ENG125: Introduction to Literature
Writing a Clear and Sound Thesis for a Literary Analysis
Purpose: Use this resource to learn about thesis statements and as a tool for creating your own.
What is a thesis?
The thesis statement is the keystone of your paper. You can compare it to the foundation of a building: If
your foundation is poorly built or too weak – if it’s too general or flimsy – the building will fall down.
It’s key to build a strong foundation, one that will hold up the many parts of your building.
What does the thesis statement do?
The thesis statement announces the analytical argument you intend to prove in the main body of your
essay. You might view it as a road map for your analysis since tells the reader what to expect in the
essay. Be sure to write a clear and direct road map that contains the essential elements of your argument.
Where does the thesis statement go?
ENG125: Introduction to Literature
The thesis, which can be one or two sentences, should be placed somewhere in the introduction of your
essay. It will often appear as the last sentence(s) in the paragraph.
What should a thesis statement include?
A successful thesis statement keeps your building standing and helps readers find their way through the
essay. It should also be thought provoking and engaging.
How should I write a thesis statement?
When you first begin to write a thesis, you may write a working thesis or a statement that helps you get a
start on your paper. A working thesis statement is just like a regular thesis statement, except that you can
tweak it and change it as you explore your topic, conduct your research, and develop your paper.
Your thesis statement should include two parts: what and why.
What: What claim are you making about the text?
Why: Why should we care about that claim? Why is your claim important to you and your analysis? In
other words, your thesis should answer the “So what?” question.

The “So what?” question can include various approaches.
o
What is important about this analysis?
o
Why does the analysis matter in how we understand the work?
o
What makes this analysis interesting and relevant to our understanding of the human
condition?
What does a good thesis statement look like?
Example: Through its contrasting forest and town scenes, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
indicates that to find express freedom and imaginative creative, one must leave “civilized” society and go
back to nature.

This thesis statement provides a strong foundation and a clear road map. It also presents an
interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of it content and answers the “So what?”
question.

The thesis contains clear details and names the author and book title; it also shows a clear contrast
to be made.
What does a not-so-great thesis statement look like?
ENG125: Introduction to Literature
Example: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is a great American novel.

What’s wrong with this thesis statement? It’s an opinion about the book, not an argument.
Example: In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain develops a contrast between a boy’s wild,
imaginative life in the forest and his more sedate, controlled life in the town.

What is still missing in this thesis?

It doesn’t answer the “So what?” question—what is the point of the contrast? What does the
contrast signify?
Which is the better thesis statement for the movie World War Z, and why? Check with your
instructor to see if you got the answer right.
1. In World War Z, a virus changes people into flesh-eating zombies, which can mean the end of the
world if humans don’t fight back.
2. Brad Pitt, in World War Z, fights zombies to save his family and the entire world.
3. In World War Z, the protagonist, played by Brad Pitt, struggles to find the origin of the virus as
well as a cure, which represents how modern societies respond to disease.
4. Zombie movies, like World War Z, feature world apocalypse with the scientist struggling to find a
solution, a concept that has a long history in American culture and reveals a belief about
technology.
Template for Writing a Thesis for a Literary Analysis
Fill out the blanks below, and then revise your sentence into a thesis.
The conflict identified in the story/poem/drama ____________________(title of work) ___________by
_____(name of author)_____________ and ________(title of work) ____________________by
_______________(name of author) ___________________ centers on ___________________________,
which represents______________________________, showing that humans ______________________.
In the story/poem, ____________(name of work) ______________________ and ______________(name
of work) ______________________, the writers __________(name of writer of first work) ___________
and __________________(name of writer of second work) _________________________, focus on
___________________(name of conflict) __________________________ to reveal how ____________.
ENG125: Introduction to Literature
Thesis Checklist
 Does your thesis mention the titles of the works and the authors?
 Does the statement refer to a specific conflict?
 Does the statement provide a narrow focus on how you will address or evaluate the conflict?
 Does the statement provide an answer to the “So what?” question as it relates to the topic?