H. Expository Composition period 6

Following is the rough draft of an opening paragraph for an essay on a theme. read the paragraph and then answer the questions that you were unable to answer in class:

In The Three Theban Plays, more commonly known as Oedipus Rex; Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone, a  subtle universal theme lays the foundation for the tragedy that dogs Oedipus and his entire biological line.  Most readers attend to  the horrific details the oracle predicts: that Oedipus was doomed to kill his father and marry his mother.  No matter how heinous those crimes, the fault of the story neither lies in blind Oedipus doing exactly what the Oracle predicted nor his denial of it. Rather the tragedy lies in the plot Lauis and his wife Jocasta hatch to outsmart the Gods, fate, destiny, in the first place.  Although man is knowing, he fashions “words and stagecraft too” words are tamed in “the net of his mind”. Nevertheless, pleads  the chorus, man is a finite being, and although he exerts much control over his being, ultimately there are many “things” he cant not control, order, escape or outwit.  The true tragedy lies in thinking we can do so. 

Questions: Write out the sentences that appear to make claims or express opinions. 

2. Which sentences appears to be the thesis statement?  3.  What does the paragraph do well and in what areas is attention needed? 4. Based on the opening paragraph, we would expect the next paragraph to.......