English 10 / Unit 9: Literary Analysis and Research Writing
9.1 The Literary Analysis Thesis
Notes
A literary analysis thesis argues how an author develops a meaning and why it matters.
- Formula: In [title], [author] uses [technique(s)] to show [insight about the theme or character].
- A thesis is about craft and meaning, not just what happens.
- Weak: "In Macbeth, Macbeth kills the king." Strong: "In Macbeth, Shakespeare uses blood imagery to show that guilt, once earned, cannot be washed away."
- The thesis should be arguable: a classmate could read the play and reach a different reading.
Practice
Which is the strongest literary analysis thesis?
It names a technique and argues an insight.
A literary thesis should mainly focus on:
Analysis explains how and why, not just what.
Why is "In the poem, the speaker is sad" a weak thesis?
A strong thesis connects technique to meaning.
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