Developing a Thesis Statement

Answering these questions or others like them may help you to get some ideas for a thesis statement, the first step in writing a close analysis essay. You may change it as you go along, but having an idea about the argument you want to make will help you stay focused. As we mentioned, Groucho Marx uses humor to create his argument; we might even call this letter a kind of satire—the use of sarcasm or irony to criticize—so let’s think first about Marx’s purpose in writing the letter and why he might have chosen to use humor. Even if this letter was a publicity stunt, we can imagine that Marx wanted to highlight the differences between his film and the romantic adventure Casablanca to show Warner Bros. that it had little to fear from the Marx Brothers film A Night in Casablanca. It’s also likely that Marx wanted to comment on the hot air that sometimes emerges from big corporations and their lawyers—especially, in this case, the enormous and powerful movie studio Warner Bros. But he chooses not to take these goals on directly.

As you think about a thesis statement, you will want to be careful that your thesis isn’t too broad or just a summary:

Groucho Marx uses humor to defend his movie.

And you will also want to make sure that it’s not too narrow or just your personal opinion:

Groucho Marx’s letter to Warner Bros. is rude and disrespectful.

Most important, a close analysis essay must focus on the choices writers make to help them achieve their purpose. Here’s a thesis statement that might work:

Rather than take on Warner Bros. directly, Groucho Marx jabs and feints until the studio couldn’t possibly take its own claim seriously.