This thesis statement is an example of an umbrella type thesis statement: I think that happiness depends on the person, but most happy people have four things in common: they are grateful, they have a growth mindset, they feel empathy toward others, and they set goals for themselves.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Examining the statement in question, we need to evaluate whether the given thesis qualifies as an umbrella-type thesis or not.
Option 1: 'True' — If we treated this as true, we would be asserting that the thesis is indeed an umbrella thesis. An umbrella thesis typically presents one broad claim that introduces multiple sub-points or categories that are then elaborated in the supporting paragraphs. In this sentence, the author claims that happiness depends on the person and then immediately lists four traits—gratitude, a growth mindset, empathy, and goal-setting—as commonalities among most happy people. One might argue that this structure creates a broad main idea (happiness depends on the person) with several related subpoints (the four traits). However, for a statement to be a clear umbrella thesis, those subpoints should function as distinct subtopics that would each be explored under the umbrella of the main claim. Critics could view the line as more of a prescriptive list of qualities associated with happiness rather than a unified umbrella that groups several large subtopics under a single overarching claim. In other words, while it has a main claim plus a list of specifics, it may not truly establish a single broad category under which all those specifics neatly fall, which is a core feature of an umbrella thesis.
Option 2: 'False' — The given sentence is commonly taught as an example that attempts to bundle multiple ideas under one overarching claim about happiness and its supposed common traits. Yet because the sentence also includes a hedging phrase ('depends on the person') and then specifies four particular traits as common, it can be interpreted as a “list-based” or “compound” thesis rather than a clean umbrella thesis. A true umbrella thesis would more clearly present a single, broad idea with several subtopics that are logically subordinate to it. The presence of a conditional and a prescriptive list can muddle the umbrella structure, making the statement not fit the strict definition of an umbrella thesis. Therefore, labeling it as False aligns with the view that the sentence does not establish a clean umbrella-type thesis.
A few additional clarifications:
- The phrase 'umbrella thesis' usually signals a broad overarching idea with multiple subtopics that will be discussed under its umbrella, each subtopic being distinct yet related.
- If the four traits were framed as distinct subpoints that each directly support the main claim about happiness in a way that clearly fits under one broader category, it would be closer to an umbrella thesis.
- The exact language here ('happiness depends on the person' plus four common traits) tends to blur the boundaries between main idea and subpoints, which is why some instructors might not classify it as a textbook umbrella thesis.
In summary, the option 'True' asserts the sentence is an umbrella thesis; given typical criteria for umbrella theses and the sentence’s structure, this classification is debatable, making the safer evaluation that the statement is not a textbook umbrella thesis, hence the correct choice is best described as False.

Accelerated ELL Writing 2 | Thesis Statement Quiz

This thesis statement is an example of an umbrella type thesis statement: I think that happiness depends on the person, but most happy people have four things in common: they are grateful, they have a growth mindset, they feel empathy toward others, and they set goals for themselves.

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