Creating Thesis Statements for Literary Assignments

The Writing Studio Academic Support Center: ASC 603 Creating Thesis Statements for Literary Assignments

Creating a thesis for a literary analysis or literary research paper is much like creating one for any other assignment: Choose a topic; pick an angle or perspective of the topic; make an assertion (claim) that you can support with evidence and that has an opposing side. When beginning a literary paper, start with the original source. Re-read the story (or poem or play) and as you’re reading, think like a writer. Ask questions about the author’s choices, the meaning of the text, and the impact the text and author’s choices have on the reader. Below are example questions:  Why did the author choose to write the story in the first person? How would the story be different if it were in the third person point of view?  What is character X’s function in the story?  Why is the color (choose one) included so many times?  What is the meaning of the phrase….?  How would the story be different if the author chose A instead of B?  How does the ending impact the reader? These are all questions that lend themselves to a “dialogue” you can have with the literary work. Ask these questions (and many others) and consider the answers carefully using evidence. Then think about what larger argument you can make. For example, I could argue that a minor character is essential to the story and trace that character’s function: The private detective, Arbogast, functions in several capacities in his brief time in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, directly relating to both central characters’ conflicts as well as the major themes of the film. He represents the life and responsibilities Marion Crane left behind. His initial focus is the same as Marion’s and the audience’s--the money. The case leads him to the Bates Motel, where his death helps bring Norman’s actions to light. In terms of architectonic structure, Arbogast’s character--in life and death--forms the bridge between the cases of Marion Crane and Norman Bates. In the example, the bold faced sentence is the thesis statement. It provides the central argument of the paper: Arbogast is essential to the plot of Psycho. The background sentences leading up to the thesis provide the major points that will be explored in the paper: What Marion Crane left behind, following the money, his discovery at the Bates Motel, and the aftermath of his death. This paper will have a strong working thesis and an organized structure for the body paragraphs. Now it’s your turn! Ask yourself questions and see what fascinating answers you can come up with. Create a thesis that addresses your answers. Have fun! 