Lit Essay Thesis Power Point

This document provides guidance on how to write a literary analysis essay by determining a thesis statement. It explains that the thesis should present a new understanding of the work being analyzed and be supported by evidence from the text. It demonstrates how to formulate an assertion by analyzing elements like characters and noticing how they change or are used. The assertion presents an idea about life, relationships, or society that the author explores. This assertion then becomes the basis for a thesis statement that argues the author uses specific characters or elements to examine that idea. Sample thesis statements are provided for the novels Stargirl and The Pearl.

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Lit Essay Thesis Power Point

Uploaded by

Iris Mae Santos

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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Writing A Literary

Analysis Essay

How to Determine a Thesis

The Goal of Analysis
 To demonstrate some new
understanding of the literary work
 State this new understanding in the
form of an assertion
 Support your analysis with evidence
and commentary.
What’s an Assertion
 An assertion is an
opinion about a
general subject, like
life, relationships,
gender or class that
you think the author is
making through some
element (character,
theme, symbol) of the
novel
Think aloud: Finding an assertion
 I noticed that in Stargirl the main
character Stargirl changes
 Stargirl changes twice during the
novel: first she is an eccentric, free-
spirit, later she tries to conform to
the behaviors of her peers, but finally
she returns to her true individualistic
self
What’s Next?
Now make an assertion based on this
analysis of Stargirl:
 Ask: What new understanding about
life, relationships, gender or class
does this present?
 Answer: Stargirl doesn’t like this
society…she finds it shallow and
phony…so she quits it.
Formula to make an assertion:
 (author’s name) is making a point about
(general subject); the specific point s/he is
making is that _____________________.

 Example: In Stargirl, author Jerry Spinelli

makes a point about the superficial nature
of modern society; the specific point he is
making is that society is shallow and does
not value individuality and it therefore
should be rejected.
From Formula to Thesis
 Revise your assertion statement adding
that the author is using the character(s) to
make that specific point
 Example: Jerry Spinelli, author of Stargirl,
uses the protagonist Stargirl to argue that
modern society is superficial and incapable
of valuing individuality and should be
rejected.
 This then becomes the preliminary thesis.
Let’s try another one:
 I noticed that in The Pearl, the main
character, Kino, changes.
 Kino changes during the course of
the novel. First he is a young father
and husband who is poor but content.
However, after he finds a great pearl,
he changes into a ruthless murderer.
What’s next?
 Now make an assertion based on this
analysis of Kino.

 What new understanding about life,

relationships, gender or class does this
present? (In other words, why does he
change? – this is your analysis.)

 Answer: Kino changes because of his

greed. He finds out that greed is a
destructive force that can ruin one’s life.
Formula to make an assertion:
 (author’s name) is making a point about
(general subject); the specific point s/he is
making is that _____________________.

 Example: Author John Steinbeck makes a

point about the destructive nature of greed
in man; the specific point he is making is
that placing one’s greedy needs over the
more important intangible needs of family
can destroy a man’s life.
From Formula to Thesis
 Revise your assertion statement adding
that the author is using the character(s) to
make that specific point.

 Example: Through Kino’s struggles with the

pearl, Steinbeck demonstrates that placing
one’s greedy needs over the more
important intangible needs of family can
destroy a man’s life.
Think Aloud:
 Character compare/contrast
 I noticed that Arthur, in Button,
Button and Chris in Hundred Bucks of
Happy are similar in that both decide
to do the right thing. Both characters
are tempted by wealth, but choose to
make good, selfless decisions
A Formula To Use To Make an
Assertion
 Use the formula
 Richard Matheson, author of Button,
Button and Susan Beth Pfeffer, author
of A Hundred Bucks of Happy are
making a point about self-sacrifice;
the specific point they are making is
that good people think of others
before themselves.
Now turn this into a thesis.
 Revise your assertion statement
adding that the author is using the
character to make that specific point.
 The authors Matheson and Pfeffer are
using their characters of Arthur and
Chris to illustrate that to be a good
person, one must put the welfare of
others above one’s own desires.