Constructing an Arguable
Thesis
The Argument
• When you write a literary essay, you are
making an argument / an interpretation.
• You will argue that your perspective – an
interpretation, an evaluative judgment, or a
critical evaluation – is a valid one.
• Consider the following…
3 Components of Developing an
Arguable Thesis
1. WHAT – plot summary or observation
about the text.
2. HOW – the literary devices, concepts,
themes, patterns that you choose to
prove your claim.
3. WHY (a.k.a. So what? What is at
stake?) – the significance of your idea in
terms of understanding the text as a
whole. This is the arguable part of an
analytical paper.
An Arguable Thesis Statement
• Like any argument paper you have ever
written, you must have a specific, detailed
thesis statement that reveals your
perspective, which must be debatable.
• A thesis is arguable when someone could
take the same theme, symbol, idea,
character, etc. and prove something
entirely different.
An Arguable Thesis Statement
cont’d…
• It is stated as a fact (something that can
be proven); however, it does not state a
fact that can easily be found in the text.
• For example: Remarque portrays the
soldiers as animals when they fight on the
frontline. – This is a fact, not a thesis. A
thesis will explain why he conveys them as
animals.
Arguable Thesis
Observation from the
+
Evidence
Commentary
An Arguable Thesis Statement
cont’d…
• A thesis identifies an observation (what
and how) and then addresses why this
observation exists.
• Arguable thesis = Observations from the
text (textual evidence – the what and how)
+ Commentary (Why does this
observation exist? “So what?”)
In other words…
• All thesis statements can be broken down
into two parts:
1) the observation (using the evidence to
support the patterns or structure of
literary devices from the text or the
recurring theme)
and…
2) the commentary you will argue (this
helps with organization/set-up of a
paper).
Non-Examples
• You would NOT want to make an
argument of this sort:
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is about a
young man who seeks revenge.
• This thesis doesn’t say anything – it’s a
summary and it’s hardly debatable.
• Avoid summary statements and obvious
observations from the text [Level 1].
A better thesis would be…
• Hamlet experiences internal conflict because
he is in love with his mother.
• This statement is debatable (and
controversial). [How/Observation = internal
conflict; Why/Commentary = in love with his
mother]
• The rest of the paper will attempt to show,
using examples from the text, (1) how Hamlet
is in love with his mother, (2) why he’s in love
with her, and (3) what implications there are
for reading the play in this manner.
Examples of some common
problems w/ Thesis statements
• The Plot summary thesis:
This poem shows the narrator comparing his lover to a
summer’s day.
• Proving the universal:
“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” presents
the power of love to conquer death.
• The overly general thesis:
Shakespeare’s sonnets reveal how narratives can last
in ways that nature cannot. [Note: if you can plug
another text into your thesis, your thesis is probably
too general.]
Examples of some common
problems w/ Thesis statements
• The cliché thesis:
“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” proves the point that
the pen is mightier than the sword.
• The list thesis:
The structure, character, and dialogue in this poem show us how all
humans search for knowledge. [Nothing technically “wrong” with
this thesis, but it’s really boring! This is a great place to start with
a thesis statement; then expand and/or finesse the what?, how?,
and why? components.]
• The reader-response thesis (as an unhelpful way of
dealing with the “so what?”):
Shakespeare’s sonnets show how the narrator compares poetry
favorably to nature to get the reader to understand how narrative
lasts forever [All texts are addressed somehow to readers. This
is not an analytical point].
A good arguable thesis:
• In the poem “Shall I Compare Thee to a
Summer’s Day?,” Shakespeare uses
images and the structure of the sonnet to
convey how the power of human narrative
asserts its dominance over nature.
• Note:
– Observation: the use of images and the
structure of the sonnet
– Commentary: the power of narrative over
nature.
Final thought…
• Everything in the paper must relate to the thesis.
THEREFORE, …
– The evidence you use in the body paragraphs will
relate to the “observation” portion of the thesis
(examples from the test that support the observation).
Your interpretation/commentary of the evidence must
relate to the “commentary” portion of the thesis (your
insights as to why the evidence is important – the “So
What?”).
– You must be selective!
– When trying to say something, you cannot say
everything or you’ll end up saying nothing at all!
Topics to consider when
constructing a thesis:
• A discussion of a work’s characters: are they realistic,
symbolic, or historically based?
• An examination of the characters’ motives or author’s
purposes.
• A comparison/contrast of the choices different authors or
characters make in a work.
• A study of the sources or historical events that
occasioned a particular work.
• An analysis of a specific image occurring in several
works.
• A study of the social, political, or economic context in
which a work was written.
Thesis Help 101
Recap:
 A thesis is arguable when someone can
take the same theme, symbol, idea,
character, etc. and prove something
entirely different.
 A thesis identifies an observation (very
specific; narrow in focus) and then
addresses why this observation exists.
If you are desperate…

Try one of these fill in the blanks. Once you have filled
in the blanks, you will need to rewrite your thesis
so it does not “read” like a formula [remove the 1st
p.o.v. and rewrite it so it makes sense].
– I observe ____________ in [this piece of literature], and I am
going to argue, show, or prove that ________ is used to
__________.
– Although most readers of _______ have argued that ________,
closer examination shows that _______.
– ________ uses ________ and ________ to prove that
_____________.
– Phenomenon X is a result of the combination of __________,
__________, and ___________. [Do not use this as a thesis.
The formula helps you think through the essay. These three
factors should have something overall in common. Figure out
what it is, then each factor will become a main point in your
paper.]
How do I know if my thesis is any good?


You must have some sense of how you will develop your
thesis persuasively before anyone can give you a
preliminary evaluation: always be ready to discuss the
supporting evidence and your reasoning when asking for
feedback on a working thesis.
“Do I answer the research question?” This might seem
obvious, but it’s worth asking. No matter how intriguing
or dazzling, a thesis that doesn’t answer the question is
not a good thesis! [For instance, if you are being asked
to “take a stand,” do you? If you ask “what’s the most
important event of ...,” do you just state why your
selection is important, or do you state why you think it’st
the most important even when compared to other
important events? – the latter is the arguable approach;
the former is expository only. Re-reading the question
prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you
fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.
Also, remember to be specific in you answer; avoid the
obvious, the general, and the vague.
How do I know if my thesis is any good?

“Have I taken a position that others might challenge or
oppose?” If not, then you probably do not have a strong
argument. Theses that are too vague often have this
problem. If your thesis contains vague words like
“good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific:
why is something “good”; what makes something
“successful”?
 “Does my thesis pass the ‘So What?’ test.” Also known
as the “What’s the Big Deal?” test, the “So What?” test
asks whether your thesis presents a position or an
interpretation worth pursuing. If a reader’s first
response is, “So What?” then you need to clarify, to
forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Once a reader says, “Gee, this argument has the
potential to broaden my understanding of the
significance of this topic,” then you have successfully
passed this test.”
How do I know if my thesis is any good?

“Does my essay support my thesis specifically
and without wandering?” Just as a thesis that
doesn’t answer the question ultimately fails, so
does a thesis that isn’t properly supported with
evidence and reasoning. If your thesis and the
body of your essay do not seem to go together,
one of them has to change. Generally, this
means revising your thesis to capture more
precisely the argument in your paper.
Remember, always reassess and revise your
writing as necessary.
Examples of well-written thesis
statements…
Through its contrasting river and shore scenes,
Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find
the true expression of American democratic
ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go
back to nature.
 In Young Goodman Brown, Hawthorne uses light
and darkness to emphasize good and evil in the
world.
 In Chaucer’s “The Miller’s Tale,” the sexual
behaviors of such characters as Alisoun,
Nicholas, and Absolon subvert the audience
expectations raised by the courtly love tradition
in “The Knight’s Tale.”

CMC Sample Thesis Statement
Topic: Literary device – imagery associated with
evil. [Note the images/metaphors that the writer
uses to describe the antagonists: i.e. Danglars =
“demon of hatred”(6); Fernand = “snake”(10).]
 Thesis: The antagonists in the novel are closely
associated with images of evil which
dehumanizes them and makes them
justifiable targets of divine wrath.
