example of a thesis statement for an analysis essay

Module 8: Analysis and Synthesis

Analytical thesis statements, learning objective.

Describe strategies for writing analytical thesis statements
Identify analytical thesis statements

In order to write an analysis, you want to first have a solid understanding of the thing you are analyzing. Remember, when you are analyzing as a writer, you are:

Breaking down information or artifacts into component parts
Uncovering relationships among those parts
Determining motives, causes, and underlying assumptions
Making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations

You may be asked to analyze a book, an essay, a poem, a movie, or even a song. For example, let’s suppose you want to analyze the lyrics to a popular song. Pretend that a rapper called Escalade has the biggest hit of the summer with a song titled “Missing You.” You listen to the song and determine that it is about the pain people feel when a loved one dies. You have already done analysis at a surface level and you want to begin writing your analysis. You start with the following thesis statement:

Escalade’s hit song “Missing You” is about grieving after a loved one dies.

There isn’t much depth or complexity to such a claim because the thesis doesn’t give much information. In order to write a better thesis statement, we need to dig deeper into the song. What is the importance of the lyrics? What are they really about? Why is the song about grieving? Why did he present it this way? Why is it a powerful song? Ask questions to lead you to further investigation. Doing so will help you better understand the work, but also help you develop a better thesis statement and stronger analytical essay.

Formulating an Analytical Thesis Statement

When formulating an analytical thesis statement in college, here are some helpful words and phrases to remember:

What? What is the claim?
How? How is this claim supported?
So what? In other words, “What does this mean, what are the implications, or why is this important?”

Telling readers what the lyrics are might be a useful way to let them see what you are analyzing and/or to isolate specific parts where you are focusing your analysis. However, you need to move far beyond “what.” Instructors at the college level want to see your ability to break down material and demonstrate deep thinking. The claim in the thesis statement above said that Escalade’s song was about loss, but what evidence do we have for that, and why does that matter?

Effective analytical thesis statements require digging deeper and perhaps examining the larger context. Let’s say you do some research and learn that the rapper’s mother died not long ago, and when you examine the lyrics more closely, you see that a few of the lines seem to be specifically about a mother rather than a loved one in general.

Then you also read a recent interview with Escalade in which he mentions that he’s staying away from hardcore rap lyrics on his new album in an effort to be more mainstream and reach more potential fans. Finally, you notice that some of the lyrics in the song focus on not taking full advantage of the time we have with our loved ones. All of these pieces give you material to write a more complex thesis statement, maybe something like this:

In the hit song “Missing You,” Escalade draws on his experience of losing his mother and raps about the importance of not taking time with family for granted in order to connect with his audience.

Such a thesis statement is focused while still allowing plenty of room for support in the body of your paper. It addresses the questions posed above:

The claim is that Escalade connects with a broader audience by rapping about the importance of not taking time with family for granted in his hit song, “Missing You.”
This claim is supported in the lyrics of the song and through the “experience of losing his mother.”
The implications are that we should not take the time we have with people for granted.

Certainly, there may be many ways for you to address “what,” “how,” and “so what,” and you may want to explore other ideas, but the above example is just one way to more fully analyze the material. Note that the example above is not formulaic, but if you need help getting started, you could use this template format to help develop your thesis statement.

Through ________________(how?), we can see that __________________(what?), which is important because ___________________(so what?). [1]

Just remember to think about these questions (what? how? and so what?) as you try to determine why something is what it is or why something means what it means. Asking these questions can help you analyze a song, story, or work of art, and can also help you construct meaningful thesis sentences when you write an analytical paper.

Key Takeaways for analytical theses

Don’t be afraid to let your claim evolve organically . If you find that your thinking and writing don’t stick exactly to the thesis statement you have constructed, your options are to scrap the writing and start again to make it fit your claim (which might not always be possible) or to modify your thesis statement. The latter option can be much easier if you are okay with the changes. As with many projects in life, writing doesn’t always go in the direction we plan, and strong analysis may mean thinking about and making changes as you look more closely at your topic. Be flexible.

Use analysis to get you to the main claim. You may have heard the simile that analysis is like peeling an onion because you have to go through layers to complete your work. You can start the process of breaking down an idea or an artifact without knowing where it will lead you or without a main claim or idea to guide you. Often, careful assessment of the pieces will bring you to an interesting interpretation of the whole. In their text Writing Analytically , authors David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephen posit that being analytical doesn’t mean just breaking something down. It also means constructing understandings. Don’t assume you need to have deeper interpretations all figured out as you start your work.

When you decide upon the main claim, make sure it is reasoned . In other words, if it is very unlikely anyone else would reach the same interpretation you are making, it might be off base. Not everyone needs to see an idea the same way you do, but a reasonable person should be able to understand, if not agree, with your analysis.

Look for analytical thesis statements in the following activity.

Using Evidence

An effective analytical thesis statement (or claim) may sound smart or slick, but it requires evidence to be fully realized. Consider movie trailers and the actual full-length movies they advertise as an analogy. If you see an exciting one-minute movie trailer online and then go see the film only to leave disappointed because all the good parts were in the trailer, you feel cheated, right? You think you were promised something that didn’t deliver in its execution. A paper with a strong thesis statement but lackluster evidence feels the same way to readers.

So what does strong analytical evidence look like? Think again about “what,” “how,” and “so what.” A claim introduces these interpretations, and evidence lets you show them. Keep in mind that evidence used in writing analytically will build on itself as the piece progresses, much like a good movie builds to an interesting climax.

Key Takeaways about evidence

Be selective about evidence. Having a narrow thesis statement will help you be selective with evidence, but even then, you don’t need to include any and every piece of information related to your main claim. Consider the best points to back up your analytic thesis statement and go deeply into them. (Also, remember that you may modify your thesis statement as you think and write, so being selective about what evidence you use in an analysis may actually help you narrow down what was a broad main claim as you work.) Refer back to our movie theme in this section: You have probably seen plenty of films that would have been better with some parts cut out and more attention paid to intriguing but underdeveloped characters and/or ideas.

Be clear and explicit with your evidence. Don’t assume that readers know exactly what you are thinking. Make your points and explain them in detail, providing information and context for readers, where necessary. Remember that analysis is critical examination and interpretation, but you can’t just assume that others always share or intuit your line of thinking. Need a movie analogy? Think back on all the times you or someone you know has said something like “I’m not sure what is going on in this movie.”

Move past obvious interpretations. Analyzing requires brainpower. Writing analytically is even more difficult. Don’t, however, try to take the easy way out by using obvious evidence (or working from an obvious claim). Many times writers have a couple of great pieces of evidence to support an interesting interpretation, but they feel the need to tack on an obvious idea—often more of an observation than analysis—somewhere in their work. This tendency may stem from the conventions of the five-paragraph essay, which features three points of support. Writing analytically, though, does not mean writing a five-paragraph essay (not much writing in college does). Develop your other evidence further or modify your main idea to allow room for additional strong evidence, but avoid obvious observations as support for your main claim. One last movie comparison? Go take a look at some of the debate on predictable Hollywood scripts. Have you ever watched a movie and felt like you have seen it before? You have, in one way or another. A sharp reader will be about as interested in obvious evidence as he or she will be in seeing a tired script reworked for the thousandth time.

One type of analysis you may be asked to write is a literary analysis, in which you examine a piece of text by breaking it down and looking for common literary elements, such as character, symbolism, plot, setting, imagery, and tone.

The video below compares writing a literary analysis to analyzing a team’s chances of winning a game—just as you would look at various factors like the weather, coaching, players, their record, and their motivation for playing. Similarly, when analyzing a literary text you want to look at all of the literary elements that contribute to the work.

The video takes you through the story of Cinderalla as an example, following the simplest possible angle (or thesis statement), that “Dreams can come true if you don’t give up.” (Note that if you were really asked to analyze Cinderella for a college class, you would want to dig deeper to find a more nuanced and interesting theme, but it works well for this example.) To analyze the story with this theme in mind, you’d want to consider the literary elements such as imagery, characters, dialogue, symbolism, the setting, plot, and tone, and consider how each of these contribute to the message that “Dreams can come true if you don’t give up.”

You can view the transcript for “How to Analyze Literature” here (opens in new window) .

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UCLA Undergraduate Writing Center. "What, How and So What?" Approaching the Thesis as a Process. https://wp.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/UWC_handouts_What-How-So-What-Thesis-revised-5-4-15-RZ.pdf ↵
Keys to Successful Analysis. Authored by : Guy Krueger. Provided by : University of Mississippi. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Thesis Statement Activity. Authored by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/research/thesis-or-focus/thesis-or-focus-thesis-statement-activity/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
What is Analysis?. Authored by : Karen Forgette. Provided by : University of Mississippi. License : CC BY: Attribution
How to Analyze Literature. Provided by : HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr4BjZkQ5Nc . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

explanatorythesis.com

Great Explanatory Thesis Esamples

Analytical Thesis Statement Examples for You

There are different types of thesis statements, each one performing different functions to reach similar goals in writing. Analytical writing as the name implies is a form of writing that analyses a topic or subject matter from different points of view. If you’re writing an analytical essay, it is required that you include the pros, cons, good, bad, and ugly. This form of writing would require an analytical thesis statement to help lay the foundation for you to begin writing. There are some analytical thesis statement examples here that you may find helpful as you write

What is an Analytical Thesis Statement?

An analytical thesis statement is a thesis that is often used in analytical writings to introduce the topic. The primary function of the analytical essay thesis is to critically examine your write-up, and guide you as you write. This is achievable through:

Expanding the topic into smaller parts

Usually, your topic is supposed to be included in your thesis statement. This is because it introduces the work. However, in analytical thesis statements, your topic is broken into smaller parts that the body of your writing would cover. This includes the themes, scene, characters, etc. An analytical thesis example on the topic “racism” should include features like the negative effects of racism, the characteristics of racism, an occasion when racism has been exhibited, etc.

Linking the different parts to achieve your goal

Your analytical thesis statement is useless if there is no connecting factor between the sections that you wish to examine. You must understand that each part plays a role to achieve a goal. Using the sample of explanation essay on the topic “dieting”, you should not input themes that have to do with child abuse into your work. In the same vein, your thesis statement is incomplete without stating the reason for including something beyond what is written in your topic. Always remember that each word carries a meaning.

Addressing already existing analysis

If you’re analyzing a topic, the chances that someone already analyzed similar topics is extremely high. This could be taken as an added advantage to make references to existing research and if you want you could study some analytical thesis examples. It could also pose a problem of presenting something different from what has been laid down. Either way, it is important to make an analysis strictly on facts and evidence to back up your thesis statement.

The Role of Analytical Thesis Statements in Analytical Writing

Analytical thesis statements play different roles in your write-up. The primary aim of this kind of thesis is to answer the questions why, how, when, what next? Keep in mind that it is like making inquiries and providing answers to these questions asked.

It guides your writing

The thesis helps you outline what your writing should cover, and how to cover them. The body of your work is each point in your thesis given more light. Hence, your thesis and the body of your writing must complement each other. It is for this reason that the thesis is open for revision while writing. Sometimes, people find that they have steered away from the goal of their writing and will have to re-edit their thesis statement.

It gives your reader an insight into your work

Many things can be analyzed about a topic. An explanatory example on the topic of rape can be seen as follows:

WHY do people still rape despite the punishment involved
WHO is to blame for rape; the victims or criminals?
WHAT is the best way to punish rapists?
WHEN did the rape crime start?

You’ll find that the subject of discussion is a broad one, and there are many angles to approach it. The thesis tells your reader which areas your writing aims to cover, and why you chose to go through that route.

Features of Analytical Thesis Statements

Some of the features of an analytical thesis statement include;

It is Analytical

An analytical thesis statement must be analytical. That is, it is a combination of different components of a subject. It could be unlike this example of explanatory thesis statement:

“The existing problem of racism lingers and is fuelled by socio-ethnic discrimination.”

Rather a good analytical thesis statement sample may be written as:

“The result of the existing problem of racism is seen in the economical and sociopolitical aspect of the world. The socio-ethnic discrimination among a people continues to play a primary role in fuelling this problem.”

While both of the above statements address racism, the analytical statement expands the topic. It further talks about how ethnicity affects the world and is a primary cause of the problem.

It is Critical

You might find that as you create your thesis, you are more critical. An analytical thesis leaves no part of the topic untouched and it depends on you to narrow your research to a specific area. This is why your topic needs to be selected with utmost care.

It is Informative

An analytical thesis statement is often informative because it breaks down a topic into smaller bits. This pattern helps get the most out of a given topic. Be that as it may, all of the information that the thesis statement gives is important. You do not want your thesis to be too long and boring.

Like other thesis examples, an analytical thesis statement could be one or two sentences. Some sample explanatory essays have up to three sentences thesis statements. Below are analysis thesis statement examples that could be one or more than one sentence. The explanatory examples depend on the complexity of the topic being handled or analyzed.

The fast-rising trend of intermittent fasting is a result of certain health and mental benefits; it promotes weight loss, improves mental alertness to carry out day-to-day activities, and it helps ward off chronic diseases.
The invention of human realistic robots is proof that technology has advanced over the years in perfection and durability. The future of technology cannot nearly be checkmated and contained by human imagination.
The sizzling tension between the power blocs could stir a third world war, but the attainment of mutual acquired arms plays a primary role in keeping these nations in check.
Educational values cannot be sidetracked as one of the important necessities of molding children into adopting better thinking strategies and behavior.
The practice of child marriage, molestation, and abuse in rural areas is a result of a lack of exposure and enlightenment amongst the people of the region.
Many underaged people will get away with the use of fake identity cards in clubs because their bodies and mentality are more mature than their ages.
The role religion plays in the reduction of criminal activities in society is one of the leading reasons why it is important in our society today.
The hibernation period in animals is one of the most critical moments in their lives because they are in a state of weakness and are exposed to the dangers of the environment.
Water is extremely important for human survival, but consuming contaminated water is equally dangerous as it puts you at risk of diseases that could threaten your life.
The communication attitude in relationships affects the longevity, strength, and intimacy of relationships, and is important for people to enjoy a healthy relationship.
The techniques of journalists in reporting their stories are frowned at by many people. This is because most times, the media’s perspective on certain events only blows a simple event out of proportion.

Your analytical writing is incomplete without a well-structured thesis statement. It is hence important that you take your time in crafting out a thesis statement. The guidelines and analytical essay thesis examples in this article will help make your work easier.

example of a thesis statement for an analysis essay

Analytical Essay Thesis

Analytical essays delve deep into the intricacies of a subject, offering insightful interpretations and evaluations. At the heart of these essays lies the analytical thesis statement – a crucial element that encapsulates the analytical perspective you’ll explore. This guide explores a range of analytical thesis statement examples, guiding you through the process of creating thought-provoking statements. Learn to dissect complex subjects, develop critical arguments, and master the art of crafting compelling analytical thesis statements.

What is an Analytical Thesis Statement? – Definition

An analytical thesis statement is a concise declaration that outlines the main focus of an analytical essay. It presents the central argument or analysis the essay will explore, providing a roadmap for readers to understand the specific perspective, interpretation, or evaluation the writer intends to present. Unlike other types of thesis statements, an analytical thesis statement does not simply present a fact but delves into the “how” and “why” of a subject.

What is an Example of an Analytical Thesis Statement?

Example: “In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby,’ Jay Gatsby’s excessive pursuit of wealth and social status serves as a commentary on the illusory nature of the American Dream, highlighting the emptiness and moral decay that often accompany unchecked ambition.”

In this analytical thesis statement, the focus is on analyzing the character of Jay Gatsby and his actions as a reflection of larger themes within the novel. The strong thesis statement goes beyond a surface-level observation and delves into the deeper analysis of Gatsby’s character and its symbolic significance in relation to the American Dream.

100 Analytical Thesis Statement Examples

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“In Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet,’ the protagonist’s internal conflict reflects the complex interplay between duty, morality, and personal desires.”
“Through symbolic imagery and character development, ‘The Scarlet Letter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the destructive power of guilt on individuals and society.”
“Analyzing the juxtaposition of innocence and corruption in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ Harper Lee critiques the pervasive societal biases that perpetuate injustice.”
“The film ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ employs nonlinear narrative structure to delve into the complexities of memory, love, and human connection.”
“Through the lens of Marxist theory, George Orwell’s ‘1984’ unveils a dystopian world that critiques totalitarianism and the manipulation of truth.”
“In Emily Dickinson’s poetry, the recurring theme of death serves as a means of contemplating the transient nature of life and the human condition.”
“Analyzing Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits reveals her use of visual symbolism to convey her physical and emotional pain as well as her feminist ideals.”
“Through intricate narrative structure and character development, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel García Márquez explores the cyclical nature of history and human experience.”
“The painting ‘Starry Night’ by Vincent van Gogh conveys the artist’s emotional turmoil and inner conflict through its vivid color palette and swirling forms.”
“Through the analysis of ‘The Catcher in the Rye,’ J.D. Salinger portrays the protagonist Holden Caulfield’s alienation as a manifestation of his fear of adulthood and societal conformity.
“Exploring the use of metaphors and allegory in ‘Animal Farm,’ George Orwell satirizes political ideologies and the corruption of power.”
“The poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost delves into the concept of choices and regret, using a diverging path as a metaphor for life’s decisions.”
“Analyzing the historical context and literary techniques in ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ John Steinbeck critiques the exploitation of the working class during the Great Depression.”
“In Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein,’ the creature’s isolation and rejection serve as a commentary on the consequences of unchecked scientific ambition.”
“Through visual elements and composition, Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ conveys a sense of mystery and psychological depth, captivating viewers for centuries.”
“Analyzing the use of irony and social commentary in Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal,’ one can understand his satirical critique of British colonialism.”
“The play ‘Death of a Salesman’ by Arthur Miller explores the disillusionment of the American Dream through the tragic downfall of the protagonist Willy Loman.”
“Through the lens of feminist theory, Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ critiques the societal constraints placed on women’s mental and emotional well-being.”
“Analyzing the motifs of light and darkness in Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness,’ one can interpret them as representations of morality and the human psyche.”
“Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ uses unreliable narration and symbolism to delve into the narrator’s descent into madness and guilt.”
“In the film ‘Citizen Kane,’ Orson Welles employs non-linear storytelling and deep focus cinematography to explore the enigmatic life of the titular character.”
“Analyzing the use of repetition and imagery in Langston Hughes’ ‘Dream Deferred,’ one can interpret the poem as a commentary on the consequences of unfulfilled dreams.”
“Through allegorical elements and character interactions, William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ examines the inherent capacity for savagery within human nature.”
“The painting ‘Guernica’ by Pablo Picasso serves as a powerful anti-war statement, depicting the horrors of conflict and the suffering of innocent civilians.”
“Analyzing the themes of identity and societal conformity in Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘The Namesake,’ one can uncover the struggles faced by immigrant families in adapting to new cultures.”
“In ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ by Oscar Wilde, the portrait serves as a symbol of the protagonist’s moral decay and the consequences of pursuing eternal youth.”
“Analyzing the use of color symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby,’ one can interpret colors as reflections of characters’ personalities and societal decadence.”
“Through the examination of allegorical elements in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm,’ one can uncover the representation of historical events and political ideologies.”
“In ‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley, the dystopian society’s use of technology and conditioning raises questions about the cost of sacrificing individuality for stability.”
“Analyzing the character of Lady Macbeth in Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth,’ one can discern her ambition-driven transformation and the psychological toll of her actions.
“In ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen, the social commentary and character interactions illuminate the societal norms and expectations of the Regency era.”
“Analyzing the use of religious symbolism in Herman Melville’s ‘Moby-Dick,’ one can interpret the white whale as a representation of the unattainable and the divine.”
“The film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ explores themes of hope and redemption through the friendship between two inmates, offering a commentary on the human spirit.”
“Analyzing the motif of the American Dream in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ F. Scott Fitzgerald critiques the pursuit of materialism and the illusion of social mobility.”
“In ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare, the tragic downfall of the titular character is driven by jealousy and manipulation, revealing the destructive power of unchecked emotions.”
“Analyzing the use of symbolism in T.S. Eliot’s poem ‘The Waste Land,’ one can interpret various images and references as reflections of societal decay and spiritual desolation.”
“The painting ‘American Gothic’ by Grant Wood conveys a complex narrative through the stern expressions and juxtaposition of the farmer and his daughter.”
“Analyzing the character development in Jane Eyre’s journey, Charlotte Brontë examines themes of independence, feminism, and self-discovery.”
“In ‘The Metamorphosis’ by Franz Kafka, the protagonist’s transformation into a giant insect serves as a metaphor for alienation and the absurdity of modern life.”
“Analyzing the use of foreshadowing and symbolism in William Faulkner’s ‘A Rose for Emily,’ one can interpret the decayed mansion as a representation of the past and its lingering impact.”
“Through allegorical elements in ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho, one can uncover themes of personal legend and the transformative power of following one’s dreams.”
“Analyzing the narrative structure in Gabriel García Márquez’s ‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold,’ one can discern the multi-perspective exploration of truth and collective guilt.”
“The sculpture ‘The Thinker’ by Auguste Rodin captures the contemplative nature of human thought and the complexity of philosophical introspection.”
“Analyzing the use of irony and satire in Voltaire’s ‘Candide,’ one can interpret the protagonist’s misadventures as a commentary on the irrationality of human behavior.”
“Through the exploration of nature and human experience in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, transcendentalism emerges as a celebration of individual intuition and connection.”
“Analyzing the use of narrative structure in Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Lolita,’ one can discern the unreliable narration that challenges readers’ perceptions of truth and morality.”
“In ‘The Awakening’ by Kate Chopin, the protagonist’s journey towards self-discovery and liberation reflects the constraints placed on women in the 19th-century society.”
“Analyzing the use of dramatic monologue in Robert Browning’s ‘My Last Duchess,’ one can uncover the psychological complexity and possessive nature of the speaker.”
“Through allegorical elements and philosophical themes in Albert Camus’ ‘The Stranger,’ the protagonist’s indifference to societal norms questions the absurdity of existence.”
“Analyzing the use of myth and symbolism in Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved,’ one can interpret the haunting presence of the titular character as a representation of historical trauma.”
“In ‘Crime and Punishment’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the psychological turmoil of the protagonist Raskolnikov reflects the tension between morality and rationality.”
“Analyzing the narrative techniques in Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children,’ one can discern the blending of history and magical realism to explore India’s postcolonial identity.”
“Through the examination of imagery and metaphor in Sylvia Plath’s poetry, themes of mental illness, identity, and gender roles come to the forefront.”
“Analyzing the use of symbolism in E.M. Forster’s ‘A Passage to India,’ one can interpret the Marabar Caves as a metaphor for the complexity of cultural misunderstandings.”
“The short story ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson employs irony and social commentary to critique blind adherence to tradition and the potential for collective cruelty.”
“Analyzing the use of allegory in John Bunyan’s ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress,’ one can interpret the protagonist’s journey as a representation of spiritual enlightenment and salvation.”
“In ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’ by Zora Neale Hurston, the protagonist Janie’s journey towards self-discovery reflects her search for autonomy and empowerment.”
“Analyzing the use of literary devices in Gabriel García Márquez’s ‘Love in the Time of Cholera,’ one can uncover the exploration of enduring love and the passage of time.”
“Through allegorical elements in Franz Kafka’s ‘The Trial,’ one can interpret the absurdity of the bureaucratic legal system as a commentary on the human struggle for control.”
“Analyzing the use of dramatic irony in Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ one can discern the tragic irony that underscores the lovers’ fate and the societal feud.”
“In ‘The Road’ by Cormac McCarthy, the post-apocalyptic landscape serves as a metaphor for the fragility of human existence and the pursuit of hope.”
“Analyzing the themes of colonization and cultural clash in Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart,’ one can interpret the protagonist Okonkwo’s downfall as a representation of societal upheaval.”
“Through allegorical elements in Jack London’s ‘To Build a Fire,’ the protagonist’s struggle against nature serves as a reflection of human hubris and vulnerability.”
“In ‘Invisible Man’ by Ralph Ellison, the protagonist’s invisibility becomes a metaphor for social marginalization and the dehumanizing effects of racial prejudice.”
“Analyzing the use of motifs and symbolism in Kate Chopin’s ‘The Story of an Hour,’ one can interpret the protagonist’s liberation as a commentary on societal expectations.”
“Through allegorical elements in Franz Kafka’s ‘Metamorphosis,’ one can interpret the protagonist’s transformation as a representation of alienation and the absurdity of modern life.”
“In ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ by Jonathan Swift, the protagonist’s encounters with different societies serve as satirical commentaries on various aspects of human behavior.”
“Analyzing the use of symbolism in William Faulkner’s ‘As I Lay Dying,’ one can interpret the journey to bury Addie Bundren’s body as a representation of family dynamics and individual motivations.”
“Through allegorical elements in Herman Melville’s ‘Bartleby, the Scrivener,’ one can interpret the enigmatic character Bartleby as a representation of passive resistance and societal alienation.”
“In ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood, the dystopian society serves as a critique of patriarchal control and the erosion of women’s rights.”
“Analyzing the use of foreshadowing and symbolism in Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Haunting of Hill House,’ one can interpret the house itself as a representation of psychological trauma.”
“Through allegorical elements in Albert Camus’ ‘The Plague,’ one can interpret the outbreak of plague as a metaphor for the absurdity of human existence and the inevitability of suffering.”
“In ‘The Sun Also Rises’ by Ernest Hemingway, the Lost Generation’s disillusionment serves as a commentary on the aftermath of World War I.”
“Analyzing the use of metaphors and allegory in John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost,’ one can interpret Satan’s rebellion as a representation of the dangers of pride and ambition.”
“Through allegorical elements in H.G. Wells’ ‘The Time Machine,’ one can interpret the protagonist’s journey to the distant future as a commentary on societal evolution and the consequences of unchecked progress.”
“In ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Brontë, the tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine serves as a metaphor for the destructive power of passionate obsession.”
“Analyzing the use of irony and satire in Mark Twain’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,’ one can interpret the river as a symbol of freedom and a commentary on the racial tensions of the time.”
“Through allegorical elements in John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men,’ one can interpret the dream of owning a piece of land as a representation of companionship and the American Dream.”
“In ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini, the protagonist’s journey towards redemption serves as a commentary on guilt, betrayal, and the complexities of friendship.”
“Analyzing the use of symbolism in Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World,’ one can interpret the conditioning and drug-induced happiness as a representation of societal control and the loss of individuality.”
“Through allegorical elements in William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies,’ the descent into savagery among the stranded boys serves as a commentary on the inherent darkness within humanity.”
“In Gabriel García Márquez’s ‘Love in the Time of Cholera,’ the protagonist’s enduring love and pursuit of lost opportunities serve as a reflection of the passage of time and the complexities of relationships.”
“Analyzing the use of narrative structure in Leo Tolstoy’s ‘Anna Karenina,’ one can discern the parallel narratives of different characters as a commentary on societal norms and the consequences of personal choices.”
“Through allegorical elements in Franz Kafka’s ‘The Castle,’ one can interpret the protagonist’s futile attempts to reach the inaccessible castle as a representation of the human struggle for meaning and belonging.”
“In George Orwell’s ‘Down and Out in Paris and London,’ the protagonist’s experiences of poverty and social alienation serve as a commentary on the disparities within society.”
“Analyzing the use of symbolism in E.E. Cummings’ poetry, one can interpret his innovative typography and language as a representation of individualism and breaking away from convention.”
“Through allegorical elements in Jean-Paul Sartre’s play ‘No Exit,’ the characters’ confinement in a room becomes a metaphor for existential anguish and the consequences of human choices.”
“In William Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar,’ the manipulation of public opinion serves as a commentary on the dynamics of power, loyalty, and the consequences of political ambition.

Analytical Essay Thesis Statement Example for High School

An analytical essay’s thesis statement for high school sets the stage for the examination of a topic, delving into its complexities and drawing insights based on evidence.

In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the theme of fate challenges the power of free will as seen through the tragic end of the young lovers.
The portrayal of friendship in “The Outsiders” demonstrates the significance of social class divides in the 1960s.
Through symbolism and imagery, Emily Dickinson’s poems convey profound themes about life, death, and eternity.
Atticus Finch’s moral integrity in “To Kill a Mockingbird” stands as a beacon of hope in a racially divided society.
“Lord of the Flies” uses the island as a microcosm to examine the inherent evil in human nature.
George Orwell’s “1984” delves deep into the dangers of totalitarian governments and the loss of individuality.
The character development of Elizabeth Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice” sheds light on the societal constraints of women during the Regency era.
“The Catcher in the Rye” critiques the phoniness of adulthood while highlighting the vulnerability of adolescence.
The journey of Bilbo Baggins in “The Hobbit” is a testament to personal growth and the discovery of inner courage.
In “Fahrenheit 451,” Bradbury warns about the consequences of censorship and the loss of intellectual freedom.

Analytical Essay Thesis Statement Example for Middle School

Middle school thesis statements for analytical essays examine topics in a straightforward manner, building critical thinking skills.

“Bridge to Terabithia” shows that friendship can help overcome personal challenges and grief.
The challenges faced by Percy Jackson highlight the complexities of growing up with a unique identity.
Matilda uses her intellect and supernatural powers to combat negativity and find her place in the world.
“The Giver” reveals the dangers of a seemingly perfect society devoid of memories and emotions.
Through “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” the Pevensie siblings learn about bravery, sacrifice, and loyalty.
In “Holes,” the interwoven stories demonstrate the impact of family legacies and the power of redemption.
“Charlotte’s Web” uses the farm setting to explore themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the cycle of life.
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” humorously addresses the challenges and intricacies of middle school life.
Through “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” Rowling discusses the importance of choices in shaping one’s destiny.
“A Wrinkle in Time” showcases the battle between good and evil, emphasizing the power of love.

Analytical Essay Thesis Statement Example for College

College-level thesis statements delve deeper into complex topics, offering nuanced insights and arguments.

“Moby Dick” serves as a profound exploration of obsession, illustrating its destructive consequences and moral ambiguities.
In “The Great Gatsby,” Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream, revealing its inherent flaws and the disillusionment of the Jazz Age.
“One Hundred Years of Solitude” portrays the cyclical nature of history through the Buendía family’s experiences.
Virginia Woolf’s “To the Lighthouse” delves into the human consciousness, capturing fleeting emotions and moments.
In “Brave New World,” Huxley showcases the dehumanizing effects of technological advancements and societal uniformity.
“Heart of Darkness” explores the impact of colonialism, presenting a dark reflection on human nature and moral corruption.
Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” addresses the haunting legacy of slavery and its lasting psychological effects.
Through “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Atwood critiques patriarchal societies, illustrating the dangers of religious extremism and loss of female agency.
“Crime and Punishment” offers a deep psychological analysis of guilt and redemption through Raskolnikov’s actions and motivations.
Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” provides an existential view of alienation and identity crisis in the modern world.

Analytical Essay Thesis Statement Example for Beginners

Beginner-level thesis statements offer clear and simple insights, setting the foundation for deeper analytical thinking.

“The Little Prince” teaches readers about the importance of relationships and seeing with the heart.
“Charlotte’s Web” illustrates the value of friendship and the inevitability of life’s cycles.
“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” uses vibrant illustrations to show the process of metamorphosis in nature.
In “Where the Wild Things Are,” Max learns about emotions and the comfort of home.
“The Rainbow Fish” highlights the joy of sharing and the essence of true beauty.
“Green Eggs and Ham” humorously emphasizes the idea of trying new things and overcoming initial hesitations.
Through “The Cat in the Hat,” Dr. Seuss illustrates the fun and chaos that arise from breaking rules.
“Goodnight Moon” uses repetitive structure and rhymes to convey the calming ritual of bedtime.
“Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” introduces young readers to colors and animals through patterned text.
“Corduroy” portrays the desire for belonging and the importance of friendship and acceptance.

How do you start an analytical thesis?

Starting an analytical thesis requires a clear understanding of the topic, a comprehensive evaluation of the relevant materials, and identifying the primary elements to be analyzed.

Select a Topic: The first step in starting an analytical thesis is to select a specific topic or aspect you want to explore in-depth.
Research the Topic: Before drafting your thesis, it’s important to delve into your topic. Familiarize yourself with the primary sources, secondary analyses, and any related discussions.
Identify a Focus: Determine the specific aspect of the topic you want to analyze. This could be a character in a novel, a historical event’s cause and effect, or a particular trend in science.
Ask Analytical Questions: Pose questions that will guide your analysis. For example, “What is the significance of this character’s actions?” or “How does this event influence the larger narrative?”

What makes a good analytical thesis?

A good analytical thesis possesses several characteristics:

Clear and Concise: A thesis should clearly convey your main argument without being overly wordy.
Specific: It should narrow down your topic to a specific aspect or element that can be thoroughly explored in your essay.
Arguable: A good thesis presents an argument or an interpretation that could be challenged by others.
Evidence-Based: It should be based on evidence from the source material.
Relevant: The thesis should be pertinent to the assignment or topic at hand.
Original: Your thesis should offer a fresh perspective or insight, rather than simply stating the obvious.

How do you write a thesis statement for an analytical essay? – Step by Step Guide

Read Your Source Material: Engage with your primary source, noting key elements, themes, or patterns that emerge.
Identify Your Main Argument: What primary message or insight do you wish to convey about your topic?
Gather Supporting Evidence: List down the pieces of evidence from the source that support your main argument.
Formulate a Working Thesis: Draft a tentative thesis statement that encapsulates your main argument and supporting evidence.
Refine and Narrow: Make sure your thesis is specific and focuses on a particular aspect of your topic.
Ensure It’s Debatable: Your thesis should present a perspective or interpretation that can be debated.
Seek Feedback: Discuss your thesis with peers, instructors, or mentors to get feedback and further refine it.
Finalize the Statement: Once refined, finalize your thesis statement, ensuring it accurately represents your analytical insights.

Tips for Writing an Analytical Thesis Statement Example

Start Broad, then Narrow Down: Begin with a broad perspective on your topic and then hone in on the specific area you want to analyze.
Avoid Subjectivity: While an analytical thesis represents your interpretation, it should be based on evidence and not personal biases.
Stay Active: Use active voice for a more assertive and clear thesis.
Revisit and Revise: As you write your essay, you might find more insights that can refine your thesis. Be open to revisiting and tweaking your statement.
Avoid Vague Language: Words like “might,” “could,” or “possibly” can weaken your thesis. Be assertive in your statement.
Test Your Thesis: A good practice is to try to counter-argue your thesis. If you can find valid counter-arguments, it might be too weak or broad.
Keep it Focused: Your thesis should only cover what you will discuss in your essay, not introduce new topics.
Practice Makes Perfect: Write multiple versions of your thesis before settling on the final one. This practice will help you refine your analytical skills over time.

An analytical essay thesis statement is the cornerstone of any analytical essay, offering a concise insight into the writer’s analysis. Crafting it requires a clear understanding of the topic, supporting evidence, and a focused approach. By adopting best practices and refining one’s skills, a writer can effectively convey their analytical insights, enhancing the overall impact of their essay.

Analytical Essay Thesis Statement Generator

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How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
Answer your project’s main research question.
Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

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8.7: Analytical Thesis Statements

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Learning Objective

Describe strategies for writing analytical thesis statements
Identify analytical thesis statements

In order to write an analysis, you want to first have a solid understanding of the thing you are analyzing. Remember, this means:

Breaking down information or artifacts into component parts
Uncovering relationships among those parts
Determining motives, causes, and underlying assumptions
Making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations

“Escalade’s hit song “Missing You” is about being sad after a loved one dies.”

There isn’t much depth or complexity to such a claim because the thesis doesn’t give much information. In order to write a better thesis statement, we need to dig deeper into the song. What is the importance of the lyrics? What are they really about? Why is the song about being sad? Why did he present it this way? Why is it a powerful song? Ask questions to lead you to further investigation. Doing so will help you better understand the work, but also help you develop a better thesis statement and stronger analytical essay.

Formulating an Analytical Thesis Statement

When formulating an analytical thesis statement in college, there are three words/phrases to remember:

What? What is the claim?
How? How is this claim supported?
So what? In other words, “What does this mean, what are the implications, or why is this important?”

Telling readers what the lyrics are might be a useful way to let them see what you are analyzing and/or to isolate specific parts where you are focusing your analysis. However, you need to move far beyond “what.” Instructors at the college level want to see your ability to break down material and demonstrate deep thinking. The claim in the thesis statement above said that Escalade’s song was about being sad, but what evidence do we have for that, and why does that matter?

“In the hit song ‘Missing You,’ Escalade draws on his experience of losing his mother and raps about the importance of not taking time with family for granted in order to connect with a broad audience.”

Such a thesis statement is focused while still allowing plenty of room for support in the body of your paper. It addresses the questions posed above:

The claim is that Escalade connects with a broader audience by rapping about the importance of not taking time with family for granted in his hit song, “Missing You.”
This claim is supported in the lyrics of the song and through the “experience of losing his mother.”
The implications are that we should not take valuable things for granted.

Through ________________(how?), we can see that __________________(what?), which is important because ___________________(so what?). [1]

Key Takeaways for analytical theses

Look for analytical thesis statements in the following activity.

https://lumenlearning.h5p.com/content/1290920118213584118/embed

Using Evidence

https://assessments.lumenlearning.co...essments/20272

Key Takeaways about evidence

You can view the transcript for “How to Analyze Literature” here (opens in new window) .

UCLA Undergraduate Writing Center. "What, How and So What?" Approaching the Thesis as a Process. https://wp.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/UWC_handouts_What-How-So-What-Thesis-revised-5-4-15-RZ.pdf ↵

Contributors and Attributions

Keys to Successful Analysis. Authored by : Guy Krueger. Provided by : University of Mississippi. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Thesis Statement Activity. Authored by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/research/thesis-or-focus/thesis-or-focus-thesis-statement-activity/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
What is Analysis?. Authored by : Karen Forgette. Provided by : University of Mississippi. License : CC BY: Attribution
How to Analyze Literature. Provided by : HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr4BjZkQ5Nc . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

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Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements

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This resource provides tips for creating a thesis statement and examples of different types of thesis statements.

Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

1. Determine what kind of paper you are writing:

An analytical paper breaks down an issue or an idea into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience.
An expository (explanatory) paper explains something to the audience.
An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

If you are writing a text that does not fall under these three categories (e.g., a narrative), a thesis statement somewhere in the first paragraph could still be helpful to your reader.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.

3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.

4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Thesis Statement Examples

Example of an analytical thesis statement:

The paper that follows should:

Explain the analysis of the college admission process
Explain the challenge facing admissions counselors

Example of an expository (explanatory) thesis statement:

Explain how students spend their time studying, attending class, and socializing with peers

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:

Present an argument and give evidence to support the claim that students should pursue community projects before entering college

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
makes a claim that others might dispute.
is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

Do I answer the question? Yes!
Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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General Education

Do you need to write an analytical essay for school? What sets this kind of essay apart from other types, and what must you include when you write your own analytical essay? In this guide, we break down the process of writing an analytical essay by explaining the key factors your essay needs to have, providing you with an outline to help you structure your essay, and analyzing a complete analytical essay example so you can see what a finished essay looks like.

What Is an Analytical Essay?

Before you begin writing an analytical essay, you must know what this type of essay is and what it includes. Analytical essays analyze something, often (but not always) a piece of writing or a film.

An analytical essay is more than just a synopsis of the issue though; in this type of essay you need to go beyond surface-level analysis and look at what the key arguments/points of this issue are and why. If you’re writing an analytical essay about a piece of writing, you’ll look into how the text was written and why the author chose to write it that way. Instead of summarizing, an analytical essay typically takes a narrower focus and looks at areas such as major themes in the work, how the author constructed and supported their argument, how the essay used literary devices to enhance its messages, etc.

While you certainly want people to agree with what you’ve written, unlike with persuasive and argumentative essays, your main purpose when writing an analytical essay isn’t to try to convert readers to your side of the issue. Therefore, you won’t be using strong persuasive language like you would in those essay types. Rather, your goal is to have enough analysis and examples that the strength of your argument is clear to readers.

Besides typical essay components like an introduction and conclusion, a good analytical essay will include:

A thesis that states your main argument
Analysis that relates back to your thesis and supports it
Examples to support your analysis and allow a more in-depth look at the issue

In the rest of this article, we’ll explain how to include each of these in your analytical essay.

How to Structure Your Analytical Essay

Analytical essays are structured similarly to many other essays you’ve written, with an introduction (including a thesis), several body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Below is an outline you can follow when structuring your essay, and in the next section we go into more detail on how to write an analytical essay.

Introduction

Your introduction will begin with some sort of attention-grabbing sentence to get your audience interested, then you’ll give a few sentences setting up the topic so that readers have some context, and you’ll end with your thesis statement. Your introduction will include:

Brief background information explaining the issue/text
Your thesis

Body Paragraphs

Your analytical essay will typically have three or four body paragraphs, each covering a different point of analysis. Begin each body paragraph with a sentence that sets up the main point you’ll be discussing. Then you’ll give some analysis on that point, backing it up with evidence to support your claim. Continue analyzing and giving evidence for your analysis until you’re out of strong points for the topic. At the end of each body paragraph, you may choose to have a transition sentence that sets up what the next paragraph will be about, but this isn’t required. Body paragraphs will include:

Introductory sentence explaining what you’ll cover in the paragraph (sort of like a mini-thesis)
Analysis point
Evidence (either passages from the text or data/facts) that supports the analysis
(Repeat analysis and evidence until you run out of examples)

You won’t be making any new points in your conclusion; at this point you’re just reiterating key points you’ve already made and wrapping things up. Begin by rephrasing your thesis and summarizing the main points you made in the essay. Someone who reads just your conclusion should be able to come away with a basic idea of what your essay was about and how it was structured. After this, you may choose to make some final concluding thoughts, potentially by connecting your essay topic to larger issues to show why it’s important. A conclusion will include:

Paraphrase of thesis
Summary of key points of analysis
Final concluding thought(s)

5 Steps for Writing an Analytical Essay

Follow these five tips to break down writing an analytical essay into manageable steps. By the end, you’ll have a fully-crafted analytical essay with both in-depth analysis and enough evidence to support your argument. All of these steps use the completed analytical essay in the next section as an example.

#1: Pick a Topic

You may have already had a topic assigned to you, and if that’s the case, you can skip this step. However, if you haven’t, or if the topic you’ve been assigned is broad enough that you still need to narrow it down, then you’ll need to decide on a topic for yourself. Choosing the right topic can mean the difference between an analytical essay that’s easy to research (and gets you a good grade) and one that takes hours just to find a few decent points to analyze

Before you decide on an analytical essay topic, do a bit of research to make sure you have enough examples to support your analysis. If you choose a topic that’s too narrow, you’ll struggle to find enough to write about.

For example, say your teacher assigns you to write an analytical essay about the theme in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath of exposing injustices against migrants. For it to be an analytical essay, you can’t just recount the injustices characters in the book faced; that’s only a summary and doesn’t include analysis. You need to choose a topic that allows you to analyze the theme. One of the best ways to explore a theme is to analyze how the author made his/her argument. One example here is that Steinbeck used literary devices in the intercalary chapters (short chapters that didn’t relate to the plot or contain the main characters of the book) to show what life was like for migrants as a whole during the Dust Bowl.

You could write about how Steinbeck used literary devices throughout the whole book, but, in the essay below, I chose to just focus on the intercalary chapters since they gave me enough examples. Having a narrower focus will nearly always result in a tighter and more convincing essay (and can make compiling examples less overwhelming).

#2: Write a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the most important sentence of your essay; a reader should be able to read just your thesis and understand what the entire essay is about and what you’ll be analyzing. When you begin writing, remember that each sentence in your analytical essay should relate back to your thesis

In the analytical essay example below, the thesis is the final sentence of the first paragraph (the traditional spot for it). The thesis is: “In The Grapes of Wrath’s intercalary chapters, John Steinbeck employs a variety of literary devices and stylistic choices to better expose the injustices committed against migrants in the 1930s.” So what will this essay analyze? How Steinbeck used literary devices in the intercalary chapters to show how rough migrants could have it. Crystal clear.

#3: Do Research to Find Your Main Points

This is where you determine the bulk of your analysis--the information that makes your essay an analytical essay. My preferred method is to list every idea that I can think of, then research each of those and use the three or four strongest ones for your essay. Weaker points may be those that don’t relate back to the thesis, that you don’t have much analysis to discuss, or that you can’t find good examples for. A good rule of thumb is to have one body paragraph per main point

This essay has four main points, each of which analyzes a different literary device Steinbeck uses to better illustrate how difficult life was for migrants during the Dust Bowl. The four literary devices and their impact on the book are:

Lack of individual names in intercalary chapters to illustrate the scope of the problem
Parallels to the Bible to induce sympathy for the migrants
Non-showy, often grammatically-incorrect language so the migrants are more realistic and relatable to readers
Nature-related metaphors to affect the mood of the writing and reflect the plight of the migrants

#4: Find Excerpts or Evidence to Support Your Analysis

Now that you have your main points, you need to back them up. If you’re writing a paper about a text or film, use passages/clips from it as your main source of evidence. If you’re writing about something else, your evidence can come from a variety of sources, such as surveys, experiments, quotes from knowledgeable sources etc. Any evidence that would work for a regular research paper works here.

In this example, I quoted multiple passages from The Grapes of Wrath in each paragraph to support my argument. You should be able to back up every claim you make with evidence in order to have a strong essay.

#5: Put It All Together

Now it's time to begin writing your essay, if you haven’t already. Create an introductory paragraph that ends with the thesis, make a body paragraph for each of your main points, including both analysis and evidence to back up your claims, and wrap it all up with a conclusion that recaps your thesis and main points and potentially explains the big picture importance of the topic.

Analytical Essay Example + Analysis

So that you can see for yourself what a completed analytical essay looks like, here’s an essay I wrote back in my high school days. It’s followed by analysis of how I structured my essay, what its strengths are, and how it could be improved.

One way Steinbeck illustrates the connections all migrant people possessed and the struggles they faced is by refraining from using specific titles and names in his intercalary chapters. While The Grapes of Wrath focuses on the Joad family, the intercalary chapters show that all migrants share the same struggles and triumphs as the Joads. No individual names are used in these chapters; instead the people are referred to as part of a group. Steinbeck writes, “Frantic men pounded on the doors of the doctors; and the doctors were busy. And sad men left word at country stores for the coroner to send a car,” (555). By using generic terms, Steinbeck shows how the migrants are all linked because they have gone through the same experiences. The grievances committed against one family were committed against thousands of other families; the abuse extends far beyond what the Joads experienced. The Grapes of Wrath frequently refers to the importance of coming together; how, when people connect with others their power and influence multiplies immensely. Throughout the novel, the goal of the migrants, the key to their triumph, has been to unite. While their plans are repeatedly frustrated by the government and police, Steinbeck’s intercalary chapters provide a way for the migrants to relate to one another because they have encountered the same experiences. Hundreds of thousands of migrants fled to the promised land of California, but Steinbeck was aware that numbers alone were impersonal and lacked the passion he desired to spread. Steinbeck created the intercalary chapters to show the massive numbers of people suffering, and he created the Joad family to evoke compassion from readers. Because readers come to sympathize with the Joads, they become more sensitive to the struggles of migrants in general. However, John Steinbeck frequently made clear that the Joads were not an isolated incident; they were not unique. Their struggles and triumphs were part of something greater. Refraining from specific names in his intercalary chapters allows Steinbeck to show the vastness of the atrocities committed against migrants.

Steinbeck also creates significant parallels to the Bible in his intercalary chapters in order to enhance his writing and characters. By using simple sentences and stylized writing, Steinbeck evokes Biblical passages. The migrants despair, “No work till spring. No work,” (556). Short, direct sentences help to better convey the desperateness of the migrants’ situation. Throughout his novel, John Steinbeck makes connections to the Bible through his characters and storyline. Jim Casy’s allusions to Christ and the cycle of drought and flooding are clear biblical references. By choosing to relate The Grapes of Wrath to the Bible, Steinbeck’s characters become greater than themselves. Starving migrants become more than destitute vagrants; they are now the chosen people escaping to the promised land. When a forgotten man dies alone and unnoticed, it becomes a tragedy. Steinbeck writes, “If [the migrants] were shot at, they did not run, but splashed sullenly away; and if they were hit, they sank tiredly in the mud,” (556). Injustices committed against the migrants become greater because they are seen as children of God through Steinbeck’s choice of language. Referencing the Bible strengthens Steinbeck’s novel and purpose: to create understanding for the dispossessed. It is easy for people to feel disdain for shabby vagabonds, but connecting them to such a fundamental aspect of Christianity induces sympathy from readers who might have otherwise disregarded the migrants as so many other people did.

The simple, uneducated dialogue Steinbeck employs also helps to create a more honest and meaningful representation of the migrants, and it makes the migrants more relatable to readers. Steinbeck chooses to accurately represent the language of the migrants in order to more clearly illustrate their lives and make them seem more like real paper than just characters in a book. The migrants lament, “They ain’t gonna be no kinda work for three months,” (555). There are multiple grammatical errors in that single sentence, but it vividly conveys the despair the migrants felt better than a technically perfect sentence would. The Grapes of Wrath is intended to show the severe difficulties facing the migrants so Steinbeck employs a clear, pragmatic style of writing. Steinbeck shows the harsh, truthful realities of the migrants’ lives and he would be hypocritical if he chose to give the migrants a more refined voice and not portray them with all their shortcomings. The depiction of the migrants as imperfect through their language also makes them easier to relate to. Steinbeck’s primary audience was the middle class, the less affluent of society. Repeatedly in The Grapes of Wrath , the wealthy make it obvious that they scorn the plight of the migrants. The wealthy, not bad luck or natural disasters, were the prominent cause of the suffering of migrant families such as the Joads. Thus, Steinbeck turns to the less prosperous for support in his novel. When referring to the superior living conditions barnyard animals have, the migrants remark, “Them’s horses-we’re men,” (556). The perfect simplicity of this quote expresses the absurdness of the migrants’ situation better than any flowery expression could.

In The Grapes of Wrath , John Steinbeck uses metaphors, particularly about nature, in order to illustrate the mood and the overall plight of migrants. Throughout most of the book, the land is described as dusty, barren, and dead. Towards the end, however; floods come and the landscape begins to change. At the end of chapter twenty-nine, Steinbeck describes a hill after the floods saying, “Tiny points of grass came through the earth, and in a few days the hills were pale green with the beginning year,” (556). This description offers a stark contrast from the earlier passages which were filled with despair and destruction. Steinbeck’s tone from the beginning of the chapter changes drastically. Early in the chapter, Steinbeck had used heavy imagery in order to convey the destruction caused by the rain, “The streams and the little rivers edged up to the bank sides and worked at willows and tree roots, bent the willows deep in the current, cut out the roots of cottonwoods and brought down the trees,” (553). However, at the end of the chapter the rain has caused new life to grow in California. The new grass becomes a metaphor representing hope. When the migrants are at a loss over how they will survive the winter, the grass offers reassurance. The story of the migrants in the intercalary chapters parallels that of the Joads. At the end of the novel, the family is breaking apart and has been forced to flee their home. However, both the book and final intercalary chapter end on a hopeful note after so much suffering has occurred. The grass metaphor strengthens Steinbeck’s message because it offers a tangible example of hope. Through his language Steinbeck’s themes become apparent at the end of the novel. Steinbeck affirms that persistence, even when problems appear insurmountable, leads to success. These metaphors help to strengthen Steinbeck’s themes in The Grapes of Wrath because they provide a more memorable way to recall important messages.

John Steinbeck’s language choices help to intensify his writing in his intercalary chapters and allow him to more clearly show how difficult life for migrants could be. Refraining from using specific names and terms allows Steinbeck to show that many thousands of migrants suffered through the same wrongs. Imitating the style of the Bible strengthens Steinbeck’s characters and connects them to the Bible, perhaps the most famous book in history. When Steinbeck writes in the imperfect dialogue of the migrants, he creates a more accurate portrayal and makes the migrants easier to relate to for a less affluent audience. Metaphors, particularly relating to nature, strengthen the themes in The Grapes of Wrath by enhancing the mood Steinbeck wants readers to feel at different points in the book. Overall, the intercalary chapters that Steinbeck includes improve his novel by making it more memorable and reinforcing the themes Steinbeck embraces throughout the novel. Exemplary stylistic devices further persuade readers of John Steinbeck’s personal beliefs. Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath to bring to light cruelties against migrants, and by using literary devices effectively, he continuously reminds readers of his purpose. Steinbeck’s impressive language choices in his intercalary chapters advance the entire novel and help to create a classic work of literature that people still are able to relate to today.

This essay sticks pretty closely to the standard analytical essay outline. It starts with an introduction, where I chose to use a quote to start off the essay. (This became my favorite way to start essays in high school because, if I wasn’t sure what to say, I could outsource the work and find a quote that related to what I’d be writing about.) The quote in this essay doesn’t relate to the themes I’m discussing quite as much as it could, but it’s still a slightly different way to start an essay and can intrigue readers. I then give a bit of background on The Grapes of Wrath and its themes before ending the intro paragraph with my thesis: that Steinbeck used literary devices in intercalary chapters to show how rough migrants had it.

Each of my four body paragraphs is formatted in roughly the same way: an intro sentence that explains what I’ll be discussing, analysis of that main point, and at least two quotes from the book as evidence.

My conclusion restates my thesis, summarizes each of four points I discussed in my body paragraphs, and ends the essay by briefly discussing how Steinbeck’s writing helped introduce a world of readers to the injustices migrants experienced during the dust bowl.

What does this analytical essay example do well? For starters, it contains everything that a strong analytical essay should, and it makes that easy to find. The thesis clearly lays out what the essay will be about, the first sentence of each of the body paragraph introduces the topic it’ll cover, and the conclusion neatly recaps all the main points. Within each of the body paragraphs, there’s analysis along with multiple excerpts from the book in order to add legitimacy to my points.

Additionally, the essay does a good job of taking an in-depth look at the issue introduced in the thesis. Four ways Steinbeck used literary devices are discussed, and for each of the examples are given and analysis is provided so readers can understand why Steinbeck included those devices and how they helped shaped how readers viewed migrants and their plight.

Where could this essay be improved? I believe the weakest body paragraph is the third one, the one that discusses how Steinbeck used plain, grammatically incorrect language to both accurately depict the migrants and make them more relatable to readers. The paragraph tries to touch on both of those reasons and ends up being somewhat unfocused as a result. It would have been better for it to focus on just one of those reasons (likely how it made the migrants more relatable) in order to be clearer and more effective. It’s a good example of how adding more ideas to an essay often doesn’t make it better if they don’t work with the rest of what you’re writing. This essay also could explain the excerpts that are included more and how they relate to the points being made. Sometimes they’re just dropped in the essay with the expectation that the readers will make the connection between the example and the analysis. This is perhaps especially true in the second body paragraph, the one that discusses similarities to Biblical passages. Additional analysis of the quotes would have strengthened it.

Summary: How to Write an Analytical Essay

What is an analytical essay? A critical analytical essay analyzes a topic, often a text or film. The analysis paper uses evidence to support the argument, such as excerpts from the piece of writing. All analytical papers include a thesis, analysis of the topic, and evidence to support that analysis.

When developing an analytical essay outline and writing your essay, follow these five steps:

Reading analytical essay examples can also give you a better sense of how to structure your essay and what to include in it.

What's Next?

Learning about different writing styles in school? There are four main writing styles, and it's important to understand each of them. Learn about them in our guide to writing styles , complete with examples.

Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Literary devices can both be used to enhance your writing and communication. Check out this list of 31 literary devices to learn more !

Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!

Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence)

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.

Arguable thesis with analytical claim

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.

Arguable thesis with normative claim

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.

Questions to ask about your thesis

Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?
Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?
Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?
Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?
Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
picture_as_pdf Thesis

25 Thesis Statement Examples

thesis statement examples and definition, explained below

A thesis statement is needed in an essay or dissertation . There are multiple types of thesis statements – but generally we can divide them into expository and argumentative. An expository statement is a statement of fact (common in expository essays and process essays) while an argumentative statement is a statement of opinion (common in argumentative essays and dissertations). Below are examples of each.

Strong Thesis Statement Examples

school uniforms and dress codes, explained below

1. School Uniforms

“Mandatory school uniforms should be implemented in educational institutions as they promote a sense of equality, reduce distractions, and foster a focused and professional learning environment.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay or Debate

Read More: School Uniforms Pros and Cons

nature vs nurture examples and definition

2. Nature vs Nurture

“This essay will explore how both genetic inheritance and environmental factors equally contribute to shaping human behavior and personality.”

Best For: Compare and Contrast Essay

3. American Dream

“The American Dream, a symbol of opportunity and success, is increasingly elusive in today’s socio-economic landscape, revealing deeper inequalities in society.”

Best For: Persuasive Essay

4. Social Media

“Social media has revolutionized communication and societal interactions, but it also presents significant challenges related to privacy, mental health, and misinformation.”

Best For: Expository Essay

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Social Media

5. Globalization

“Globalization has created a world more interconnected than ever before, yet it also amplifies economic disparities and cultural homogenization.”

6. Urbanization

“Urbanization drives economic growth and social development, but it also poses unique challenges in sustainability and quality of life.”

7. Immigration

“Immigration enriches receiving countries culturally and economically, outweighing any perceived social or economic burdens.”

8. Cultural Identity

“In a globalized world, maintaining distinct cultural identities is crucial for preserving cultural diversity and fostering global understanding, despite the challenges of assimilation and homogenization.”

Best For: Argumentative Essay

Read More: Learn about Cultural Identity

technology examples and definition explained below

9. Technology

“Medical technologies in care institutions in Toronto has increased subjcetive outcomes for patients with chronic pain.”

Best For: Research Paper

10. Capitalism vs Socialism

“The debate between capitalism and socialism centers on balancing economic freedom and inequality, each presenting distinct approaches to resource distribution and social welfare.”

cultural heritage examples and definition

11. Cultural Heritage

“The preservation of cultural heritage is essential, not only for cultural identity but also for educating future generations, outweighing the arguments for modernization and commercialization.”

pseudoscience examples and definition, explained below

12. Pseudoscience

“Pseudoscience, characterized by a lack of empirical support, continues to influence public perception and decision-making, often at the expense of scientific credibility.”

13. Free Will

“The concept of free will is largely an illusion, with human behavior and decisions predominantly determined by biological and environmental factors.”

14. Gender Roles

“Traditional gender roles are outdated and harmful, restricting individual freedoms and perpetuating gender inequalities in modern society.”

Read More: What are Traditional Gender Roles?

work-life balance examples and definition, explained below

15. Work-Life Ballance

“The trend to online and distance work in the 2020s led to improved subjective feelings of work-life balance but simultaneously increased self-reported loneliness.”

16. Universal Healthcare

“Universal healthcare is a fundamental human right and the most effective system for ensuring health equity and societal well-being, outweighing concerns about government involvement and costs.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Universal Healthcare

17. Minimum Wage

“The implementation of a fair minimum wage is vital for reducing economic inequality, yet it is often contentious due to its potential impact on businesses and employment rates.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage

18. Homework

“The homework provided throughout this semester has enabled me to achieve greater self-reflection, identify gaps in my knowledge, and reinforce those gaps through spaced repetition.”

Best For: Reflective Essay

Read More: Reasons Homework Should be Banned

charter schools vs public schools, explained below

19. Charter Schools

“Charter schools offer alternatives to traditional public education, promising innovation and choice but also raising questions about accountability and educational equity.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of Charter Schools

20. Effects of the Internet

“The Internet has drastically reshaped human communication, access to information, and societal dynamics, generally with a net positive effect on society.”

Read More: The Pros and Cons of the Internet

affirmative action example and definition, explained below

21. Affirmative Action

“Affirmative action is essential for rectifying historical injustices and achieving true meritocracy in education and employment, contrary to claims of reverse discrimination.”

Best For: Essay

Read More: Affirmative Action Pros and Cons

soft skills examples and definition, explained below

22. Soft Skills

“Soft skills, such as communication and empathy, are increasingly recognized as essential for success in the modern workforce, and therefore should be a strong focus at school and university level.”

23. Moral Panic

“Moral panic, often fueled by media and cultural anxieties, can lead to exaggerated societal responses that sometimes overlook rational analysis and evidence.”

24. Freedom of the Press

“Freedom of the press is critical for democracy and informed citizenship, yet it faces challenges from censorship, media bias, and the proliferation of misinformation.”

Read More: Freedom of the Press Examples

25. Mass Media

“Mass media shapes public opinion and cultural norms, but its concentration of ownership and commercial interests raise concerns about bias and the quality of information.”

Best For: Critical Analysis

Checklist: How to use your Thesis Statement

✅ Position: If your statement is for an argumentative or persuasive essay, or a dissertation, ensure it takes a clear stance on the topic. ✅ Specificity: It addresses a specific aspect of the topic, providing focus for the essay. ✅ Conciseness: Typically, a thesis statement is one to two sentences long. It should be concise, clear, and easily identifiable. ✅ Direction: The thesis statement guides the direction of the essay, providing a roadmap for the argument, narrative, or explanation. ✅ Evidence-based: While the thesis statement itself doesn’t include evidence, it sets up an argument that can be supported with evidence in the body of the essay. ✅ Placement: Generally, the thesis statement is placed at the end of the introduction of an essay.

Try These AI Prompts – Thesis Statement Generator!

One way to brainstorm thesis statements is to get AI to brainstorm some for you! Try this AI prompt:

💡 AI PROMPT FOR EXPOSITORY THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTUCTIONS]. I want you to create an expository thesis statement that doesn’t argue a position, but demonstrates depth of knowledge about the topic.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT I am writing an essay on [TOPIC] and these are the instructions my teacher gave me: [INSTRUCTIONS]. I want you to create an argumentative thesis statement that clearly takes a position on this issue.

💡 AI PROMPT FOR COMPARE AND CONTRAST THESIS STATEMENT I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that remain objective.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

Crafting a Winning Thesis Statement in Film Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dec 6, 2023

Avinash Prabhakaran

Film analysis is a captivating and insightful way to explore the world of cinema. Whether you're a film student, a cinephile, or just someone who enjoys dissecting movies, you'll find that forming a solid thesis statement is the cornerstone of a successful film analysis.

A thesis statement serves as the roadmap for your analysis, guiding your reader through your interpretation of the film's elements and themes.

In this blog post, we'll outline the steps to help you craft an effective thesis statement for your film analysis.

Understand the Film's Context

Before diving into your analysis, it's crucial to understand the film's context. This includes the director's background, the film's era, its genre, and any cultural or historical factors that may have influenced its production. Gathering this context will help you form a more informed thesis statement.

Watch the Film Multiple Times

You must thoroughly watch the film multiple times to craft a thoughtful thesis statement. Each viewing will reveal new details and nuances that you may have missed initially. Take notes during your viewings to record your observations and ideas.

Identify Key Themes and Elements

During your viewings, pay close attention to the film's themes, characters, plot, cinematography, sound, and other elements. Think about what the director is trying to convey and how they use these elements. Make a list of the most prominent themes and elements you observe.

Formulate a Research Question

Based on your observations and analysis, formulate a research question you want to answer in your essay. This question should be open-ended and should invite critical thinking. For example, "How does the use of color symbolism in 'The Shawshank Redemption' reflect the theme of hope?

Brainstorm and Organize Ideas

Now, brainstorm your ideas related to the research question. Think about the evidence you've gathered and how it supports your interpretation of the film. Organize these ideas into a logical structure that will guide your analysis.

Craft a Thesis Statement

A thesis statement should be concise, clear, and arguable. It should encapsulate the main argument of your analysis and give the reader a clear sense of what to expect in your essay. Here are some tips for crafting a solid thesis statement:

Make it specific: Avoid vague or overly broad statements. Be precise in what you're arguing.

Make it debatable: Your thesis should invite discussion and disagreement. Avoid stating the obvious.

Make it relevant: Ensure that your thesis directly addresses the research question and the film's themes or elements.

Example Thesis Statement:

"In Christopher Nolan's 'Inception,' the use of dreams as a narrative device serves to blur the line between reality and perception, challenging conventional notions of truth and subjectivity."

Examples to Support the Thesis:

Dreams as a Narrative Device

Throughout 'Inception,' the characters enter various dream levels, each with its own set of rules and physics. Nolan uses this complex narrative structure to keep the audience engaged and constantly questioning what is real.

The manipulation of time within dreams adds another layer of complexity to the narrative. Time moves differently at each dream level, leading to intricate storytelling that challenges traditional linear storytelling.

Blurring Reality and Perception

The film consistently blurs the boundaries between dreams and reality, making it difficult for the characters and the audience to distinguish between them. This intentional ambiguity creates a sense of unease and intrigue.

The use of the spinning top as a totem to determine reality in the film's closing scene encapsulates the theme of perception versus reality. The spinning top symbolizes the characters' struggle to discern the truth.

Challenging Conventional Notions of Truth and Subjectivity

'Inception' invites viewers to question their understanding of reality and truth. The film challenges the idea of an objective reality by presenting multiple layers of dreams and subjective experiences.

The film's enigmatic ending, which leaves the spinning top's fate unresolved, forces viewers to confront their subjectivity and interpretation of the story's conclusion.

By examining these specific examples, it becomes evident how using dreams as a narrative device in 'Inception' blurs the line between reality and perception, ultimately challenging conventional notions of truth and subjectivity as proposed in the thesis statement.

This exemplifies the importance of using concrete evidence from the film to validate your interpretation as outlined in your thesis statement.

Forming a thesis statement in film analysis is vital in creating a compelling and well-structured essay.

By understanding the film's context, closely examining its elements, and crafting a clear and arguable thesis statement, you'll be well on your way to conducting a thorough and insightful analysis that will engage your readers and deepen your understanding of cinema. Happy analyzing!

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Knowledge Base
How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples

Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience.

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Key concepts in rhetoric, analyzing the text, introducing your rhetorical analysis, the body: doing the analysis, concluding a rhetorical analysis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about rhetorical analysis.

Rhetoric, the art of effective speaking and writing, is a subject that trains you to look at texts, arguments and speeches in terms of how they are designed to persuade the audience. This section introduces a few of the key concepts of this field.

Appeals: Logos, ethos, pathos

Appeals are how the author convinces their audience. Three central appeals are discussed in rhetoric, established by the philosopher Aristotle and sometimes called the rhetorical triangle: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Logos , or the logical appeal, refers to the use of reasoned argument to persuade. This is the dominant approach in academic writing , where arguments are built up using reasoning and evidence.

Ethos , or the ethical appeal, involves the author presenting themselves as an authority on their subject. For example, someone making a moral argument might highlight their own morally admirable behavior; someone speaking about a technical subject might present themselves as an expert by mentioning their qualifications.

Pathos , or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s emotions. This might involve speaking in a passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response in the audience.

These three appeals are all treated as integral parts of rhetoric, and a given author may combine all three of them to convince their audience.

Text and context

In rhetoric, a text is not necessarily a piece of writing (though it may be this). A text is whatever piece of communication you are analyzing. This could be, for example, a speech, an advertisement, or a satirical image.

In these cases, your analysis would focus on more than just language—you might look at visual or sonic elements of the text too.

The context is everything surrounding the text: Who is the author (or speaker, designer, etc.)? Who is their (intended or actual) audience? When and where was the text produced, and for what purpose?

Looking at the context can help to inform your rhetorical analysis. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has universal power, but the context of the civil rights movement is an important part of understanding why.

Claims, supports, and warrants

A piece of rhetoric is always making some sort of argument, whether it’s a very clearly defined and logical one (e.g. in a philosophy essay) or one that the reader has to infer (e.g. in a satirical article). These arguments are built up with claims, supports, and warrants.

A claim is the fact or idea the author wants to convince the reader of. An argument might center on a single claim, or be built up out of many. Claims are usually explicitly stated, but they may also just be implied in some kinds of text.

The author uses supports to back up each claim they make. These might range from hard evidence to emotional appeals—anything that is used to convince the reader to accept a claim.

The warrant is the logic or assumption that connects a support with a claim. Outside of quite formal argumentation, the warrant is often unstated—the author assumes their audience will understand the connection without it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore the implicit warrant in these cases.

For example, look at the following statement:

We can see a claim and a support here, but the warrant is implicit. Here, the warrant is the assumption that more likeable candidates would have inspired greater turnout. We might be more or less convinced by the argument depending on whether we think this is a fair assumption.

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Rhetorical analysis isn’t a matter of choosing concepts in advance and applying them to a text. Instead, it starts with looking at the text in detail and asking the appropriate questions about how it works:

What is the author’s purpose?
Do they focus closely on their key claims, or do they discuss various topics?
What tone do they take—angry or sympathetic? Personal or authoritative? Formal or informal?
Who seems to be the intended audience? Is this audience likely to be successfully reached and convinced?
What kinds of evidence are presented?

By asking these questions, you’ll discover the various rhetorical devices the text uses. Don’t feel that you have to cram in every rhetorical term you know—focus on those that are most important to the text.

The following sections show how to write the different parts of a rhetorical analysis.

Like all essays, a rhetorical analysis begins with an introduction . The introduction tells readers what text you’ll be discussing, provides relevant background information, and presents your thesis statement .

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how an introduction works.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of oratory in American history. Delivered in 1963 to thousands of civil rights activists outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech has come to symbolize the spirit of the civil rights movement and even to function as a major part of the American national myth. This rhetorical analysis argues that King’s assumption of the prophetic voice, amplified by the historic size of his audience, creates a powerful sense of ethos that has retained its inspirational power over the years.

The body of your rhetorical analysis is where you’ll tackle the text directly. It’s often divided into three paragraphs, although it may be more in a longer essay.

Each paragraph should focus on a different element of the text, and they should all contribute to your overall argument for your thesis statement.

Hover over the example to explore how a typical body paragraph is constructed.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

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The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis wraps up the essay by restating the main argument and showing how it has been developed by your analysis. It may also try to link the text, and your analysis of it, with broader concerns.

Explore the example below to get a sense of the conclusion.

It is clear from this analysis that the effectiveness of King’s rhetoric stems less from the pathetic appeal of his utopian “dream” than it does from the ethos he carefully constructs to give force to his statements. By framing contemporary upheavals as part of a prophecy whose fulfillment will result in the better future he imagines, King ensures not only the effectiveness of his words in the moment but their continuing resonance today. Even if we have not yet achieved King’s dream, we cannot deny the role his words played in setting us on the path toward it.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Poetry — The Lesson Of The Moth Analysis

The Lesson of The Moth Analysis

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Published: Mar 19, 2024

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Introduction, thesis statement:, analysis of the moth's perspective, interpretation of the speaker's response.

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Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence)

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