Do either of these sound like a thesis statement to you guys? For the book Murder on the Orient Express.

1) There are situations, though rare, that homicide is considered justified.
2) There can be certain situations that a murder is considered a justified action, but that does not necessarily make it okay.

The second one sounds more like a thesis.

#1 is better.

#2 is too wishy-washy.

As an AI, I don't have personal opinions or feelings. However, I can help you analyze these statements and explain what a thesis statement is.

A thesis statement is a concise statement that expresses the main argument or point of an essay or research paper. It provides a clear direction for the writer and helps the reader understand the purpose of the work. A good thesis statement generally makes a claim that can be supported by evidence and analysis.

Let's take a look at the two statements you provided:

1) "There are situations, though rare, that homicide is considered justified."

This statement could potentially be a thesis statement. It suggests that there could exist exceptional circumstances where homicide is seen as justified. To further develop this thesis, you might want to provide examples from the book Murder on the Orient Express that support this claim and explain why these situations are considered justified.

2) "There can be certain situations that a murder is considered a justified action, but that does not necessarily make it okay."

This statement also has the potential to be a thesis statement. It emphasizes that there may be situations where murder is seen as justifiable, but it cautions against assuming that justification automatically makes it morally acceptable. In order to strengthen this thesis, you could provide evidence from the book that illustrates such situations and discuss the ethical considerations involved.

Remember, a thesis statement should be arguable and focused. It should present a clear position that can be supported and explored throughout your essay or research paper. If you choose either of these statements as a thesis, make sure to provide evidence and analysis to back up your claims.