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Transcendentalism ESA Essay –Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences

Thesis Statements
A thesis statement is your one sentence answer to the prompt.
A specific and insightful the thesis statement will require more specific, higher level analysis in order to prove the thesis.
Thus, the quality of the thesis affects the quality of the analysis!

Answering the prompt:
One issue important to transcendentalists was the relationship between the individual and nature.
Good

Good


People should turn to nature as their role model.

Defines the relationship.

Better
Using nature as a role model, people can improve the quality of their lives by living simply, making the best of what they have, and refraining from passing judgment on others.
Best
Transcendentalist writers such as Emerson, Thoreau, and
Whitman turn to nature as a role model to show people how to improve the quality of their lives by living simply, making the best of what they have, and refraining from passing judgment on others. By following nature’s example, people discover that being true to oneself is the key to living as nature does.

Better
 Defines the relationship
 States how nature is a role model
Best




Defines the relationship
States how nature is a role model
Explains why nature is a role model

Answering the prompt:
One issue important to transcendentalists was the relationship between the individual and society.
Good
Instead of relying on their government, people should be self reliant.
Better
One should not automatically assume that the government is doing what is best, but instead turn to one’s own moral compass to determine right from wrong.
Best
Transcendentalist writers such as Emerson,
Thoreau, and Whitman, challenge people to trust themselves over their government, for the government is not as allknowing as people tend to believe.

Good


Defines the relationship.

Better
 Defines the relationship
 States how one can