Writing a thesis statement is all about figuring out the main idea for your paper, and then
explaining that main idea to your reader. But where to begin?
Begin with the question—the question you’re answering with your essay. We’ll use
"The Scarlet Letter" as an example.
Let’s say your teacher gave you the following question as your essay topic:
What role does the scarlet letter "A" play in Hawthorne’s novel, and why is it important?
Step 1: Assuming you’ve read the book (and really, you can’t write a paper without
having read the book) answer the question off the top of your head.
Question: What role does the scarlet letter "A" play in Hawthorne’s novel, and why is
it important?
Preliminary thesis: In "The Scarlet Letter," the letter "A" is a symbol.
That’s a good start, but you haven’t answered the whole question. Remember that the second
part of the question is: and why is the "A" important?
Step 2: So now you need to refine your answer. At this point, you’ll probably need to look
back at your notes about the book to figure out why the "A" is important. After you do,
revise your thesis statement.
Question: What role does the scarlet letter "A" play in Hawthorne’s novel, and why is
it important?
Revised thesis: In "The Scarlet Letter," the letter "A" is more than a symbol; it actually
helps define Hester’s identity.
That’s not a bad thesis, but remember that your thesis sends the reader off into your
essay not just knowing what you’re going to write about, but how you’re going to
make your case. In other words, you want to give your reader a little bit more direction.
This is where examples come in.
Step 3: Before you finish refining your thesis, you need to know which examples from the book
are going to help you make your case.
For this question, we might look at the way the meaning of the scarlet letter "A" changes
over the course of the novel. First it defines Hester as an adulteress. Later, it shows how
“able” Hester is. And finally, it comes to stand for “angel” as Hester takes control
of her own identity.
So, with these examples in mind, let’s revise that thesis statement one more time.
Question: What role does the scarlet letter "A" play in Hawthorne’s novel, and why is
it important?
Finalized thesis, version 1: In "The Scarlet Letter," the letter "A" is more than a symbol;
it actually helps define Hester’s identity, transforming her from an “adulteress,”
to a woman who’s “able,” and finally, into an “angel.”
That’s a great thesis (if I do say so myself), but I want to point out something that happened
as I wrote that thesis. Sometimes, when you start working with examples, an even deeper,
more nuanced response to the question emerges. So here’s an optional final step.
Step 4: Ask yourself: Am I really saying all I could be saying with my thesis? Am I really
saying it in the clearest possible way? Or are my examples leading me to tweak my thesis
and say something a little different, a little deeper?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, revise again.
Question: What role does the scarlet letter "A" play in Hawthorne’s novel, and why is
it important?
Finalized thesis, version 2: In "The Scarlet Letter," the letter "A" isn’t just a symbol
of Hester’s downfall; as Hester moves from “adulteress,” to a woman who’s “able,”
and finally, to an “angel,” the "A" becomes a symbol of Hester’s “agency” in defining
her own identity.
Let’s look at those steps one last time. To write your thesis statement:
1. Answer the question. 2. Refine your answer, making sure you’ve
answered all parts of the question. 3. Refine your answer into a more focused
thesis statement by including a reference to the examples you plan to use.
4. Refine your thesis so that it answers the question not just in a focused way, but also
in a creative, thoughtful, even profound way.
There you have it: An awesome thesis statement, and a solid foundation for an A+ essay.