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 WHAT – plot summary or observation about the text. HOW – the literary devices, concepts, themes, patterns that you choose to prove your claim. 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.

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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.