Tutor profile: Brianna H.

How can a writer construct a well- thought out thesis?

Start by thinking about what this essay's purpose is, and also what it is trying to accomplish. Thinking of the overall argument will often help with construct a 1-3 sentence thesis. Then narrow your points down, and outline what your main points are going to be in this essay. It is important that your thesis covers everything that is going to be in this essay, even if the mention is brief. After collecting your main points for the essay, think about how this essay is going to argue your main points. There should be a flow in your essay that allows for your main points to all connect with each other. If you find that your points are scattered, or don't relate to one another, you may want to consider changing your main points. If all of your points connect, then try to link the main ideas in order to construct a broad but still detailed thesis. An example of a thesis I have written about on the oppression of women in Irish literature due to the Irish Constitution is: Lavin’ short story, “A Cup of Tea”, and O’Brien’s novel, House of Splendid Isolation, both contain female characters that closely follow the traditional roles that women are supposed to uphold under the Irish Constitution. However, when there is a lack of a male, authoritarian figure, these women are no longer fulfilling the traditional roles of a housewife. Instead, they find themselves surrounded by men, who feel entitled to their hospitality and home, because of the expectation that Irish women are natural caretakers.

How can I effectively analyze an older piece of literature? For example: Shakespeare

Oftentimes, older pieces like Shakespeare will use different words or grammar structures than we are used to. Some of his plays are harder than others, but I would start out with the more commonly read ones, like Romeo and Juliet, because there will be more resources to provide you with assistance if you get stuck. However, while you are reading the text, slowly reading aloud will often help alleviate some confusion in what he is trying to say. Some of the older English can often be discovered by the help of the surrounding words around it.

How do I think of a prompt to write about for an open prompt essay?

Think of the most fascinating and interesting points in the novel, or the piece of literature, that you have read. Write down the most intriguing, shocking, or horrifying scenes that have sparked conflict or have you made you wonder why this character or society is behaving the way they are. Now ask if there are there similarities between the points you have drawn down? Are there reoccurring themes or motifs that you have found interesting? Ask yourself why are these actions or thoughts happening in the literature. Is there an argument to be made from one of the points you have written down? Why does this matter? Writing your own prompt can be a daunting but liberating task. Try to find areas in the piece that have fascinated you, and have made you think. Now try to think about why this is important to the overall piece. Or what this states about society. Or why this matters. This will help you draw out an argument from a point you have found interesting.