Essays / Develop a thesis statement for KING LEAR: hidden loyalty/ blindness and sight / argument [9]

King Lear Essay Thesis; any tips on how I can find something to argue?

I have been trying to come up with a thesis for my King Lear essay for over a week now and I am still wrestling with it.

The essay topic is:
Compare the filial relationship of Gloucester and Edgar with that of Lear and Cordelia. How do these relationships comment upon one another? Consider the development of each relationship and it's conclusion. How does each relationship contribute to themes in the play, such as, self-knowledge, nature, appearance-and-reality? Avoid plot summary.

I want to say something about how both relationships come to a tragic and wholly preventable end due to the paternal figure's incorrect perception of reality and perhaps how the play cautions against the dangers of being led astray by false perceptions.

That just seems kind of obvious to me, though. It doesn't answer the so what question.

I've made a list of major similarities and differences in the courses of the two relationships throughout the play, but I can't seem to come up with anything that is really arguable.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can find something to argue? What do you do when you're stuck on your thesis?

I want to be clear that I'm not asking for a thesis, just any help on how to come up with one myself would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Sarah

Undergraduate / incorporated in my enthusiasm to contribute to this school,Does this make sense? [6]

You might try something like:
My quest for self-improvement and enthusiasm for skill development will be reflected in my contributions to this school.

They both make sense, but you might want to watch the flow of the sentence. You can always use a thesaurus to make sure you're using the exact right word to get across your meaning.

Hope this helped!

Essays / Do I even need too use alot of Quotes in a essay? [8]

If this is an argumentative essay (i.e. you are arguing a debatable thesis) you should be using textual support to prove that there is a basis for your thesis and that you're not just making it up or misreading the text. Textual support can come in the form of quotes or can be paraphrased. Either is equally valid as long as you cite correctly and do not misinterpret the meaning of the text.

In high school (especially in the younger grades), teachers generally ask for quotes to see that you know how to properly use textual support. In University, profs generally prefer quotation only when necessary and paraphrasing in most cases. This shows that you can not only pick out important points from the text, but understand those points and put them in your own words.

Go through your essay and look at your major points. When you get to each point ask yourself if you have supported it using the text. If you haven't, go look for support and put it in there.

Hope this helps you!

Essays / Develop a thesis statement for KING LEAR: hidden loyalty/ blindness and sight / argument [9]

Check thesis - King Lear

This is the thesis I have developed for my essay on King Lear:

Lear and Gloucester's journeys in relation their respective children, Cordelia and Edgar, explore the theme of conversion and salvation. Both fathers sin against their children, must be stripped of their worldly preoccupations before they can recognize the truth, and finally accept their child's unconditional love and the salvation that comes with it.

What needs to be clearer? Is it debatable enough? Is it incomplete? Does it give too much information? Is the phrasing awkward? Should it be more concise? Any other improvements you could suggest would be much appreciated.

My TA's major criticism of my last essay was that my thesis should have been more sophisticated and less even-handed, so I want to make sure I have a good thesis this time.

Thanks!
Sarah

Book Reports / Thesis Needed for Milton's Paradise Lost [4]

Kevin's advice is very good and I think you should follow it. A couple of things that you might want to think about as you're reading;

Who is the hero of Paradise Lost? Is there one?
How does Milton both conform to and deviate from the standards of an epic?
How does the language of specific characters comment on their individual natures? Does the style of expression change for any specific characters? What does this reflect?

Those were just a few things I found interesting when I read Paradise Lost. I hope you develop something that interests you.

Grammar, Usage / Do I need to cite the Bible? [8]

Thanks!