This essay would include a close reading of the film in service of a larger point. The writer is doing more than providing a plot summary or pointing out details; they are analyzing the text in order to make an original argument.
2. The thesis is MANAGEABLE
Not all thesis statements are created equal. Does your thesis make a claim that can be reasonably proven with the evidence at hand and within the scope of your paper? Part of making your thesis arguable requires making it manageable with the evidence you have.
A book-length dissertation can make a larger, riskier claim than a short essay on Wuthering Heights. There is only so much you can argue when you only have five pages or when you’re drawing all your conclusions from one study. Don’t sell yourself short, but keep in mind your limitations and tailor your thesis to them.
Here are a few examples of theses that go beyond a manageable scope, and how they can be altered to argue within the scope of the evidence:
Example 1:
UNMANAGEABLE: By looking at Henry David Thoreau’s poem “I Am a Parcel of Vain Strivings Tied,” we can see that Transcendentalism is not actually about self-reliance, as the speaker of the poem is saved through outside aid.
- You can’t make an argument about the core tenets of a philosophical and literary movement only through a close reading of one poem by one of its contributors.
MANAGEABLE: While Transcendentalism is known for its emphasis on self-reliance, the speaker of Henry David Thoreau’s poem “I Am a Parcel of Vain Strivings Tied” expresses dependence on a “kind hand.” An examination of chance and intention in this poem reveals that the speaker is transformed by a recognition of outside aid. This reading offers a new perspective on what “self-reliance” can look like.
- This reworded thesis emphasizes how this poem does something unexpected without claiming that it totally changes Transcendentalism. Instead, this thesis focuses on what can be proven within the poem and understands the scope of the new perspective it provides.
Example 2:
UNMANAGEABLE: The results of my study — that more members of my neighborhood rated environmental issues as a higher priority than labor issues — shows that middle class voters care more about social issues than economic issues.
- This thesis makes a lot of assumptions without much evidence to back it up. Is your neighborhood representative of middle class voters throughout the country? Did you just ask about environmental versus labor issues? Are both of those actually representative of these broader categories “social” and “economic” issues?
MANAGEABLE: Despite expressing more concern about environmental issues than labor issues, research revealed that more of my neighbors participate in union activities than a recycling program. This study shows a disconnect between values and action in my neighborhood.
- This thesis statement now makes a claim about this neighborhood specifically rather than making sweeping generalizations.
Example 3:
UNMANAGEABLE: If the Union Army had lost at the Battle of Gettysburg, then the Confederate Army would have taken Pennsylvania and DC and won the Civil War.
- This thesis isn’t arguable or manageable; it makes an argument about a hypothetical situation that can’t really be proven with evidence — certainly not without a lot of it.
MANAGEABLE: In newspaper coverage and speeches made about the Battle of Gettysburg (including Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address), Union media and politicians created the sense that the Battle of Gettysburg had turned the tide of the war long before victory was assured on the battlefield.
- This thesis is still about the importance of the Battle of Gettysburg, but it roots it in specific evidence rather than speculation.
3. The thesis is INTERESTING
Does your thesis address a clear question/puzzle/contradiction? Does it go beyond the obvious? Does it say something original?
Consider these two different theses:
- Romeo and Juliet is a tale of “star-crossed” lovers. Throughout the play, we see how the cards are stacked against Romeo and Juliet and they are fated to meet a tragic end.
- Although we are told from the beginning that it is a tale of "star-crossed lovers," Romeo and Juliet produces its tragedy by calling attention to a series of near-misses, places where the protagonists' downfall could be avoided.
The first example is barely arguable and it is not very interesting. It seems like it’s saying something obvious and self-evident about the play.
The second example, however, says something more strange. It reads against the grain: we think the play is about one thing, but actually (this writer asserts), it’s about the opposite. This makes for a much more interesting thesis, one that offers an unexpected perspective on the play.
Reading against the grain is one technique for articulating an interesting thesis. Here are some other moves:
- There is an inconsistency/contradiction/tension that needs explaining.
- This case study can tell us something about a larger topic/issue.
- Scholars disagree about this, and my argument will show a new perspective or reconcile their thoughts.
- This method/approach has never been applied to this topic.
- It seems like one thing is the case (or we thought it was always this way), but that perspective needs challenging.
4. The thesis is IMPORTANT
Does your thesis have some significance in the context of existing scholarship/the field? Interesting theses are also more likely to be important because they’re saying something original that hasn’t been stated before.
An important thesis usually fills a gap in the existing literature on the topic. What hasn’t been said before? Is there a new approach you’re providing? A new perspective? It can also change the way we think about the topic. How does your particular reading change the way we think about this book or movie or political movement?
A good thesis has stakes; it answers the question “so what?” clearly. Let’s look again at our example: