A strong thesis for a Literary Argument essay does much more than simply restate the prompt or make a general claim about the text. According to the AP Literature scoring rubric, a successful thesis presents a defensible interpretation of the text that directly addresses the prompt.
Understanding "Defensible Interpretation"
A "defensible interpretation" means your thesis must:
- Make a specific claim about how displacement contributes to the meaning of your chosen text
- Present an argument that reasonable readers could potentially disagree with
- Be supported with textual evidence
- Address all parts of the prompt
- Avoid simply stating the obvious or summarizing the plot
Anatomy of a Strong Thesis
A strong Literary Argument thesis typically includes:
- The title and author of the work being analyzed
- The specific element the prompt asks you to analyze (in our case, displacement)
- Your interpretation of how this element contributes to the work's meaning
- (Optional) A brief indication of the evidence or reasoning you'll use
Common Thesis Mistakes According to the Rubric
According to Row A of the scoring rubric, responses that earn 0 points often have theses that:
- ❌ Are missing completely
- ❌ Only restate the prompt
- ❌ Provide a summary of the issue with no coherent thesis
- ❌ Offer a thesis that doesn't respond to the prompt
- ❌ Make a general comment about the selected work without addressing the prompt
Thesis Examples for "The Great Gatsby" and Displacement
Here is the prompt we are using to develop our thesis statements:
In many works of literature, characters experience a sense of displacement when they find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings or situations. Often, this displacement leads to a revelation or transformation that illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole.
Either from your own reading or from the list below, choose a work of fiction in which a character experiences displacement. In a well-written essay, analyze how the character's experience with displacement contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
👎 Weak Thesis Examples:
| Type of Problem | Example Thesis | Why It's Weak |
|---|---|---|
| Simply restates the prompt | "In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby experiences displacement." | Doesn't offer any interpretation or connection to meaning |
| Too general/vague | "The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows how displacement affects characters." | Lacks specificity about which character, what type of displacement, and how it relates to meaning |
| Plot summary rather than interpretation | "In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby moves to West Egg to be near Daisy, but she is already married to Tom." | Summarizes plot events without offering an interpretation of meaning |
| Missing connection to meaning | "Gatsby experiences social displacement because he comes from a poor background." | Identifies displacement but fails to connect to the work's broader meaning |
👍 Strong Thesis Examples:
| Focus Character | Example Thesis | Why It's Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Jay Gatsby | "In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby's displacement between social classes reveals the novel's critique of the American Dream as an illusion that ignores the rigid class boundaries of 1920s society." | Identifies specific character, type of displacement, and connects to broader social critique in the novel |
| Nick Carraway | "Nick Carraway's geographic and moral displacement in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby—moving from the Midwest to New York and from observer to participant—enables Fitzgerald to expose the moral corruption of the Eastern elite while questioning the very possibility of remaining untainted by such corruption." | Addresses multiple forms of displacement and connects them to the novel's moral themes |
| Daisy Buchanan | "Through Daisy Buchanan's emotional displacement from her youthful idealism to her cynical materialism, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby ultimately suggests that the moneyed world of East Egg destroys authentic human connection, revealing the moral emptiness at the heart of American wealth." | Focuses on emotional displacement and connects to themes of materialism and authentic connection |
Thesis Development Process
Follow these steps to craft your thesis:
-
🔎 Identify the form of displacement you'll focus on:
- Physical/geographic
- Social/class
- Emotional/psychological
- Temporal (past vs. present)
- Moral/ethical
-
🤝 Connect to broader meaning by asking:
- What does this displacement reveal about society?
- What message does it convey about human nature?
- How does it relate to the work's central themes?
- What critique or commentary does it offer?
-
🧪 Test your thesis by asking:
- Does it specifically address displacement?
- Does it link to the meaning of the work as a whole?
- Is it arguable (not a statement of fact)?
- Can it be supported with specific textual evidence?
- Does it avoid simply summarizing the plot?
Thesis Formulation Templates
Use these templates to help structure your thesis:
-
"In [title] by [author], [character]'s experience with [specific type of displacement] reveals [interpretation of meaning]."
-
"Through [character]'s [specific type of displacement] in [title], [author] ultimately suggests that [interpretation of meaning]."
-
"[author]'s portrayal of [character]'s [specific type of displacement] in [title] serves to illuminate [interpretation of meaning]."
Example of the Thesis Development Process
Let's work through an example using Jay Gatsby:
-
Identify displacement: Social class displacement (from poor farm boy to wealthy socialite)
-
Evidence from text:
- Gatsby's elaborate mansion and parties
- His manufactured background story
- His collection of shirts that makes Daisy cry
- The description of his real father at the funeral
-
Connection to meaning:
- Critiques the illusion of social mobility
- Exposes the emptiness of material wealth
- Shows the impossible barrier between old and new money
-
Resulting thesis: "In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby's unsuccessful attempt to overcome his social displacement through wealth and reinvention demonstrates the novel's ultimate critique of the American Dream as a beautiful but fundamentally unattainable fantasy in a society dominated by established class distinctions."
In our next study guide, we'll explore how to select and analyze evidence that supports your thesis about displacement in "The Great Gatsby."