Of Mice and Men Literary Analysis Essay Guide 
Table of Contents
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Reworking a Prompt into a Thesis Statement
Writing an introductory Statement
WRITING A BODY PARAGRAPH
Integrating Quotes into Body Paragraphs
Using Transitions Effectively
Concluding Smoothly
Secondary Sources
Rubric
Reworking a Prompt into a Thesis Statement How do I get 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," a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.
Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "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 o.k. 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 openended 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. Example
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
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Reworking a Prompt into a Thesis Statement
Writing an introductory Statement
WRITING A BODY PARAGRAPH
Integrating Quotes into Body Paragraphs
Using Transitions Effectively
Concluding Smoothly
Secondary Sources
Rubric
Reworking a Prompt into a Thesis Statement How do I get 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," a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.
Does my thesis pass the "So what?" test? If a reader's first response is, "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 o.k. 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 openended 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. Example
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