Writing a Thesis for a Literary Analysis Grade 11 English

Your Goal for the Essay Writer presents the reader with a new, original way of looking at the novel.

Definition of Literature Analysis Writer is asked to analyze a work based on a prompt. Will use careful reasoning to explain how that evidence relates to the main points of the interpretation. Writer forms a thesis based on this interpretation.

To deconstruct a prompt: 1.Read it 2. Take it apart 3. Understand what you need to do 4. Determine how to respond to the prompt correctly How do I do that? Deconstructing a Prompt (constructing means to build) Deconstructing means to take apart National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

Pay careful attention to the wording of the prompt. Does the prompt give you suggestions to get started? Look for suggestions in the prompt to get you started (ideas to think about, verbs that tell you what to do). Use key words from the prompt to construct your thesis statement. Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt National RtI Writing Demonstration Project

Role What role do you take as the writer? (student, citizen, expert) Audience Who is your audience? (class, parent, teacher, friend) Format What kind of response are you writing? (essay, letter, descriptive) What are the verbs in the prompt asking you to do? (advise your classmate, justify your opinion, explain why…) Task Strong key words What are the key words that you need to include in your response? Hint: Use these words to construct your thesis statement. You can use the word RAFTS to help you remember how to deconstruct a prompt. Identifying Key Parts of a Written Prompt

How do I develop a Thesis? Writer Makes a more comprehensive list of the details that relate to your point. Remembers that one of the qualities that makes for a good interpretation is that it avoids the obvious.

The Thesis Writer creates the thesis: a one sentence condensation of the analysis that is to follow. We refer to that condensation as a thesis statement.

A thesis statement: tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion. is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.

A thesis statement: 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 The Great Gatsby; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the novel. makes a claim that others might dispute.

A thesis statement: is usually a single sentence usually at then end of your introduction (your first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader.

Formulating a Thesis Statement Essay must be thesis driven, so form a thesis based on the prompt. Ask yourself: Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.

Formulating a Thesis Statement Ask yourself: Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?

Formulating a Thesis Statement Ask yourself: Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? 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.

So, how do I do it? Use your prewriting time to jot down ideas that support your thesis. Choose the pieces of evidence you’ll be able to say the most about.

Thesis Supported by Evidence As you begin thinking about what claim/thesis you can make (i.e. what kinds of conclusion you can come to) keep in mind that they should relate to the evidence.

Thesis Supported by Evidence In your essay you will Support your thesis with appropriate examples from the work(s). Each time you use a specific reference to your story, be sure to explain the significance of that evidence in your own words.

And that is how you write a thesis for a literary analysis!