame: (PATTERN) contains (COMPLEXITY), revealing (HUMAN CONDITION).

 Objective: Synthesize patterns in order to create a working thesis statement making a claim about the
human condition.

Sample Introduction 3
Vampires have existed in literature since the 16th century. From names as ubiquitous as
Dracula to lesser-known characters like Dr. Edward Lewis Weyland, the vampire archetype is
always made up of a dark, corruptive force, usually in the form of a man, violating young
women and stealing their innocence (Foster 16). Over time, ideas about young women and
their innocence- their rights, their purpose, and their sexuality- have changed, but vampires are
still as popular as ever. The function of vampire characters is not the same within any two
stories, just as no two authors share the same perspective on the role of women within their
society. The roles of vampires within works of literature serve to demonstrate the station of
women in society during any given time period by bringing light to the gender dynamics of the
era, including societal expectations and the way that women react to them.

Thesis Frame: (PATTERN) contains (COMPLEXITY), revealing (HUMAN CONDITION).