Thesis and Topic Sentences

Dr. Bordelon's Introduction to Poetry

Thesis and topic sentences

At the heart of academic writing is organization: and the heart of a well-organized essay are its thesis and topic sentences. Readers use these to get a quick overview of the argument of the essay (thesis) and to follow the development of the argument (topic sentences).

And so . . . below you'll find the skeleton of an essay (thesis/division and topic sentences) with explanations.

First, some definitions:

Thesis Statement: The controlling idea of an essay stated in one sentence, usually the last sentence in the introduction.
Topic Sentence: The controlling idea of a paragraph. Usually phrased as a statement or claim that needs to be proved, it is related to and helps prove the thesis. Often uses a synonym of one of the divisions from the division statement to cue readers that a particular division is being discussed.
Division Statement: A phrase which sets out the different parts/arguments/reasons which prove the thesis of your essay (often part of your thesis). Think of it as a road map to the reader so they can see what’s coming. Each of your body paragraphs needs to be accounted for in your division statement.

How to Write a Thesis | How to Write a Topic Sentence

Skeleton Organization

First, a quick head's up: it will take some brainstorming (listing of ideas . . . rereading of poems) and then several drafts to get a draft thesis statement,

Thesis/division statement

Example 1
Draft 1: In several of the sonnets mentioned above, love as longing appears as a theme through images of permanence, time, and loss.
Draft 2: Instead of love as lust or devotion, the sonnets above suggest that love is a form of longing. This is shown through their images of permanence, time and loss.
Draft 3: These sonnets suggest that love is longing through their images of permanence, time, and loss.

Example 2
These Tamil poems suggest that war is not always fought with violence through their use of implied threats, temptations of the flesh, and boasting.

Example 3
For Keats, beauty stops time. This is illustrated by his references to ancient art, permanence, and connections to the natural world.

Example 4
Linda Pastan's "love poem" captures the frenetic nature of passionate love through its punctuation, nature imagery, and repetition.

Example 5
Catullus' self deprecation, cursing, and references to animals reveals the depth of his anger with Lesbia.

Example 6
Marvell humorously suggests that the speaker's ineptitude with women will lead to his rejection. This ineptitude is seen in the speaker's exaggeration, use of inappropriate language, and overbearing approach to courtship.

Thesis/division with thesis underlined and divisions italicized
These sonnets suggest that love is longing through their images of permanence, time, and loss.

For the thesis and divisions above, topic sentences such as those below would be used to set up paragraphs

Topic sentence for division #1
The permanence of love evokes a sense of longing in "First Poem for You" and "Shall I Compare Thee."

Topic sentence for division #2
In both poems, the sense of time passing creates the longing so typical of lovers.

Topic sentence for division #3
The longing in "First Poem" and "On Seeing the Elgin Marbles" is connected to the possibility of loss.

Note in each of these topic sentences how there is a word or phrase that refers directly back to the division. This kind of repetition is a reader's friend: it guides them through your thinking so they can concentrate on how well you explain/prove your point. It also helps you, the writer, out by reminding you to make your points concise and to stay focused on individual ideas.

To check your organization, copy out your thesis/division and the first sentence of each body paragraph. Can you follow the argument as clearly as in the example noted above? If not, begin revising.

This kind of organization results in essays that prove your point: which is the goal of argumentative writing . . . and should be your goal for this essay.

How To

How To Write a Thesis Statement
Note: You should rephrase the question into a thesis statement (don't repeat question).

Your thesis should contain three things: 1) the subject of your essay; 2) the point or focus; and 3) the divisions/reasons you will use to prove your point.

These sonnets suggest that love is longing through their images of permanence, time, and loss.

Try the starter thesis statement below to get you started:
[The] ____________ in "________" is illustrated/demonstrated/shown/indicated/suggested by ___________, __________, and _________.

How to Write a Topic Sentence
Your topic sentence should contain two things: 1) reference to your division, and 2) a reference to your thesis.

For a basic format, try the following starter topic sentence:

Insert the division illustrates/demonstrates/shows Insert reference to thesis.
This order can be reversed as well: see below for examples.

Note the repetition of key words from the divisions.

Example topic sentences

Additionally, the references to animals shows the depth of Catullus' anger.
The ineptness of his wooing is also illustrated by the speaker's exaggerations. ("To His Coy Mistress")
Keats' references to statuary connects endurance to beauty.

If all this sounds formulaic, it is. You can do two things. Ignore the formula and wing it. Or work within the formula, yet still use your skills as a writer to capture the reader's attention and leave a vivid impression of your intellect: your call.

Have fun -- and I mean this. Play around -- work on delighting the reader. Doing so will make the arduous process of writing, well, fun. My definition of fun? That buzzing in your brain when you're really alive and thinking. Time to buzz. . . . .

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