1. A claim about how the piece should be interpreted
2. Evidence that supports that particular interpretation
One of these aspects of the thesis needs to be “surprising;” in other words, it should help your reader consider the work in a way they might not have done before.
An unsurprising thesis would make for a boring paper, as in: “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” creates a feeling of sadness by using slow, awkward rhythms and sad imagery like fog and operating rooms. If the claim is surprising, it might be because you see the poem differently than other people do; perhaps you see “Prufrock” as a carpe diem poem, that Prufrock’s apathy should prompt a spirit of excitement in the reader. Or perhaps the evidence can be surprising; maybe you see “Prufrock” as a sad poem because it constantly alludes to old, dead texts. In the first example, the claim is surprising, in the second the claim is unsurprising, but the evidence is unique.
One or the other of these has to be there for a successful essay; if you’re telling your reader what they already know there’s no point in reading your essay.
One way to check to see if your thesis is solid is by seeing if a person might reasonably argue the opposite point. Your thesis needs to locate a controversy about how to interpret the poem. If someone could reasonably contend the opposite of what you’re saying, it’s probably a good thesis.
Activity
Revisit Lewis's climactic speech on pages 208-9; read it closely, looking for patterns in Lewis's tone, word choice, imagery, etc. After everyone in your group has had a chance to re-read the passage closely, work together as a group to construct a thesis statement about how to interpret the passage. Make sure that your thesis:
Revisit Lewis's climactic speech on pages 208-9; read it closely, looking for patterns in Lewis's tone, word choice, imagery, etc. After everyone in your group has had a chance to re-read the passage closely, work together as a group to construct a thesis statement about how to interpret the passage. Make sure that your thesis:
1. Includes a substantial claim about your interpretation of the speech
2. Provides specific evidence for why that interpretation is correct
3. Invokes a controversy that one might reasonably disagree with
4. Contains either a surprising claim or surprising evidence for that claim
Post your thesis statement as a comment on this post.
4. Contains either a surprising claim or surprising evidence for that claim
Post your thesis statement as a comment on this post.
Group 8:
ReplyDeleteLewis's speech represents a mockery of typical "good advice" that people try to give and receive. His sarcastic undertone coupled with ironic content demonstrates his pessimistic outlook on life. Although Lewis built up a fancy speech and had a lot to say, it is just an empty shell, in which he really has no message to convey.
All of his statements are in the imperative sentence structure ("Don't duck the question. Don't get preachy with the choir. etc."), but the actual content concerns impossible or nonsensical advice. The reaction of the crowd suggests that he said something amazing, but he finishes with another random piece of advice, again suggesting the lack of purpose behind his speech.
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ReplyDeleteGroup 7:
ReplyDeleteLewis' speech is earnest and ironic simultaneously, using both cliches and sincere advice to convey an insightful message about taking advantage of life in the face of constant struggles to his high school classmates, despite masking it in nonsense and sarcasm.
Group 3:
ReplyDeleteDespite his efforts to seem inspirational, Lewis seems to mock the ideal lifestyle of the average Catamount alumni through advising his peers to volunteer in the community, to have faith, and to make an effort. Lewis throughout the course of his post-high school life has been tremendously sarcastic towards the success of his peers, but is now connecting the struggles and successes as a whole which allows him to transition into a reflective perspective of letting go of the past.
Group 5
ReplyDeleteThrough his speech, Lewis calls his classmates to step out of the fake, seemingly perfect organization of their lives and accept that life is messy. He uses a verbal conglomerate of bizarre and menial details about life to plant a seed of discomfort within his listeners so that they may be motivated to finally show who they really are.
Group 2:
ReplyDeleteLewis wrote literally an entire book of updates to his classmates, some meaningful and some meaningless, but when he does get the chance to share his life with his classmates he choses not to update them, and he actually entertains them. Lewis clearly has a gift with words, but he lacks the motivation to use it to his full advantage.
Group 1: Teabag ejects a speech that utilizes personal pronouns, scattered, nonsensical idiomatic expressions, and personal responses evincing that the deliverance is a therapeutic message to himself rather than advice to his former classmates.
ReplyDeleteGroup 4:
ReplyDeleteThis Togethering speech provides Lewis with a sense of closure to an issue that has plagued him throughout his life, his desire to be listened to and understood, and through this climactic point, his desire is finally fulfilled.The irony of his speech is that Lewis offers advice and then contradicts every word of advice he gives, just like his life, which is up until this point a mess.
Lewis chooses to believe that he is not responsible for his failure and others are not responsible for their success. The antithetical structure of his speech invokes the feeling of helplessness and inevitability.
ReplyDelete