There are many thesis statements that you could construct about the play The Niceties. A thesis statement is a defensible statement that makes a claim about a topic. To develop your thesis, first reflect on what you learned from the play or what you notice about the play. Consider what the main point of the play is, or what you feel the playwright intended by making certain artistic choices.

The Niceties is a play about generational divides and perspectives on topics like history and race. To construct a thesis about it, consider what you think the playwright is saying about the gaps between generations and how they view topics like race. For example, one could argue that the character of the student represents something specific (whatever you believe) about today’s college students’ political views. Or one could argue that the character of the professor represents something about older generations. These would both be specific statements that one could use direct examples of dialogue from the play to support. They are also statements that someone could disagree with, which makes them specific arguments.

Once you have your thesis statement, it is always helpful to make an outline. When reflecting on the benefits of an outline, consider what it would be like to go right into writing a paper without one. Consider why it would be difficult to not have an organizational structure to follow. The reasons you come up with will help you answer why it is important to have an outline.