This document provides guidance on writing an effective thesis statement for a literary analysis essay. It explains that a good thesis should make a specific, arguable claim about the topic and preview how the claim will be supported. It offers strategies for developing a thesis, such as understanding the prompt, identifying relevant evidence, and relating ideas. Sample thesis statements are included and analyzed for their strengths and weaknesses. Common pitfalls to avoid, such as vague, obvious, too broad or narrow theses, are also discussed.
1. How to Write the
Thesis Statement
AP English Literature
2. The thesis statement in an essay of
literary analysis functions as
follows:
It narrows your topic to a central idea—all topic
sentences and body paragraphs will develop and
support this idea.
It asserts something specific and significant about
the topic.
It asserts an arguable claim.
It conveys your expert opinion and analyses.
It may preview how your ideas will be arranged
within your essay (in other words, in what order your
ideas appear within the body).
It is logical, precise, and reasonable.
It responds to how and why questions.
3. The thesis is an arguable
claim.
The thesis must assert an argument that
could be disputed.
However, you as the writer, will prove your
argument through logical supporting sub-
points (topic sentences) and supporting
evidence (text citation, or quotes).
Think of yourself as a lawyer trying to
convince your reader that your stand on
the topic is logical, insightful, and
complete.
4. Here are some strategies for
formulating a thesis statement...
5. 1. Decode the writing prompt
Pay close attention to the language of the
prompt.
Underline or highlight words in the prompt that
indicate specific areas of focus.
Use the language of the prompt while
composing your thesis, without being
repetitive.
Remember to address ALL aspects of the
prompt, not just the parts you are most
interested in.
6. 2. Take inventory
Determine which supporting details or
passages you will use in the body of your essay
and ask yourself if each example really proves
what you claim in your thesis.
Avoid selecting arbitrary quotes or choosing
quotes whose accompanying analysis may
undermine or contradict what you claim in the
thesis.
7. 3. Identify relationships,
distinctions, & categories
Once you have a variety of supporting details,
determine what aspects of the thesis
statement each detail supports.
These distinctions or categories will be used to
determine what your topic sentences and
body paragraphs will be made up of.
8. 4. Revise & Draft
Revise and rewrite the thesis as many times as
needed to achieve satisfaction.
Begin with a “working thesis” statement that you
are not married to. Plan to make revisions as you
work through your essay.
Frequently refer back to the original prompt to be
sure that you are responding to all of the
requirements. You may find that after you have
written the body paragraphs, your paper has taken
a different direction than you initially started out
with. In that case, you must revise your thesis
statement to suit the rest of your essay.
9. Consider the following checklist
when composing a thesis
statement:
1. Do not use first-person point of view unless
you are writing an autobiographical or
personal narrative. Formal literary analysis
requires the use of third-person point of
view.
2. The thesis statement should be limited to
one or two sentences.
3. Refer to the writing prompt frequently and
be sure that your thesis clearly responds to
all aspects of the writing prompt.
10. 3. The thesis statement is located at the end of the
introductory paragraph in a typical literary
analysis essay.
4. The thesis can be a “roadmap” for the ideas
presented in the essay; it informs the reader what
will be analyzed and in what order.
5. The thesis statement presents ideas in logical,
clear, and specific language; it avoids vague or
abstract language, poor diction, and slang.
6. The thesis statement is analytical, not factual; it
conveys the writer’s expert opinion, or assertion,
and avoids stating the obvious. It answers how
and why questions.
12. Sample 1
The controlling theme of memory develops
meaning throughout Morrison’s Beloved as a
narrative technique, weaving insight and
emotion into the characters, plot, and symbols.
13. Sample 2
Ana Castillo’s short story “Subtitles” explores the
problematic and contradictory nature of
Chicana identity in a dominant Anglo-American
society through the literary conventions of
metaphor, point of view, figurative language,
and symbolism.
14. Sample 3
In addition to their acts of bravery, the
contrasting characteristics of pride and humility
qualify Beowulf and Roland as heroic figures in
the epic works Beowulf and The Song of Roland.
15. Sample 4
In Joyce’s most well-known novel, A Portrait of
the Artist as a Young Man, he employs language
as a powerful medium by which he chronicles
and qualifies his hero’s internal journey and
transformation. For each new phase of life’s
journey, Stephen Dedalus embarks on a new
phase of language that defines and details his
physical, intellectual, and emotional
development as an artist.
16. Sample 5
Chopin’s protagonist Edna Pontellier transforms
within her roles as wife and mother, from outward
conformity and submission to complete rebellion
and defiance against societal expectations.
17. Sample 6
In Luis Rodriguez’s autobiographical novel Always
Running he depicts the impact of negotiating the
barriers of the English and Spanish languages in
his early adolescence on his identity as a
Chicano-American.
18. Examples of weak thesis
statements:
The Vague Thesis: Queen Gertrude is
an interesting character.
“Interesting” is an empty adjective.
The Too-Obvious Thesis: Polonius loves
to talk.
This thesis is a description more than an
arguable claim.
19. The Too-Narrow Thesis: All of Guildenstern lines
could just as easily have been spoken by
Rosencrantz.
Aside from being speculative, this example is
too limited to serve as the basis for an entire
paper.
The Too-Broad Thesis: All of Shakespeare’s
heroines are witty and brave. The Old Man
and the Sea shows that heroism means not
reckless physical courage but endurance.
Either of these ideas would require a book to
develop, and even then it would be over-
generalized and unprovable.
20. What to Avoid
unqualified generalizations: always, never,
everyone, nobody. Such statements make the
reader think of various exceptions.
arguing matters of taste as though they were
provable - Gone with the Wind is the most
touching novel ever written.
Like unqualified generalizations, this thesis
creates a strong reaction, perhaps even
resistance, in the reader. This thesis is also
terribly cliché.
21. Avoid contradictions. - Macbeth’s actions make
him seem like a bad king. He isn’t really all bad but
in many ways he is.
Aside from terrible diction, this undermines the
writer’s authority and comes across as confused
thinking.
Expressing contrast, however, can be effective in a
thesis as part of an arguable claim - As a king,
Macbeth is responsible for evil actions, but he also
exhibits character strengths. Though he is a tyrant,
he is also a decisive and competent ruler.
Notice that though contrast is expressed here,
the emphasis is effective because said contrast
is part of an established arguable claim.
