Webb
English 1113:I’m Right And I Can Prove It!
Developing a Thesis
The Problem:
Thesis Statement: Reaching an argumentative, fully developed, finalized, concise statement from and unbiased, merely suggestive, incomplete lengthy narrative. Creating an intangible theory based on tangible evidence.
The Solution:
1. Pick one element of interest:
“I like the scenery in the novel.”
2. Form an opinion about the element:
“The scenery in the novel seems to reflect the characters’ emotions.”
3. Refine your opinion to an exacting argument:
“Because Kara is a quiet, demure character, the reader is exposed to her conflicted feelings only by the author transposing them onto the scenery.”
4. Find evidence in the text to support your argument (remember: the argument is not the evidence, it is your opinion):
“Kara’s face was still and expressionless but, as she stared out the window, the waves crashed against the sore with ravaging ferociousness” (Author 1).
5. Summarize the textual evidence and combine it with your argument, making thesis:
“Because Kara is a quiet, demure character, the reader is exposed to her true conflicted feelings only by the author transposing them onto the scenery. This transference is evident in her quieted expression during the many arguments with her husband as the ocean, sky, and landscape are, instead, in turmoil.”
6. Extend your argument (thesis) into revealing the truth of a larger context”
“Because Kara is a quiet, demure character, the reader is exposed to her true conflicted feelings only by the author transposing them onto the scenery. This transference is evident in her quieted expression during the many arguments with her husband as the ocean, sky, and landscape are, instead, in turmoil. Therefore, the author reveals the hidden complexities lying underneath the one-dimensional Victorian concept of womanhood by exhibiting Kara’s unrecognized intellect and power outside of the restricted domestic realm she occupies and her husband perceives.”
Common Misconceptions
A thesis statement is NOT plot summary. It IS an argument - your opinion on, or theory you derive from the plot.
NO: “Fred made many mistakes as a boy.” – This is a statement of fact or a plot summary
YES: “Because of his mistakes as a boy, Fred becomes a character representative of lost childhood and the negative effects this void has on one’s personality.”
A thesis is NOT character description. It is your deeper philosophical reading and resultant theory on the character’s choices and emotions.
NO: “Fred is often sad and displeased with his life.” - Again, a statement, not an opinion.
YES: “Fred’s unhappiness manifests in poor choices that express his subconscious desire
to further worsen his life so he can, in turn, feel more self-pity.”
A thesis does NOT possess both sides of an argument.
NO: “There are similarities and differences between Fred’s personality and Maria’s.”
YES: “The similarities between Fred and Maria’s personalities speak to their later union,
resultant co-dependency, and ultimate destruction.”
Note: You do, however, want to consider other positions or questions and address one or two of them in your paper, just not in your thesis. Including differing opinions or possible questions show that you are thinking beyond the “narrow vision” of your thesis, that you anticipate opposition, you still believe your argument is the best one. If you are unsure how to include such counterevidence in your paper, see me or your professor for additional suggestions.
Ways to Form and Test Your Thesis
1. Have an opinion!
If your statement is not an opinionated argument of your understanding of an aspect of the text’s workings, it is not a thesis.
If someone cannot argue AGAINST your statement, it is not a thesis.
If someone cannot argue against your thesis because it would contradict the story’s actions, it is a plot summary or characterization, not a thesis.
2. A thesis describes FUNCTION, not action.
Action is the WHAT of the story; your thesis needs to address the HOW and (more importantly) the WHY.
Do not merely recite what the character does (this can be used as textual support, though), but demonstrate how those actions reach some theory or explores some outside context.
A good thesis must encompass some larger context (function) about gender, politics, society, philosophy, theology, science, etc., rather than rely on the smaller issue (action) of textual occurrences.
3. The “So what?” Method.
Read your thesis and then ask, “So what?” If there is further to go, this question will force you to do so. Because your statement needs to be fully developed to a complete end, asking yourself if there is another logical step in your argument not yet addressed will force you to continue to its completion. Keep asking yourself (and your argument) questions until you are satisfied with the answers. Challenge your argument – others certainly will. This will help you to think and further your argument beyond mere text to the deeper theories and contexts within it. The result should be a short, concise statement that is not too broad and, hence, lengthy to address in a page-limited paper. The bonus is that the more concise and less broad a statement, the less you have to address, argue and WRITE!