Thesis Statements

Identifying and Writing about a Literary Theme

What is a THESIS STATEMENT?

 A thesis statement is a concise version of your argument  your entire argument can be encapsulated in this one sentence  Formula (write this down)  Thesis = Work + Method + Purpose (Theme) Theme = T + C

Review: What is THEME?

 (Purpose = theme)  An underlying central idea a work communicates about life  A theme expresses the author's opinion or raises a question about human nature or the meaning of human experience

Review: Topic/Subject vs. Theme  A piece of literature may have both a subject and a theme. The subject is a specific topic of the selection.  The theme is the generalization about life at large that the specific selection leads you to see.  Topic = Noun Phrase (NP)  Comment = Verb Phrase (VP)  Theme = Topic + Comment NP + VP (a complete sentence)

Review: Examples of Themes from

Julius Caesar

     Too much ambition inevitably leads to disaster. Politicians are more concerned with power than issues affecting people's lives. Violence leads to more violence. Crowds can be easily manipulated and moved to violence. Even the most noble human beings have personal flaws and blind spots that can undermine their success--and destroy them.

What is METHOD? (the “how”)

  Methods = literary devices and techniques (such as characterization, setting, events, point of view, tone, imagery, figurative language, etc.) These literary techniques are the methods —or the way the author achieves his or her purpose  Purpose = the conveyance of a theme (the “what” or the “why”)

What is a THESIS STATEMENT?

 Thesis = Work + Method + Purpose (Theme) Theme = T + C  Ex: In Alice Walker’s short story “The Flowers,” Walker’s use of symbolism suggests that the innocence of a child is fragile and easily destroyed.

Identify the Work, Method, and Purpose (Theme) In the mythic portions of N. Scott Momaday’s novel

The Way to Rainy Mountain

, Momaday includes instances of supernatural intervention to show how unwise actions often have disastrous consequences.

 Work?

 Method?

 Purpose?

 Topic?

 Comment?

Identify the Work, Method, and Purpose (Theme) In Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Haunted Palace,” Poe creates an allegory that shows how the minds of individuals may deteriorate into madness when interventions are unsuccessful.

     Work?

Method?

Purpose?

Topic?

Comment?

Identify the Work, Method, and Purpose (Theme) In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy

Antigone,

Creon’s tragic flaw of being merciless suggests that those who require absolute obedience may ultimately hurt those they care about.

 Work?

 Method?

 Purpose?

 Topic?

 Comment?



Now, on a separate sheet of paper, create a thesis statement for Things Fall Apart.



Your thesis statement and 6 supporting quotes are due ________________________.

Stuck?

Follow these steps

Start with the WORK.

 Easy!  Title?

 Author?

 Genre?

 In ______________’s _____________ __________________________

YOUR work starts with the TOPIC  Brainstorm a list of topics (NPs) brought up in

Things Fall Apart

.

 (Ideally, these should be related to your paper topic.)

Now, pick the TOPIC that MOST interests you…  …and figure out what Achebe is trying to say about the nature of that topic  this is your COMMENT.

 Put them together and —

voila

—you have a theme!

Finally, determine your METHOD 1. Think about moments within the work that this idea has been conveyed to you… 2. Find quotes to support this idea (as many as you can)  To simplify your life further, I’m limiting your METHODS to…  Characterization   Conflict Irony  Ultimately, you need three quotes to support your theme AND demonstrate your method. Email these to me by ________________.

(alternate) Finally, determine your METHOD  Think about moments within the work that this idea has been conveyed to you…  Find quotes to support this idea (as many as you can)  What methods do your quotes demonstrate? (Brainstorm a list of methods)

Due

 Tentative thesis statement (work + method + purpose) with 6 supporting quotes due tomorrow by email.