Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Defining the Elusive
Thesis Statement
Thesis Statement
Your thesis statement directs all of the ideas, quote
selection, and commentary in your essay. Therefore, a muddled or imprecise
thesis statement will lead to an unclear or meaningless essay.
A thesis statement is NOT:
1. An abstract concept. For example, “Greed” is not a thesis
statement.
2. A general “universal” truth. For example, the following
sentence is not a thesis statement: “For thousands of years, man has been
greedy.”
A thesis statement IS a statement that provides direction
for the analysis of a theme or idea presented by a particular text. Therefore,
in order to construct an effective thesis statement, you must first determine
what a text is suggesting about an abstract concept (like greed, for example).
Your thesis statement will address an abstract concept PLUS
the evaluation of that concept through a particular text.
A thesis statement for “The Pardoner’s Tale” might address
the abstract concept of greed as it is handled in the story. The first two
examples are NOT thesis
statements. The third one is a complete thesis statement:
a. Greed is something that man has struggled with for
centuries, as demonstrated in “The Pardoner’s Tale” by Chaucer. (Abstract Concept
Only)
b. “The Pardoner’s Tale,” written by Chaucer, is a story
about how three men kill one another while looking for Death. (Plot Summary)
c. “The Pardoner’s Tale,” written by Chaucer, suggests that
the “deadly” sin of greed is stronger than any oath of friendship, and will
ultimately lead those who give into its allure to their own destruction.
Analytical Essay Rubric
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4
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3
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2
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1
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Thesis, opening paragraph.
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Student takes a clear position on the prompt/topic. Thesis Statement is defensible. Hook and thesis statement link. Order of development is present and sets up
how the thesis will be investigated.
Thesis connects prompt to the text as a whole.
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Student has a clear and defensible thesis statement.
Thesis connects prompt to the text as a whole.
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Thesis statement is attempted,
But – maybe not be defendable.
May not be clear.
May be wordy.
May not connect to the text as a whole.
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There is no recognizable thesis statement.
Or there may be multiple thesis statements.
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Use of Evidence
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Evidence is introduced and relevant to the thesis and
analysis is thorough makes clear how the evidence connects to and defends the
thesis. Evidence is properly cited.
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Evidence is introduced and relevant to the thesis. The analysis makes connection between
evidence and thesis, but the quality and/or quantity is inconsistent. Evidence is cited.
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Evidence is relevant to the thesis and there is some
analysis attempted, but the analysis may be taken out of context,
misinterpreted, or oversimplified.
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Evidence is attempted, but may not defend thesis or there
is no connection made between evidence and the thesis.
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Sophistication of Writing
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Use of prose style that is especially vivid. Student uses rhetorical strategies such as
parallel structure. Varied
syntax. High level vocabulary. Language consistent for an academic essay.
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Student uses varied syntax. Some high level vocabulary present. Prose style is engaging. Language consistent for an academic essay.
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Student attempts varied syntax. Vocabulary might be simplistic or
repetitious. Prose style is sometimes
engaging but might be repetitious of ideas.
Language may not be consistent for an academic essay
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Wordy, repetitious.
Vocabulary might be repetitious or the use of “to be” verbs may be
overused. Not engaging.
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Grammar
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1-2 errors that do not distract from reading.
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2-5 errors that do not distract from reading.
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More than 5 errors, or the errors present distract from
reading.
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Many errors. Errors
seriously distract from the reading of the text.
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Length
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More than 3 pages
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2-3 pages
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Less than 2 pages
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Less than 1 page
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Unit Goal:
Students will be able to write a series of short analysis
papers looking at BEOWULF in five different ways. Each short essay will connect commentary both
to DIRECT TEXT EXAMPLES (cited with the correct page number!) as well as
to the BOOK or TEXT AS A WHOLE. Students will choose five from the following:
1. THE AUTHOR AND HER/HIS TIMES: Biographical and historical
information pertinent to the novel.
What important family, community, national, and world events helped
inform this material? Do not provide an exhaustive biography; merely provide
those details that can be directly linked to the novel in a manner that is
convincing. This is one of the few sections that will require some outside
research, so please remember to cite your source(s).
2. FORM/STRUCTURE, PLOT: How is the novel organized and what
techniques are used? Discuss techniques
such as sequencing, multiple, complex, or simple plot, foreshadowing, chapter
choices. Then, provide a BRIEF outline
of the events of the plot (no more than 200 words). For some modern novels, the
plot may be difficult to describe succinctly – but try to do it anyway. When
you discuss structure, remember that you need to discuss the effect of the
intentional internal arrangement of parts.
3. POINT OF VIEW/
PERSPECTIVE: From what vantage point does the reader receive the
information? Is the perspective
reliable, or is it highly subjective?
How are important ideas received?
Is there an agenda that the narrator seems to have, either consciously
or subconsciously? Does the perspective shift, and if so, to what end? Are
characters explicit in their dialog, or does on omniscient narrator fill the
reader in concerning the larger issues?
Why is the perspective used particularly effective for this novel?
4. CHARACTER: Are each of the characters highly developed, or is most
of the writing devoted to one character? Do you learn about them through what
is not included in the text? How is
character revealed for the most part? Is through what they say? What they do?
What they wear? What they think? The people with whom they associate? What the
narrator says about them? How complex are the people that you meet? Describe the central characters including
what you find out about their names, ages, physical descriptions,
personalities, functions in the novel – in other words, the responses to the
questions asked in the preceding sentence. Also include one short quotation
that reveals their character, and explain why the quote reveals character.
5. SETTING: Where and when does
the novel occur? How many locations are
described? Are there connections between the setting(s) and character(s)? How
is the atmosphere described? Are there
any important settings that contrast or parallel each other? Why is this setting so effective in
supporting the ideas in the novel as a whole? Conversely, if the setting is
ambiguous, what details seem most important and what is the effect of the
ambiguity? Why is this story best told in this setting? When discussing
setting, remember that it does not only mean the geographical location
(topography, scenery) but also the cultural backdrop, social context, and the
artificial environment (rooms, buildings, cities, towns) as well.
6. THEME: Identify one major
theme (a central or controlling idea) and explicate the theme using specific
moments from the text, either paraphrased or directly quoted. What is the abstract concept being addressed
and what is the evaluation of that concept through the text? Are there any
“universal” truths are revealed, supported, or challenged by this theme? Be aware that a theme cannot be expressed in
a single word, and with complex works of literary merit the elucidation of a
theme requires a full paragraph or more. Also note that the theme is rarely
stated explicitly, but rather is implicit. Remember that a theme has TWO (2) PARTS: An abstract concept AND
the author’s commentary on or evaluation of that concept through the
text.
7. CRITICAL REVIEW: Find
one critical review (not a Cliffs Notes or similar source) of you novel and
offer your opinion of the critic’s analysis in two or three paragraphs. Attach
a copy of the critical review to your paper, and cite it directly. When
expressing your response to the review, be specific in your discussion. If you
agree, then explain why and carry the argument beyond what the critic pointed
out. If you disagree, provide support for your position from the text.
8. DICTION: Analyze the
novelist’s word choice. Is the language high
or formal,
neutral,
informal? Does the novelist
employ slang(faddish words)? Colloquialisms (nonstandard regional
ways of using language(like someone from Boston asking where you “paah-ked yeh caaah”)?
Jargon
(language associated with a particular trade)? Dialect (think Tom Sawyer)? Is the language plain? Flowery?
Concise? Vulgar? Dense?
Elevated? Select a passage that
illustrates your observations and discuss this passage directly.
9. SYNTAX (Sentence
structure): Analyze the sentence and
phrase patterns. Are the sentences
predominantly simple, compound, or complex?
Are the sentences intentionally long and complex or are they precise and
simple? How is punctuation used? Select a passage that illustrates your
observations concerning syntax, complete the attached Style and Syntax Analysis Chart,
and discuss your example specifically.
10. TONE: What is the author’s attitude towards the
subject of the novel? Discuss how the
author creates the tone you identified through a variety of vehicles including
plot, characterization, setting, and anything else that contributes to tone.
Use specific text examples to support your findings.
11. TITLE: Why is this title so appropriate for the
novel? Does it have literal or symbolic
significance? Does it actually appear in
the novel, and if so, what is the situation? Is the title an allusion, and if
so, why would the title include this allusion? Does the title implicitly
connect to the theme of the work?
12. MEMORABLE QUOTE: Choose and
type out one quotation that you
believe to be significant or noteworthy. Please explain your choice. Is it an
especially moving moment? Is it especially well-written? Why does this quote
stand out for you?
13. Symbol or literary
device: Choose a symbol or literary device that you believe to be significant
to this book. Discuss how it is used,
what ideas it backs up (what it means), and perhaps why the author used it. Make sure you use examples for the text and
you connect the symbol or device to the text as a whole.
