I need help thinking of a thesis statement and a theme for an essay on The Awakening. The main prompt of the essay is to determine what the author’s underlying intent is in shaping the reader’s understanding about being an individual in society. What is a thesis I could use that ties in a good theme? Thanks!!

A great strategy to use while developing any kind of literary thesis statement involves making a debatable point about the text and proving your side of the debate in your writing.
The question asks you to decide what the author is trying to say about individualism in The Awakening, so let's start with that point: what do you think is the underlying message of the work?
While focus your thesis statement on theme, you might consider these ideas: feminism in The Awakening, suicide as an act of personal empowerment, gender roles, self-reliance, and shows of personal strength. Select a literary term that emphasizes the theme, like characterization or a key event in the plot. Decide what you are trying to argue, and put all the components together in a thesis statement made up of these components, like this:

Chopin's depiction of Edna's suicide supports the theme of self-reliance in The Awakening.

You might discuss, in your analysis, the connections between Edna's act of suicide and what it means to be and to act as an individual. Does the fact that suicide results in death mean that it is less of an act of self-reliance, or is suicide Edna's only option if she wants to be self-reliant? How do you plan to link Edna's character with the theme of self-reliance? Check to make sure your thesis is debatable and that you have quotes to support your argument, and you're ready to write your essay.