18.3 Writing a Strong Thesis Statement That Makes an Interpretive Argument
In organizing your Literary Interpretation Essay, you need to develop a unique, focused topic and a thesis statement that makes an interpretive argument. When coming up with your thesis statement about a literary work, you want your argument to be relevant, focused, and unique. A strong thesis statement avoids the obvious. In other words, you won’t try to argue a conclusion that most readers could reach on their own from a general knowledge of the work. In choosing your topic, you want your essay to be about something that matters—to you, to the human condition. This may involve larger issues that relate to social class, family dynamics, gender, race, economics, education, religion, psychology, politics, law, history, and so on.
A strong literary thesis statement should be
Debatable
Example: “While most people reading Hamlet think he is the tragic hero, Ophelia is the real hero of the play as demonstrated through her critique of Elsinore’s court through the language of flowers.”
This thesis takes a position. There are those who could argue against this idea.
Specific
Example: Through his portrayal of contrasting river and shore scenes in Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain suggests that to find the true expression of American ideals, one must leave ‘civilized’ society and go back to nature.
Through this very specific yet concise sentence, readers can anticipate the text to be examined (Huckleberry Finn), the author (Mark Twain), the literary device that will be focused upon (description of river and shore scenes) and what these scenes show (true expression of American ideals can be found in nature).
Rooted in observations about how the author used formalist elements in the literary work
Example: The simplistic symbolism of the letter “A” in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter breaks down as the novel progresses, which illustrates the complexity of Hester and Pearl.
In this thesis statement, the literary device of symbolism provides the focus for the interpretive argument (the complexity of the main character and her daughter).
A literary thesis statement should not be
Overly broad or generalized
Example: “I am going to be writing about “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe.”
While we know what text and author will be the focus of the essay, we know nothing about what aspect of the essay the author will be focusing upon, nor is there an argument here.
More about society than the work of literature
Example: “Gender roles are bad and should be abolished.”
This may be well and true, but this thesis does not appear to be about a work of literature. This could be turned into a thesis statement if the writer is able to show how this is the theme of a literary work (like “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid) and root that interpretation in observable data from the story in the form of literary devices.
A statement about history rather than about literature
Example: Ophelia in Hamlet represents how women did not have any power back then.
Students sometimes want to try to make an argument about “life back then.” This sets up an impossible dilemma in that we can’t prove a history-based argument using only a literary text. Additionally, this statement does not specify the historical period and location: does “back then” refer to the setting and time period of the play: Denmark at some point in the 14th century? does it refer to Shakespeare’s England under the reign of Elizabeth I when the play was written and first performed? or does it refer to England under the reign of James I when the play was first published? Finally, the beliefs about history are overgeneralized—some women did have some political and economic power in all of these time periods; categories like age, ability, rank, social class, and race come into play as well; and the term “power” is not clearly defined. When you craft your interpretation essay, compose an argument that hinges upon collecting evidence from the literary work, and, if you do make some claims about history, be sure that you have scholarly sources to support them.
A summary or obvious statement about the text
Example: “Hamlet is about a prince, and his father has died.”
Yes, this is true, but it is not debatable. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who could argue against this statement.
An evaluation, or judgment, about the quality of the work
Example: “‘La Migra’ by Pat Mora is a really powerful poem.”
This may very well be true. But the purpose of a literary critic is not to judge the quality of a literary work, but to make analyses and interpretations of the work based on observable structural aspects of that work.
About the author rather than about literature
Example: “Edgar Allan Poe and Washington Irving were both creepy towards women in their personal lives but in different ways.”
Again, this might be true, and might make an interesting essay topic, but unless it is rooted in textual analysis, it is not within the scope of a literary analysis essay.
Sample Thesis Statements
So what does a strong thesis statement look like? Below, we provide some examples. These sample thesis statements are presented as guides, not as required forms or prescriptions.
As a reminder, literary interpretation is grounded in formalist analysis. A formalist analysis considers the elements that make up a literary work, such as genre, character, structure, theme, setting, and literary devices. One strategy for composing your thesis statement, then, is to frame it as an analysis of how the author has crafted one or more of the formalist elements of the literary work.
An additional component of literary interpretation can be the application of theoretical lens, such as Postcolonial or Feminist.
Examples of Strong Thesis Statements
Example 1:
In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s famous play about star-crossed lovers, Rosaline is a catalyst. Though she never appears onstage, Rosaline’s disinterest in passion and romantic love drives Romeo’s affair with Juliet.
Example 2:
In late 2021, Amazon Prime released an adaptation of Cinderella starring Camila Cabello as a would-be fashion designer who makes “Dresses by Ella.” Josefina Lopez’s play Real Women Have Curves, which proceeds the Amazon movie by decades, could also be defined as a Latina Cinderella story in terms of the characters (Estela and Ana, in particular), the premise of the plot, the setting of the sewing factory and the work and discussions centered on the dresses, and the theme of dreams.
Example 3:
Samuel Beckett’s Endgame reflects characteristics of Theatre of the Absurd to comment on society’s dissatisfaction with modernity.
Example 4:
Kate Chopin’s short story “The Story of an Hour” employs the “unity of effect” that Poe outlines in his essay “Philosophy of Composition,” wherein he sets forth guidelines for writing short fiction.
Example 5:
August Wilson’s Fences uses the dramatic conventions of dialogue and monologue to portray generational perspectives when it comes to Troy’s and Cory’s ideas about race and social mobility.
Example 6:
There is a division between the women characters in Real Women Have Curves when it comes to career, education, sex, and self-image: Ana defines herself as a feminist, college student, and aspiring writer. Estela is an aspiring businesswoman. The older women define themselves as wives and mothers. In Lopez’s play, the common challenges that unite these women come from men: abusive partners, threatening ICE agents, and exploitative employers. It is significant to the feminist message of the play that these characters are only discussed by the women; they never appear onstage.
The Process of Discovery Includes Asking Questions
A challenging aspect of composing a thesis statement is that you’re asked to write it before you know what you think, while you’re still in the process of discovery. One strategy, then, can be to write your potential interpretive argument not as a declarative statement but as a list of observations and any questions that are prompted by those observations. For example:
Examples of Observations and Questions
Example 1
OBSERVATIONS: The play Real Women Have Curves pays attention to women’s bodies—from the title on the cover page to the end tableau on the stage. At several points in the play, the women suggest their awareness of the potential for their bodies to be exploited, used, and unappreciated—by men, by the dress company owners, and even by themselves. When the machines break down, and they do so frequently, the women rely upon their bodies to get the work done instead.
QUESTION: What is this play saying about women’s bodies, power, and control?
Example 2
OBSERVATIONS: Although they are all members of the same family, Carmen, Ana, and Estela have varied experiences with to immigration when it comes to: their journeys from Mexico (keeping in mind that the play suggests they did not make the journey together), their experiences getting their green cards (or not), their feelings about themselves, their feelings toward others, their level of internalized fear of la migra / fear of being deported, their progress toward their dreams, and their comfort level with movement at all (e.g. going away to college, leaving the sewing factory).
QUESTIONS: What arguments can be made about how their experiences with immigration compare and contrast? Does the playwright craft the play this way in order to have multiple messages when it comes to immigration? Do their experiences depend upon their age? their birth order?
Example 3
OBSERVATIONS: Food is ever-present in Real Women Have Curves—homemade foods are brought to work; McDonald’s, Burger King, and other fast foods are mentioned; characters run to the bakery or the lunch truck to buy food for themselves and others.
QUESTIONS: Is food even more present in the play than the fear of being taken by ICE agents? Does food come into the scenes as the ultimate comfort food when the women fear for their safety? Is food there in times of celebration and happiness as well? Are there multiple functions of food in Real Women Have Curves, and, if so, what are they?
Committing to a Thesis Statement: Say Yes to the Speed-Dating Exercise
This exercise can be productive at any point of the writing process, but it is particularly productive in the early stages of writing, when you are trying to figure out your argument. Here’s how it works. Your instructor sets up the classroom so that desks are facing each other in pairs. The students in one row will remain stationary; the students in the other row will move.
The speed dating exercise happens rapidly. You will have one minute to explain your thesis to the person sitting across from you. Then you will have one minute to listen to the person across from you explain their thesis. After that, you will move on to the next person and start all over again.
At first you may have difficulty nailing down your argument in 60 seconds. You may do too much throat clearing or providing of irrelevant information. You may want to talk about your frustrations or hesitancies rather than your argument. But eventually, you should have stated your thesis so many times that you have achieved greater conciseness and clarity. At this point, grab a piece of paper and write down your thesis so that you can transpose it into your paper.
This technique can also work for counterarguments, concluding thoughts, or points in your paper that are giving you particular trouble.
Continue Reading: 18.4 Outlining Your Main Points
