Constructing an Arguable Thesis

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Constructing an Arguable Thesis
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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

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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.

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Levels of Commitment

• This year your goal is to construct thesis
  statements and to interpret texts on an
  analytical level (to reach level 3).

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Levels 2 and 3

• The main distinction between levels 2 and 3 is
  that level 2 asks how parts of a text (language,
  imagery, metaphor, etc.) work together to form a
  pattern.
• For example One could trace the use of
  metaphorical language in AQWF (i.e. leaders being
  described as animals) by the soldiers during
  times of resentment. Its not enough to say
  metaphorical language of animals is found
  throughout the novel (this is level one). The
  pattern involves soldiers feeling resentment
  toward their superiors thus, they use
  dehumanizing language to lash out on these
  leaders.
• Level 3 asks why? What is at stake in noting the
  above? Effective essays combine both levels two
  and three.
• For example The soldiers, particularly Paul,
  describes their superiors using animal metaphors
  as a technique to help them cope with their
  situation as subordinates or to lessen their
  fears on the frontline.

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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.

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An Arguable Thesis Statement contd

• 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 contd

• 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?)

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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).

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An Arguable Thesis Statement contd

• A thesis should follow these guidelines
  (O.A.T.S.)
• 1. One idea
• 2. Arguable
• 3. Takes one stance
• 4. Specific

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Non-Examples

• You would NOT want to make an argument of this
  sort
• Shakespeares Hamlet is about a young man who
  seeks revenge.
• This thesis doesnt say anything its a summary
  and its hardly debatable.
• Avoid summary statements and obvious observations
  from the text Level 1.

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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 hes in love with her,
  and (3) what implications there are for reading
  the play in this manner.

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Examples of some common problems w/ Thesis
statements

• The Plot summary thesis
• This poem shows the narrator comparing his lover
  to a summers day.
• Proving the universal
• Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers Day?
  presents the power of love to conquer death.
• The overly general thesis
• Shakespeares 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.

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Examples of some common problems w/ Thesis
statements

• The cliché thesis
• Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers 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 its 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?)
• Shakespeares 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.

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A good arguable thesis

• In the poem Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers
  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.

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• Another example
• Okonkwos relationship with Nwoye symbolizes the
  deterioration of the Igbo culture.
• Evidence/Observation Okonkwos relationship
  with Nwoye (you could probably be more specific
  here and describe the relationship as strained
  and oppositional)
• Commentary symbolizes the fate of the Igbo
  culture (explain how) and how communication could
  help.

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From the thesis, you derive your points

• The student must find three strong examples of
  Okonkwos relationship with Nwoye. Each example
  will get its own paragraph.
• After introducing and discussing the example, the
  student presents commentary for that example
  which explains how/why this symbolizes the fate
  of the Igbo culture.

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Example
1st Body Paragraph
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Another example
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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 youll end up saying nothing at all!

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Topics to consider when constructing a thesis

• A discussion of a works characters are they
  realistic, symbolic, or historically based?
• An examination of the characters motives or
  authors 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.

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Bibliography

• Ideas and notes for Constructing an Arguable
  Thesis are taken from
• http//www.courses.rochester.edu/hahn/eng150/lites
  say.html. August 21, 2003. Additionally, some
  concepts are borrowed from Dr. Logan, professor
  of Am. Lit. at UCF.
• Material also borrowed from UCLAs writing
  website Teach 2 Write, which is located on the
  web at http//write.oid.ucla.edu/
• Also a special thanks to Mrs. Chantelle McKim
  (Lang. Arts teacher at Colonial High)

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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.

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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.

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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 its worth asking. No matter
  how intriguing or dazzling, a thesis that doesnt
  answer the question is not a good thesis! For
  instance, if you are being asked to take a
  stand, do you? If you ask whats the most
  important event of ..., do you just state why
  your selection is important, or do you state why
  you think itst 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.

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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 Whats the Big Deal? test, the So
  What? test asks whether your thesis presents a
  position or an interpretation worth pursuing. If
  a readers 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.

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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
  doesnt answer the question ultimately fails, so
  does a thesis that isnt 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.

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Examples of well-written thesis statements

• Through its contrasting river and shore scenes,
  Twains 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 Chaucers The Millers Tale, the sexual
  behaviors of such characters as Alisoun,
  Nicholas, and Absolon subvert the audience
  expectations raised by the courtly love tradition
  in The Knights Tale.

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Bibliography for Thesis Help 101

• UNC-CH Writing Center http//www.unc.edu/depts/wc
  web/ - accessed October 2000

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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.