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155So what else is there to say? If you ask yourself further questions, you%u2019ll get beyond summary and move toward interpretation. What does Ivek%u2019s roles as not only a teacher at the school but also as a bus driver signify? While the sudden drop in temperature the day of the blizzard catches many by surprise, why do Ivek and the children take such risks to get to school instead of turning around? An interpretation will reveal these connections, but a summary will not.As for the second distinction, thesis statements must frame the argument you will make in your essay as a whole, rather than only previewing an individual paragraph. To determine whether you have written a claim that will work as a topic sentence for one paragraph or a thesis statement for an entire essay, consider the scope of the claim. Does it address the work as a whole and in a way that can be broken down into multiple layers of interpretation? If so, you%u2019ve likely written a thesis statement. If it instead addresses a fairly specific element in the work that illuminates a more broad interpretation, then it will likely function better as a topic sentence.Let%u2019s return to one of the story%u2019s themes: the importance of schools as places of opportunity and safety. Focusing on this theme and related big-picture elements, and remembering to prioritize interpretation over summary, we can develop a working thesis:In %u201cThe Hollow Children,%u201d Erdrich uses character, setting, and symbolism to illustrate the importance of schools as places of opportunity and safety.You%u2019ve probably noticed that the thesis statement we%u2019ve suggested may lead to a five-paragraph essay. Perhaps you%u2019ve been warned to stay away from this organization because it is formulaic or prescriptive. We agree: stay away from the formulaic or prescriptive. However, the five-paragraph essay may or may not fall into that category. There%u2019s no rule that says that every question or topic will fit neatly into an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Yet, if you happen to have three points to make, you%u2019ll end up with five paragraphs that could form a cogent and insightful essay.Supporting Your ThesisOne way to think of literary argumentation is that your interpretation is like a bridge you ask readers to cross. Your thesis serves as the bridge deck: it has to be solid, because otherwise it won%u2019t be able to support an entire essay. But a strong thesis is far from the only component of a successful literary argument essay. To ensure your readers%u2019 safe passage across the bridge, you must first support it with topic sentences, the pillars that undergird your interpretation of the text, before introducing evidence from the text and commentary that helps them follow your line of reasoning to the other side. Therefore, it helps to plan how you will support your thesis before you begin writing your essay. While some writers go so far as to develop a detailed outline, others prefer to simply write topic sentences in order to explore only what each paragraph of the essay will cover.Analysis of Theme in Fiction Writing WorkshopCopyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.