DEVELOPING A DEVELOPING A DYNAMIC DYNAMIC

THESISTHESIS

• It should be a single assertive sentence It should be a single assertive sentence

that contains the writer’s main that contains the writer’s main idea.idea.

• It suggests and controls the main It suggests and controls the main

organizationorganization of the paper. of the paper.

TEST TEST FOR A THESISFOR A THESIS

• UU - - UUnified (1 main idea)nified (1 main idea)

• RR- - RRestricted (Am I attempting too much?)estricted (Am I attempting too much?)

• PP- - PPrecise (Precise words set limits on recise (Precise words set limits on the topic)the topic)

• SS- - SSignificant (Explore an idea rather than ignificant (Explore an idea rather than state facts; answers the question “What state facts; answers the question “What about it?”)about it?”)

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TOPIC AND A THESISTOPIC AND A THESIS

• Topic is the general subject.Topic is the general subject.

• Thesis answers “What about it?”Thesis answers “What about it?”

• Topic #1Topic #1: war: war

• ThesisThesis: Although war is destructive, its : Although war is destructive, its

devastating physical and emotional challenges devastating physical and emotional challenges

force ordinary men and women to become heroes.force ordinary men and women to become heroes.

TOPIC #2TOPIC #2

• Accomplishment Accomplishment in “The Tortoise and the in “The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Three Little Pigs”Hare” and “The Three Little Pigs”

• Thesis: Thesis: In “The Tortoise and the Hare,” the In “The Tortoise and the Hare,” the tortoise wins the race due to his endurance tortoise wins the race due to his endurance and focus; likewise, in “The Three Little and focus; likewise, in “The Three Little Pigs,” the third pig builds a lasting house by Pigs,” the third pig builds a lasting house by showing patience and effort.showing patience and effort.

SAMPLE REVISIONSAMPLE REVISION

• In “The Tortoise and the Hare,” the tortoise wins the race In “The Tortoise and the Hare,” the tortoise wins the race

due to his endurance and focus; likewise, in “The Three due to his endurance and focus; likewise, in “The Three

Little Pigs,” the third pig builds a lasting house by Little Pigs,” the third pig builds a lasting house by

showing patience and effort.showing patience and effort.

• ““The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Three Little Pigs” The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Three Little Pigs”

prove that personal accomplishment relies on the virtues prove that personal accomplishment relies on the virtues

of good work ethic.of good work ethic.

• Nothing is as crucial to writing a good essay Nothing is as crucial to writing a good essay

as developing a good as developing a good thesisthesis. It doesn’t . It doesn’t

really matter how good your grammar is, or really matter how good your grammar is, or

how well you can use a metaphor; if your how well you can use a metaphor; if your

reader doesn’t know what you are trying to reader doesn’t know what you are trying to

prove, or doesn’t care, your essay will not prove, or doesn’t care, your essay will not

carry much weight.carry much weight.

• In order to allow your reader to know In order to allow your reader to know

what you are trying to prove, your thesis what you are trying to prove, your thesis

must be must be clearclear. That means you need to . That means you need to

know what you are attempting to argue, know what you are attempting to argue,

and need to say it and need to say it simply and gracefully.simply and gracefully.

• In order to make your reader care about In order to make your reader care about your thesis, you need to make it dynamic your thesis, you need to make it dynamic – the opposite of static. A static thesis is – the opposite of static. A static thesis is descriptive – it simply describes what is in descriptive – it simply describes what is in the book or books. the book or books.

• Here are some samples of potential thesis Here are some samples of potential thesis statements and their effectiveness:statements and their effectiveness:

DESCRIPTIVE THESISDESCRIPTIVE THESIS

• Both novels have a young male Both novels have a young male

protagonist with a smothering protagonist with a smothering

mother and a dead brother, and the mother and a dead brother, and the

protagonist runs away to war.protagonist runs away to war.

• (Level 1 for this 4U assignment)(Level 1 for this 4U assignment)

DYNAMIC THESISDYNAMIC THESIS

• A A dynamic dynamic thesis looks at what is in the thesis looks at what is in the

books and sees a pattern or makes an books and sees a pattern or makes an

observation connecting the two works observation connecting the two works

and explains why it is significant; rather and explains why it is significant; rather

than being descriptive, the dynamic than being descriptive, the dynamic

thesis is analytical.thesis is analytical.

DYNAMIC THESISDYNAMIC THESIS

• Though both novels show a young Though both novels show a young

protagonist reacting to a smothering protagonist reacting to a smothering

mother by running away to war, the first mother by running away to war, the first

novel reveals a character who repeatedly novel reveals a character who repeatedly

runs away and therefore never matures, runs away and therefore never matures,

while the second novel shows a character while the second novel shows a character

who reconciles his past and therefore who reconciles his past and therefore

finds renewed love.finds renewed love.

• Level 3Level 3

DYNAMIC THESISDYNAMIC THESIS

• Both characters suffer personal loss Both characters suffer personal loss

and strained parental relationships; and strained parental relationships;

however, their personal reactions to however, their personal reactions to

their home lives determine the extent their home lives determine the extent

to which they can reconcile their to which they can reconcile their

pasts and achieve personal success.pasts and achieve personal success.

• Level 4Level 4

• Changing a descriptive thesis to an Changing a descriptive thesis to an

analytical thesis is not always easy, and analytical thesis is not always easy, and

involves involves two key stepstwo key steps. Though both . Though both

steps are probably essential, they can be steps are probably essential, they can be

done in any order. Both require serious done in any order. Both require serious

thought.thought.

1.1. Look for cause and effect relationships Look for cause and effect relationships

in the action of the story, and look for in the action of the story, and look for

development of thedevelopment of the characters in the characters in the

storystory. .

“ “A” happens to “B”, so does “C”, and so on. A” happens to “B”, so does “C”, and so on.

The key here is to ask the questions “What The key here is to ask the questions “What

about it?”, “Why?”, and “To what effect?”about it?”, “Why?”, and “To what effect?”

2.2. Look carefully at the ending of theLook carefully at the ending of the

story, to see how it “turns out.”story, to see how it “turns out.”

Virtually all stories have their essence in the last quarter of the Virtually all stories have their essence in the last quarter of the

book, and often in the last few pages. The rest sets up the book, and often in the last few pages. The rest sets up the

part of the book where the author reveals the main point. The part of the book where the author reveals the main point. The

pattern, therefore, has its culmination in the end of the novel. pattern, therefore, has its culmination in the end of the novel.

Start by thinking about the ending, and then move backwards Start by thinking about the ending, and then move backwards

to determine why the story turned out as it did. What lesson to determine why the story turned out as it did. What lesson

do readers learn? Why is it an important lesson?do readers learn? Why is it an important lesson?

Young male protagonist

&

The essay looks like an equation.

Smothering mother

&

4 paragraphs each describing a characteristic of the book or what happens

Dead brother

&

No idea or argument

Arranging paragraphs in different order has little effect

Running away to war

= Essay

Lifeless essay

STATIC, DESCRIPTIVE THESIS

DYNAMIC ANALYTICAL THESISDYNAMIC ANALYTICAL THESIS

• BecauseBecause

• Therefore Therefore

• ThereforeTherefore

• HoweverHowever

• ThereforeTherefore

Dead brother

Smothering mother

Running away to war

Continues to run away

Stops running, faces difficulties

Remains immature Reconciles past, finds love

WHY IS THIS DYNAMIC?WHY IS THIS DYNAMIC?

• It goes into detail about how the events of It goes into detail about how the events of

the story affect the individual characters in the story affect the individual characters in

each novel.each novel.

How Can it be stronger?

• It should connect the actions of the characters with their outcomes and why it is significant.

UMBRELLA DYNAMIC ANALYTICAL THESISUMBRELLA DYNAMIC ANALYTICAL THESIS

• BecauseBecause

• HoweverHowever

• ThereforeTherefore

Dead brother= personal loss

Smothering mother= strained relationship

Continue running vs. Stop running

=

Personal reaction

Remains immature vs. reconciles past

=

Personal success?

+