Thesis
A thesis is a point you will
argue throughout a paper.
A thesis may be an answer to
a question posed about a
work, that has no certain
answer.
Your thesis is a possible
answer that you will argue.
How to choose a
thesis
Recognize a
pattern or
identify a
problem that
you’d like to
think about in
more detail.
What is a pattern or a problem?
* A pattern can be the recurrence of
certain kinds of imagery or events.
Usually, repetition of particular
aspects of a story (similar events in
the plot, similar descriptions, even
repetition of particular words,
images, symbols, motifs).
*A problem is when a piece of
literature contains something
perplexing and doesn’t give us a
clear answer, but seems to invite us
to interpret this problem.
How to choose a
thesis
What makes a valid and interesting
opinion? A good interpretation of
fiction will:
Interpretations
of fiction are
often opinions,
but not all
opinions are
equal.
* avoid the obvious (in other words,
it won’t argue a conclusion that
most readers could reach on their
own from a general knowledge of
the story).
* support its main points with strong
evidence from the story.
* use careful reasoning to explain
how that evidence relates to the
main points of the interpretation.
Select a topic with
a lot of evidence
If you’re selecting
from a number of
possible topics,
narrow down
your list by
identifying how
much evidence or
how many
specific details
you could use to
investigate each
potential issue.
Persuasive papers rely on
ample evidence.
Having a lot of details to
choose from can also make
your paper easier to write.
Beware of absolutes you cannot prove.
Potential pitfalls
to writing a
good thesis
Answer how or
why questions,
not who what
when where.
(Alexie uses more symbolism than any other
writer.)
Literary works never prove anything about
the real world.
Be specific.
Never use first person in your thesis. (I would
argue that…)
Never phrase your thesis in the passive
voice. (The fish was caught by the seagull. The
seagull caught the fish. )
Never attribute your thesis to someone
else. (Many people believe…)
Beware the “alternative universe” thesis. (If
people didn’t drink on the reservation…)
The Lone Ranger and
Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
Take out your book and
English Notebook
Today we’ll discuss:
“The Trial of Thomas BuildsThe Fire.”
and
“A Good Story”
Start with a
question:
How does Alexie
use television as
a symbol?
Working thesis
(possible answer):
He uses it to represent the
dominant paradigm or
shared reality created by
television.
Then test your thesis by finding instances of
where he uses television as a symbol, and
build a case for your interpretation.
Write out a working (possible) thesis
Make an extended list of evidence: details that
relate to your point. Include anything,
anything, that might be useful.
Then, select your best evidence.
Refine your thesis.
In other words, make your thesis fit your
evidence – don’t try to make the evidence fit
your thesis.
Write down your thesis statement for me when it’s ready, or
send me an email. If you like, tell me what evidence you plan
to use. By Friday.
If you don’t let me know what it is, you run the risk of having
to rewrite your entire literary analysis.
What a thesis statement looks like:
The theme of the importance of present moment time is woven into many stories
In The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, by Sherman Alexie.
The thesis statement comes at the end of the
introduction paragraph.
What is time? Songwriter James Taylor wrote that “time isn’t really real.” The
perception of time is a subject that arises numerous times in The Lone Ranger and
Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, by Sherman Alexie. The theme of the importance of
present moment time is woven into many stories.
P 1 - The skeleton metaphor in “A Drug Called Tradition”
P 2 - The closing comments in “A Good Story.”
• Which is the best thesis
statement?
• Moby-Dick is about the problem
of evil.
• Moby-Dick is boring and
pointless.
• Moby-Dick is about a big, white
whale.
• The use of “whiteness” in MobyDick illustrates the uncertainty
about the meaning of life that
Ishmael expresses throughout
the novel.
Thesis Statement
Examples
• In “Harrison Bergeron,” Vonnegut
criticizes the government through the
use of indirect characterization,
irony, and external conflict.
• In Young Goodman Brown,
Hawthorne uses light and darkness to
emphasize good and evil in the
world.
Thesis Statement
Examples
The theme of redemption is set at the outset
of The Kite Runner, and weaves its way
through Amir's two betrayals of Assef
and his efforts to redeem himself in the
rescue of Assef's son.
In "The Lottery," readers believe that this is
a lovely little village, following a quaint
tradition, but after reading the shocking
ending, the reader can think back and
see that the setting, the characters, and
the action of the story are all showing us
that traditions can be horrifying and evil.
In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl may appear to a
living embodiment of Hester’s sin, but
her ultimate fate suggests that she is an
embodiment of true love, and that her
flaws are caused only by her father’s
refusal to claim her.
Arguable Thesis
Observation from the
+
Evidence
Commentary