1. Literary Essay Writing Ms. Gilpin
Thesis Statements
Literary Essay Writing
Ms. Gilpin

2. Thesis Statements

3. Thesis Statement Practice
How does Orwell develop the theme of power in Animal Farm? Index card With a partner Time to find partner: 60 sec

4. All thesis statements should include three main components
WHAT
HOW
SO WHAT

5. All thesis statements should include three main components
WHAT
Argument
Must be debatable
Must be able to be supported with FACTS/QUOTES
What’s going on? What do you see?

6. All thesis statements should include three main components
HOW
Specific Argument Detail
Literary devices, techniques…
How do you see that What inside? How is it shown to the reader? How does the author do it?

7. What could we write about? Which make the most sense for this essay?
HOW
Needs to be Techniques
What could we write about?
We brainstormed in class
Which make the most sense for this essay?
Characterization is a big one!

8. All thesis statements should include three main components
SO WHAT
Argument depth
Connection to history, to the work as a whole, to the author’s worldview…
So what? Why does this matter?

9. SO WHAT? Theme Statements What is Orwell trying to say?
Use these to connect the theme concept (one word) into the So What
What is Orwell trying to say?
Hint: He’s not trying to just say “power” 

10. What a “text” is really about is called it’s theme
We talk about theme in two ways:
Theme Concept: the topic the text is really about– sometimes this is hidden through figurative language
Theme Statement: the author’s specific message about that topic, this is created by how the author writes about the subject

11. Examples!
Hands and sleep in Shakespeare's Macbeth symbolize Lady Macbeth's corruption illustrating that power obtained through corrupt means ultimately leads to destruction.

12. Examples!
In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley uses fire imagery to allude to the myth of Prometheus, demonstrating the unanticipated detriments of enlightenment.

13. Essay Prompts
1. How does Orwell develop one of the following themes?
○ Power
○ Ignorance
○ Education
○ Corruption
2. What is the function of propaganda and language in political and social oppression?

14. Homework for 9.3
Choose a prompt and write a (first draft) thesis statement on an index card. Due tomorrow 