thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence (or sentences) that expresses the main ideas of your paper and answers the question or questions posed by your paper. It offers your readers a quick and easy to follow summary of what the paper will be discussing and what you as a writer are setting out to tell them. The thesis is your promise to the reader: it maps out what you are going to prove, and gives you a point of reference to keep your whole essay on track.


Here is a simple way to think about your thesis statement:


Thesis = Topic + Assertion


Your thesis should include the topic you are analyzing, plus a claim or assertion you are trying to make about that topic.

Once you have a topic, ask yourself these questions in order to come up with an assertion:

- What is the relationship of my topic to the text’s theme(s)?
- How is my topic conveyed in the text?
- How does my topic relate to some larger idea outside of the text (such as gender, race, feminism)
- What is the significance of my topic to the meaning of the text?


Now that you have created a thesis, double-check that your thesis is solid by asking yourself:
- Does my thesis have a topic?
- Does my thesis make an assertion about the topic?
- Is my thesis specific enough for the scope of my paper?
- Is my thesis supportable with evidence from the text?

Hints about Bishop's poem "In the Waiting Room"

Keep in mind our analysis of Bishop's poem "First Death in Nova Scotia." The speaker of the poem is a small child and she is making many observations about her physical surroundings. Bishop frequently uses the repetition of imagery (colors, especially) to set the tone/mood of her poems.

Though this entire poem takes place in the waiting room the small child embarks on a journey.

If you are not familiar with the term epiphany, you may find it helpful to know more about what it means, specifically as a literary term.

Here is a quick definition:
Epiphany: 1. A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. 2. A revelatory manifestation of a divine being. 3. A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something. 4. A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization.

Remember, if you feel confused, ask questions--in class, via email, during my office hours or as a post on this blog.

Good luck and enjoy.

Essay Assignment #1

Due: September 13th

For this essay, you will discuss and analyze Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “In the Waiting Room.” You are expected to write three to five pages, double-spaced with 12-point font (New Times Roman or something similar). The essay should include a clear thesis statement, claims about the poem’s meaning and evidence (quotes) from the poem to support your claims. The paper should be polished and proofread.

In her poem, “In the Waiting Room,” Elizabeth Bishop uses many of the poetic techniques we have discussed in class. In addition, she uses reoccurring images, tone and a specific point of view to compose her poem. Determine through your own analysis what Bishop’s poem is about. Begin by identifying the poetic techniques. Then analyze how the images create a theme in the poem and explain the theme and how it relates to your interpretation of the poem.

Here is my step-by-step guide:
Start by doing a freewrite (at least 5 minutes) on the poem immediately after reading it.
Reread your freewrite and select some key ideas you may have come upon through the freewriting process. Do another freewrite focusing on the key ideas.
Next, ask yourself:
1. What is happening in this poem?
2. What are the reoccurring images?
3. What poetic devices are being used?
4. What is the tone of the poem?
5. What are the themes of this poem?

You may want to freewrite on each of these questions or simply jot down a list of answers.

Once you determine the main claims you will be making about this poem’s meaning, create an outline. You will be turning this outline in on September 1st.

We will be conducting an in-class draft workshop on September 8th. Your draft must meet the page minimum (3 pages) and include complete sentences, an introduction, conclusion and thesis statement.

I expect your final draft:
- To meet the page minimum
- Be proofread closely
- To have a clear thesis statement
- To include claims, which reflect your analysis of the poem, and evidence from the poem to back up your claims

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