The Fall of the House of Usher: Writing a thesis statement

Open Ended

Which theory do you think you can best support with the evidence from your tracker?​ ​ ​

Open Ended

Type your first piece of evidence here. I suggest paraphrasing the direct quote to make it easier to work with.

For example:

Instead of this direct quote: "I know not how it was—but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit."

Use this paraphrase: The narrator states, though he can't explain why, that he felt an unbearable, heavy sadness the first time he saw the house.

Open Ended

Type your second piece of evidence here. I suggest paraphrasing the direct quote to make it easier to work with.

Open Ended

Type your third piece of evidence here. I suggest paraphrasing the direct quote to make it easier to work with.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about "The Fall of the House of Usher" would be a weak claim in a thesis statement because it is a fact, not a debatable claim?

• Roderick and Madeline are the last two members of the Usher family line.

• The narrator's unreliability is the true source of the story's horror.

• The story's events are best explained by Roderick's psychological guilt, not a supernatural curse.

• The sentient house, not Roderick, is the main antagonist of the story.

Multiple Choice

A student chooses the following to use as evidence: "Roderick's poem, 'The Haunted Palace,' is a clear allegory for a mind collapsing into insanity." This piece of evidence would be strongest in supporting which of the following claims?

• Theory 1: The tragedy is caused by a real, supernatural force.

• Theory 2: The tragedy is caused by Roderick's own psychological madness.

• Theory 3: The tragedy is a delusion of the nameless narrator.

• A weak thesis, because this fact is not debatable.

Multiple Choice

A student chooses Theory 1 (The Supernatural) as their claim. Which piece of evidence from the story would best support this claim?

• "Roderick suffered from... a morbid acuteness of the senses."

• "The narrator... had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country."

• "The lady Madeline... passed slowly through a remote portion of the apartment."

• "I heard it... the distinct... screwing or grating sound of the iron hinges of the prison." (The sound from the vault)

Multiple Choice

A student is writing a thesis statement. Which of the following is the best definition of the "debatable claim" part of a thesis?

• A summary of the story's plot.

• The author's name and the title of the story

• A well-known fact that everyone agrees on.

• An interpretation of the story that must be proven with evidence.

Open Ended

Compose your thesis statement here. Remember to use correct capitalization and punctuation!

The formula: Claim + 3 reasons

Poll

How confident do you feel about this topic now?

• Very confident
• Somewhat confident
• Not confident