Writing an Essay Part 1: Creating a Thesis

1. Writing an Essay Part 1: Creating a Thesis

2. Literature is like a mystery that we try to solve Writing an essay, you become a lawyer, presenting an argument about the book’s meaning However, first you must become a detective and look for clues! Literature is a Mystery

3. Before you can develop an argument, you must do some research Reread Take notes Narrow your topic Cluster your ideas Create a rough thesis as your preliminary argument Building the Case

4. Mary-Runs-Away Hopelessness Rowdy Junior’s Parents Clustering

5. Anticipate counter-arguments and disprove them. This shows sophistication of thought and strengthens your argument i.e.: Although many critics have argued that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian is far too sentimental and moralistic; it could be argued that sentimentality is not necessarily a bad thing as it connects the reader emotionally to the text. Presenting the Case

6. Ordering the Argument There are 4 ways to arrange your points: 1. Chronological order, first to last. 2. Climactic order, saving strongest argument for the beginning or ending. 3. Logically-linked order, connected so one point must be explained before the next can be understood. 4. Random order, all main points are equal and can be explained in any order you choose.

7. Creating a Polished Thesis • Check to ensure your final thesis is: Focused Clear Arguable

8. Focus • Your thesis should be sufficiently narrow that you can prove it within the confines of your assignment. • Too vast in scope: “In this essay, I will prove that the theme of hopelessness appears in the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian.” • In your essay, your thesis should be ONE clearly discernible sentence. • Too long: “Sherman Alexie demonstrates hopelessness. He does this by showing characters that do not have hope. Hoplessness is seen through the following characters: Rowdy, Eugene and Junior’s parents.”

9. Clarity • Avoid vague statements. Be assertive in your opinions. • Poor: Maybe Rowdy is just like Eugene too. • Better: The theme of friendship is evident in the relationship that Junior has with both Eugene and Rowdy throughout the text. • A thesis should state the precise NATURE and ORDER of your argument • Poor: The road to Reardon is an important symbol in the book. • Better: The road to Reardon is a symbol of hope and escape.

10. Is your thesis arguable? • To test whether your assertion is arguable, ask yourself whether you could argue the opposite. If not, then it's not a thesis – it may be more of a fact. • Incorrect: In this novel, Junior leaves the reservation and to go to a “white” school. • Correct: In this novel, the main character, Junior demonstrates his strong desire to escape life on the reservation by taking a big risk and going to Reardan.

11. More Examples • “The education system should abolish grades because students don’t need them. They don’t like them either so we should get rid of them.” • “Although there can be problems with the grading system, grades are a necessary part of the education system because they encourage excellence and make student performance measurable.” • “In this essay, I will argue that grades are bad for students’ self-esteem.”

12. Let’s Practice! • Get into pairs and collaboratively write a thesis to debate the following statement: “Halloween is not a suitable holiday for children to celebrate” • Practice clustering your ideas to begin • We’ll compare and debate the quality of your polished theses once they’re complete

13. Let’s try making these thesis statements better! • Bad Example: People need to stay healthy. • Bad Example: All school work should be done on computers for several reasons. • Bad Example: Coke is better than Pepsi.