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What could be a thesis statement for Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan?
Quick answer:
A thesis statement for Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan could explore the theme of identity, highlighting Ivan's transformation from a content captive gorilla to realizing his true nature as a wild animal. Alternatively, a thesis might address the emotional bonds between humans and animals, the moral implications of using animals for entertainment, or the broader themes of freedom versus confinement and man versus nature.
In Katherine Applegate's novel, Ivan, a gorilla, is portrayed as being very similar to human beings. His confinement in the mall exhibit is compared to the imprisonment of human beings. Several possible theses can relate to these comparisons between human and nonhuman primates. Each reader must decide for themselves the reasons behind Ivan's growing consciousness and final adjustment to his new home.
One thesis might address the power of the imagination as a quality that makes humans beings similar to gorillas. The girl Julia befriends both Bob, the dog, and Ivan. Her friendship helps sustain him in the new habitat. Another thesis could address the emotional connections that can be formed between humans and other animals. The morality and legitimacy of Ivan's use for entertainment could be examined in a thesis critical of such spectacles—compared to the habitat where he goes to live.
There are a number of different...
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themes in Katherine Applegate'sThe One
and Only Ivan, including, but not limited to, man vs. nature, identity,
and freedom vs. confinement.
Because the novel contains so many themes, you have the option of choosing from
a variety of unique thesis statements.
Here's one potential thesis statement you could
use:
In Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan, the theme of identity
is explored as Ivan, a silverback gorilla living in captivity, goes from being
totally content living out his life in the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade to
realizing that he's a wild animal who's not meant to be caged.
* As I mentioned before, though, there are a number of different themes in this
novel, so if you don't want to write about identity, you could always choose to
write about man vs. nature (the people in the book represent humankind and the
animals represent the natural world) or the concept of freedom vs. confinement
instead.
In order to help you choose your theme, I've left you some questions to
mull over:
- Can Ivan still be "free" while living in captivity?
- Is freedom about physical limitations or is it a state of being?
- Where does Ivan's sense of self come from?
- How does mankind impact the natural world?
Good luck!