Is this a good thesis statement? please help?

Question

The entertainment industry in the United States has been presenting the Mexican-American lifestyle in a stereotypical light through the use of the filmmaking, the stereotypical representation of the Mexican culture, and the portrayal of Hispanics in movie roles.

Topic:
How are hispanics presented in movies/television? Various Stereotypes?

Answer 1

No. A thesis statement should not only set up a subject, but should also shed light on exactly what way you will be looking at that subject. This statement only presents background and says nothing about how you will approach the topic in your paper. Add a sentence or two illuding to your conclusion.

Answer 2

The stereotypical representation of the Mexican culture, and the portrayal of Hispanics, in the film making, and entertainment industry in the United States...

Answer 3

Your first and second clauses don't actually make sense. Look at it as a list--M.A. lifestyle presented in a stereotypical light through these three ways:

1) filmmaking
2) stereotypical rep. of Mex. culture
3) portrayal of Hispanics

Filmmaking is too broad and generic--it includes parts 2 & 3. If you look just at #2, you are saying "Entertainment industry presented MA lifestyle stereotypically through streotypical representation of Mexican culture." Do you see how that doesn't actually say anything?

I can't tell if the problem is that your statement itself is too vagure, or that you haven't really figured out what you are going to say in your essay. I know a lot of teachers teach this differently (and wrongly, in my opinion), but it doesn't make sense to start off with a thesis statement until you actually know most of the content of the body of the essay. This helps you avoid vagueness, because you can focus your thesis on the actual pints you will make.

Answer 4

I'd prefer something like this:

"Rather than presenting a balanced and rounded view of Hispanics, the United States' entertainment industry has prefered to use a number of stereotypical Hispanic characters."

To make it even better either:
a) give a short list of those stereotypes (drug dealers, street gang members etc.) or
b) state briefly why you think the entertainment industry has done this (e.g. to exploit and confirm Anglo prejudices)
Good luck.