Sample Thesis Paragraphs (from Reaction Paper #1)

Orly Krasners essay Birth Pangs, Growing Pains, and Sibling Rivalry: Musical Theater in New York, 1900-1920
explains the beginnings of American musical theatre in the early 20 th century, and how it grew during that time to
become the beginnings of what we recognize today as musical theater. The American musical theater culture had to
evolve to please a population with changing tastes.
The American musical evolved from an operatic to a common style in response to the changing tastes of the
population, despite the opinions of early theatre critics
What is a musical? Critics and composer alike have quibbled over the proper terminology for plays with music.
Indeed, the plays diverse forms in the early twentieth century made it difficult to classify them, especially as forms
borrowed from each other to create something fresh. The early diversity Krasner depicts has not been lost as the
American musical grew up; indeed, now it is almost as tricky to classify musical plays today.
The early diversity Krasner depicts has not been lost, for the American musical remains difficult to classify today.
In Orly Leah Krasners paper Birth Pangs, Growing Pains, and Sibling Rivalry: Musical Theater in New York, 19001920, Krasner discusses the development of musical theatre in the early 20 th century and the many genres that came
from it. In order to easily demonstrate the advances of this form, Krasner highlighted events that had a large impact
by writing with parallel structure and including detailed background information for each composer.
In this article, Krasner successfully highlights events that had a large impact on American musical theatre by writing
with parallel structure and including relevant background information.
This presents an argument, but not a very strong one, since it simply articulates (describes) the format that Krasner
uses.
From 1900 to 1920, American musical entertainment was a confusion of many genres and characteristics. All the
divergences and fusions of the era seem to stem from a single conflict: the battle between old and new. This is a
factor in almost all changes in history, especially in American history, but it is made especially evident in this era by
Krasners analysis. The collision of older European and new American musical culture in the early 1900s shows in
the inclusion of European and American styles of song and story.
As older European and new American musical culture collided they began to form musical theatre as we think of it
today.
1

Still rather weak. How about this:

The collision of older European styles and newer American tastes at the beginning of the twentieth century led to the
emergence of musical theatre as we know it today.
Franz Lehrs the Merry Widow was a marked success in America, and it served a massive role in shaping 20 th
century American musical theatre. In reading the Krasner article, I found it interesting how, while the Merry Widows
influence changed the style of American musicals through its inclusion of dance, the musical genre itself was still seen
as a lesser form.
In her article, Krasner discusses the importance of dance in the American musical while also contrasting public
opinion with theatre critics opinions of those musicals.
This still seems pretty descriptiveit just rehashes what is in the article rather than articulating an argument. Perhaps
the author of this para should choose one of these topics but not both. For example:
(1) Krasners assertion that the use of dance in The Merry Widow changed American musical theatre is
supported by the important role of dance in musicals throughout the rest of the twentieth century.
or: (2) Krasners argument about the influential role of The Merry Widow is convincing, but seems puzzling in the
face of critics negative attitudes towards the genre itself.