By now, it’s clear to you that a literary analysis is more than a technical deconstruction of words and sentences: it’s an interpretation, and thus a type of argument. Think about it: you read the passage to determine an author’s meaning or theme and then select textual evidence to support your interpretation. It’s no surprise then, that, like most arguments, a literary analysis benefits from a clear thesis statement that indicates your main ideas.
Before you craft a thesis, though, consider how the context you’re writing in affects it. If you’re in an exam situation in which you are given a specific task and focus, then tailor your thesis to those. For instance, imagine the Jin passage as part of a timed, standardized test. You might be asked something like this:
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In the following excerpt from “Children as Enemies” by the Chinese writer Ha Jin, a grandfather struggles to understand his Americanized grandchildren. Write an essay in which you analyze how the author uses literary elements such as diction and point of view to convey the generational conflicts.
Those directions give you a pretty clear task: the theme is generational conflict, though you need to explain the nature of that conflict as part of your essay. Then, you can focus on “literary elements”; two examples are provided to get you thinking, but you may choose those or others.
If, however, your literary analysis is part of a longer process that involves discussion and time inside or outside class to write and revise, then your topic might be broader to give you more room for original thinking. So, for instance, your task might be more like what we’ve been discussing:
Analyze how Ha Jin conveys the generational conflict(s) in this passage.
In either case, your thesis should do two things: (1) indicate your interpretation of the author’s meaning or theme, and (2) specify the literary strategies or devices the author uses to convey meaning or theme.
Working with a partner, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the following thesis statements and select the one you believe would be most effective for a literary analysis of how Ha Jin conveys the generational conflict(s).
In “Children as Enemies,” Ha Jin tells about the conflict of three generations through the eyes of the grandfather.
Seeing the generational conflict from the perspective of the grandfather in “Children as Enemies” limits our understanding of what is going on.
“In Children as Enemies,” Ha Jin uses the grandfather’s point of view, strong diction, and a figure of speech.
By telling the story “Children as Enemies” in the grandfather’s voice while including dialogue in the voice of family members from two younger generations, Ha Jin gives readers different perspectives on the nature and source of the conflict between tradition and change.