THESIS FORMULA:
In the genre “title,” author conveys (reveals, communicates, shows etc) THEME through AP
prompt focus.
PROMPT:
The following passage is from the novel The Known World by Edward P. Jones. Read the
passage carefully. Then, in a well-organized essay, analyze how the author reveals the character
of Moses. In your analysis, you may wish to consider such literary elements as point of view,
selection of detail, and imagery.
THESIS:
In the selection from the novel The Known World, Edward P. Jones reveals the deeply personal
impact bondage has on a man through the character of Moses, a slave.
OR
In the selection from the novel The Known World, Edward P. Jones shows the duality of the
natural world, the bondage and freedom it provides for the slave Moses.
MOVING BEYOND THE FORMULA:
The personal impact that bondage has on the slave Moses in the selection from Edward P.
Jones’s novel The Known World is cruelly revealed in the false sense of freedom he experiences.
PONDER THIS:
The theme obviously does not come from the prompt; that comes from a critical reading of the
text. That is key. Get past the prompt so that you can READ THE TEXT. Then, using the prompt,
you can frame a thesis that drives a complex and sophisticated discussion of the text.
THESIS + CONCLUSION:
Tip: Do these first, together for better organization.
Example 1
THESIS:
Merely a prostitute, exile allowed Sonia to see past societal roles and rely on something other
than herself, enriching her life and leading to redemption.
FINAL STATEMENT:
Exile, capable of destruction, transformed Sonia into a redeemer. Her alienation did not render
her incapable in life, but rather built her into a newer, more loving person.
Example 2
THESIS:
Ranging from the depths of reclusiveness to the heights of generosity, Dostoyevsky's fractured
portrayal of the criminal psyche of Raskolnikov questioned what classifies a person as evil.
FINAL STATEMENT:
He was a man divided from the beginning; for while he murdered, he gave money, and while he
held the rich in contempt, he compassionately held a poor prostitute in his arms. In displaying
such dualism, Dostoyevsky unflinchingly cracks open his protagonist to delve into the dark
corridors of every human heart. By forcing his audience to contemplate what truly qualifies as
crime, what truly qualifies as evil, Dostoyevsky's complex portrait of Raskolnikov offers a
terrifyingly simple prospect: that no one is truly good.
YOU TRY:
1970. Choose a character from a novel or play of recognized literary merit and write an essay in
which you (a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists
and (b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. In your essay do
not merely summarize the plot.
A THESIS STATEMENT:
 Tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under
discussion.
o (Usually the prompt connection)
 Directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or
subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or
Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
 Makes a claim that others might dispute.
o (There’s a reason to read your paper, something to prove = no plot summary)
 Is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest
of the paper.
o (Keeps you organized and focused)
 Is usually a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your
argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes
evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
EXAMPLE:
In The Box Man, by Barbara Lazear Ascher, the protagonist reveals that a life of solitude need
not always be lonely.
THEMATIC STATEMENT
 the author’s message about humanity
 the reason for writing/reading this story



Does your thesis contain a thematic statement?
Do your quotes relate to your theme?
Does your analysis explain, support, or extend your thesis statement? (Can be more than
one sentence)
Essay Tips
• A Q E [Assertion (claim), quote, explain]
• Have a thesis.
• Have topic sentences that support thesis. If they don’t or can’t, your thesis might be weak.
• Stay in control of your sentences. Simple and clear trumps flowery and wandering.
• Whether you write your intro immediately or defer it, the question you are answering
must be obvious in the first paragraph.
• Don’t worry about a tidy conclusion. Be brilliant until you run out of time.
Work for depth of analysis:
 A basic level of response is a paraphrase or an analysis of the text but not both. It may
score between 3-5.
 A better level of response includes a more thorough analysis of specific rhetorical
strategies/writing techniques and also includes references to the text (quotations). It may
score 6-7.
 The best level of response blends quotations plus analysis of techniques/strategies with
interpretation of their effect on the meaning. It answers the “So what?” question. This
level of essay provides full analysis of the prompt and also demonstrates impressive
control of language. It may score 8-9.
Before we talk…






Have you read the example essays?
o Have you identified what’s good about each? SPECIFICALLY
o Have you compared these essays to yours?
 Can you cite instances where the essays compare/contrast?
Can you defend the AQE’s in your essay?
Theme? What is the reason that this story (poem) was written?
o What is the message about humanity?
o How do you defend this message in your paper?
Can you make an outline of your paper?
Do you make me work as a reader? Connect the dots
Just because you say it, doesn’t make it true – PROVE IT!