Shaping the Essay: Part 1
A SYLLOGISM…
An essay is about a theme (SUBJECT)
 An essay communicates through a
thesis (METHOD)
 Therefore, a thesis communicates the
theme of an essay

Seems simple, right?
A universal thematic statement:
 is
a statement that can apply to just
about anyone
 describes a conflict, circumstance, or
topic that a general audience can
relate to
 does not include statements about
literature (or other work of art)
UNIVERSAL THEMATIC STATEMENTS
The following is a list of common, universal themes:
SUBJECT
MEANING
Alienation
Feeling alone or separate from the group.
Pursuit of Goals
Doing what you must to accomplish something.
Hope and
Disillusionment
Anticipating something only to discover what you
want is impossible.
Reality and Illusion
What is real versus what you wrongly think is
real.
Tradition and Change
Moving from usual, comfortable practice to new
methods.
Relationships
How individuals get along in all circumstances.
Censorship
Preventing the population from learning
information that may harm them.
Human Interaction
The importance of authentic contact with others.
SAMPLE UNIVERSAL
THEMATIC STATEMENTS
Long held beliefs and values rarely change unless
stimulated by a dramatic event.
When torn between two separate worlds, each with its own
set of values, individuals must work to find their own true
beliefs.
A child’s sense of identity comes from interacting with
others; If no positive role model is available, the child may
never reach his true potential.
UNIVERSAL THEMATIC STATEMENTS
To compose a well-developed universal thematic statement, consider various
aspects of a topic. Do this by asking your self several questions.






What is the topic?
Why is the topic an important issue?
Who does the topic involve?
How does the topic affect the average
person?
What problems or issues arise because of
this topic?
How does the topic affect the way society
functions?
UNIVERSAL THEMATIC STATEMENTS
If your topic is the generation gap, you might ask yourself the following questions
to gain an understanding of the topic and uncover some of its complexities.






What is the generation gap?
Why is the generation gap an important issue?
Who does the generation gap involve?
How does it affect the average person?
What problems or issues arise because of this
topic?
How does it affect the way society functions?
Answers to such questions will quickly uncover the complexity of
this topic.
UNIVERSAL THEMATIC STATEMENT
After your question and answer exercise, you may be able to
express the topic as an extended universal thematic statement,
such as in the following example:

When individuals of successive
generations disagree about essential
beliefs and values, the resulting gap in
communication has a destructive effect
on their relationship as well as how
society functions.
The following chart has some helpful hints
for writing universal thematic statements.
Do…
Well-Written Statements
express the theme as a general
comment on a subject.
People with realistic goals tend
to be more successful than those
who put little thought into their
future.
express the theme in your own
words.
People who commit crimes may
be punished in unexpected
ways.
express the theme as an insight
into life.
Gossip can cause serious
damage to a person’s reputation.
use qualifying words in a
universal thematic statement,
such as sometimes, can, may,
and often.
Poverty may transform honest
people into criminals.
draw a general insight from a
character’s behavior.
Friends are not always
trustworthy.
What NOT to do when writing a universal
thesis statement:
Do not…
Poorly-Written Statements
express the theme as a subject or
topic.
The theme is goals for the future.
express the theme as an adage,
cliché, or familiar saying.
Crime doesn’t pay.
express the theme as a moral.
It’s wrong to gossip about people.
make a thematic statement too
Poverty always causes crime.
general. Avoid broad
generalizations with words such as
everyone, always, never, and all.
refer to specific characters in a
thematic statement.
Liesel Meminger learned not to
trust people around her.
Now that you have a universal theme
that establishes the general topic of
your paper, you can begin to develop
your argument, which is articulated in
your thesis statement.
Thesis Statements
Thesis: a statement with a subject and
an opinion on the subject
 In a literary analysis essay, the thesis
statement should include:

1. Author
2. Title of work(s)
3. Subject
4. Argument (opinion)
Examples of thesis statements
In her poem “If You Were Coming in the Fall,” Emily Dickinson uses
simile, diction, and syntax to describe how people wait, hoping to fall in
love.
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Mark Twain’s
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true
expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized”
society and go back to nature.
The poems “i thank you God,” by e.e. cummings, and “The Swing,” by
Robert Louis Stevenson, use visual and tactile imagery to create the
sensation of movement.
In Templars and Assassins, Brigid O’Neill proves that though Christians
and Muslims were supposedly fighting for religious dominance in the
medieval world, their motives were strongly affected by the desire for
land and economic power.
How to write an introduction:



Think of your intro ¶
as an inverted
pyramid
You start broad and
general at the top
Then narrow to a
specific focus at the
bottom tip (sharp
and precise)
universal statement
about subject theme
(abstract noun)
bridge theme
to novel
(development)
thesis
statement