Recap
- A thesis expresses an interpretation of a literary text and needs a defence: textual evidence plus a line of reasoning.
- A thesis may preview the line of reasoning; it need not list points, devices or evidence.
- A line of reasoning is the logical sequence of claims that work together to defend the thesis.
- Commentary explains the relationship between evidence, claims and thesis. Without it, you have a list of quotations.
Thesis checklist
| Question | If “no” |
|---|---|
| Is it an interpretation (about meaning or function), not a fact or a summary? | Add a claim about what the choice means |
| Could a thoughtful reader disagree? | It is probably not defensible; make it more specific |
| Is it specific to this work and this question? | Name the choice and its effect |
| Does it say why it matters? | Add the significance |
| Can I see the direction of the argument? | Preview the line of reasoning |
Four-move commentary chain
- Interpret: what does the evidence show?
- Explain how: which words or choices produce that meaning?
- Connect to the claim: how does this support the topic claim?
- Connect to the thesis: how does it advance the whole argument?
Weak to strong
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| “Macbeth kills Duncan.” (fact) | “Shakespeare makes Macbeth’s conscience argue against his crime, so that the murder reads as betrayal, not ignorance.” |
| “The author uses imagery.” (device) | “The recurring blood imagery makes guilt a physical presence the characters cannot wash away.” |
| “This shows that she is worried.” (restates) | “The specific list, ending on the ‘winter that was coming’, shows that she knows precisely what the refusal costs.” |
Assumptions
- The thesis can develop as you gather evidence. Check at the end that it matches what you proved.
- You do not need a surprising thesis. You need a defensible and specific one.
- Every body claim should serve the thesis. If it does not, revise one or the other.
Mistakes to avoid
- Stating a fact and calling it a thesis.
- Listing devices instead of making a claim.
- Presenting three examples as a line of reasoning.
- Quoting without explaining.
- Letting commentary stop at restatement.
Quick self-check
1. Is “Hamlet is a play about revenge” a thesis? Why or why not?
2. Fix the sentence: “Dickens uses symbolism to show Miss Havisham’s character.”
3. A student has three body paragraphs on blood, a dagger and sleepwalking, in that order, but could swap them freely. What does this suggest?
4. Which commentary is stronger? (a) “This quotation shows guilt.” (b) “The verb ‘wash’ turns guilt into a task that cannot be completed, so the stain becomes a measure of how far she has fallen from her earlier confidence.”
Answers.
- No. It is a topic or a general statement; it makes no defensible claim about meaning or function.
- For example: “By having Miss Havisham stop the clocks and keep her wedding dress, Dickens presents her as a person who has made a past injury into a permanent condition, and thereby shows the cost of refusing to let time move.”
- The line of reasoning may be a list. The claims should build on each other so that the order matters.
- (b). It interprets, explains how the word works and connects to a larger claim.
Return to the Topic 6.6 study guide for worked examples and the self-assessment table, then try the practice questions.