1. Thesis workshop

2. Quick Review…
A thesis should be arguable– there is no point in arguing a proven fact.
A thesis should be supported by evidence– It should not contain your own personal opinion either. A literary analysis is MUCH different from a review.

3. Other things to think about…
A thesis should be surprising– A thesis that reveals new information or is controversial is an enjoyment to read. Don’t be afraid that “you got the wrong answer”– literature doesn’t work that way.
A thesis statement is specific– using words like “a lot” “many” “much” and “very” have NO PLACE in a literary analysis and are considered cowardice and confusing to the reader. Know what you want to say and commit.

4. Some examples…
“The Great Gatsby describes New York society in the 1920s”
Thesis or No?
No. This is a fact.

5. Examples continued.
“Hamlet is a confusing but ultimately very well-written play”
Thesis or No?
Well if you are going to get technical, this is a thesis. It is just not a good one. This is someone’s personal opinion. We don’t want to write our thesis this way.

6. More examples.
“Both George and Lenny change a great deal in Of Mice and Men.”
Thesis or No.
Again, yes it is. It is just not a good one. You are getting warmer though. You are not providing any great insight by writing in your paper that two protagonists change. This is obvious, and the cornerstone of story telling. How do we know they change? How does Steinbeck symbolize their change? What are the effects of their changes? These are more less obvious and heavier questions to address.

7. Last example in this round.
“Dr. Frankenstein’s monster tells us a lot about the human condition.”
Thesis or No?
This is actually, almost, a really good thesis. The problem is that it is still too vague. What does the writer mean by “a lot”? How does the monster tell us so much about the human condition?

8. Now, it is your turn. Apply these 4 criteria to your working thesis:
Is it a fact?
Chances are, if you are answering the prompt you are good here! But call Ms. Scafone over if you are worried your thesis is written as a fact.
Is it your personal opinion?
Sometimes this can be as simple as taking out “I believe…” but make sure there are no evaluative statements in your thesis.
Is it too obvious?
More difficult here. Instead of focusing on if your thesis is groundbreaking, try to focus on if your thesis is pointing out something obvious.
Is it specific?
This is where we need to spend our time. This will be a process. For right now, before you spend time ADDING words, spend your time DELETING words: “a lot” “many” “much”. Are these vague words in your working thesis? Cross them out and identify them with symbols, that way you know you need to replace them with what you really mean.

9. What is a GOOD thesis?
A good thesis is the cornerstone of your paper. It is what you will spend the large majority of your paper arguing and supporting. It must:
Answer the prompt (if you have one)
Includes author’s name
The work
How the author did achieved the prompt (this is where specificity is key. Don’t worry… example to follow.)

10. For example:
Prompt: In Romeo and Juliet, which is more powerful in shaping the lovers’ story: fate or foolishness? Thesis: “Though Shakespeare defines Romeo and Juliet as ‘star-crossed lovers’ and images of stars and planets appear throughout the play, a closer examination of that celestial imagery reveals that the stars are merely witnesses to the characters’ foolish activities and not the causes themselves.”

11. Can you find all of the pieces of a good thesis?
Prompt: In Romeo and Juliet, which is more powerful in shaping the lovers’ story: fate or foolishness? Thesis: “Though Shakespeare defines Romeo and Juliet as ‘star-crossed lovers’ and images of stars and planets appear throughout the play, a closer examination of that celestial imagery reveals that the stars are merely witnesses to the characters’ foolish activities and not the causes themselves.”

12. Can you find all of the pieces of a good thesis?
Prompt: How does the bell jar function as a symbol in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar? Thesis: “A bell jar is a bell-shaped glass that has three basic uses: to hold a specimen for observation, to contain gases, and to maintain a vacuum. The bell jar appears in each of these capacities in The Bell Jar, Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel, and each appearance marks a different stage in Esther’s mental breakdown.”

13. Can you find all of the pieces of a good thesis?
Prompt: How does the bell jar function as a symbol in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar? Thesis: “A bell jar is a bell-shaped glass that has three basic uses: to hold a specimen for observation, to contain gases, and to maintain a vacuum. The bell jar appears in each of these capacities in The Bell Jar, Plath’s semi-autobiographical novel, and each appearance marks a different stage in Esther’s mental breakdown.”

14. Can you find all of the pieces of a good thesis?
Prompt: Would Piggy in The Lord of the Flies make a good island leader if he were given the chance? Thesis: “Though the intelligent, rational, and innovative Piggy has the mental characteristics of a good leader, he ultimately lacks the social skills necessary to be an effective one. In Lord of the Flies, Golding emphasizes this point by giving Piggy a foil in the charismatic Jack, whose magnetic personality allows him to capture and wield power effectively, if not always wisely.”

15. Can you find all of the pieces of a good thesis?
Prompt: Would Piggy in The Lord of the Flies make a good island leader if he were given the chance? Thesis: “Though the intelligent, rational, and innovative Piggy has the mental characteristics of a good leader, he ultimately lacks the social skills necessary to be an effective one. In Lord of the Flies, Golding emphasizes this point by giving Piggy a foil in the charismatic Jack, whose magnetic personality allows him to capture and wield power effectively, if not always wisely.”

16. Specificity is key.
The more specific you are in your thesis, the easier it is to see how the rest of your paper is going to unfold.
In essence, your thesis has outlined your paper for you.
For example:
“Though Shakespeare defines Romeo and Juliet as ‘star-crossed lovers’ and images of stars and planets appear throughout the play, a closer examination of that celestial imagery reveals that the stars are merely witnesses to the characters’ foolish activities and not the causes themselves.”
The student who wrote this thesis will not have to spend 3 paragraphs defending how Romeo and Juliet’s foolish decisions are the cause of their ending, which could lead to a redundant paper, and ultimately an obvious analysis.
This student is going to argue that the images of the stars, the planets and the celestial bodies in the play indicate foolish decisions. This demonstrates literary analysis, is exciting to read and is ultimately– arguable. The student will not run out of things to say. In fact, the student is going to have to sort what to leave out.

17. YOUR TURN: ADD SPECIFICITY.
As a guide, use the sheet that I have passed out to you that walks a student from a working thesis to a solid thesis. The bubbles ask the student questions in order to get to an inspired, thought provoking, SPECIFIC thesis.
Here are a few questions to think about:
How does the author do what he has done?
What does he use do accomplish this task?
What is the theme of Macbeth? How does Shakespeare convey that theme?
What does the author DO to achieve his end?
I will come around and help you with your thesis, but I will want to see the work you have done this hour. If you haven’t done the work, don’t expect me to help!

18. Are you confident with your thesis?
Title your document:
Last name, first name thesis
In the document:
Type your first and last name in the upper left hand corner
your thesis below it.
Then hit share.
Your thesis is due by the end of the hour 5/10