Junior Thesis Themes

Junior Thesis Themes Your junior thesis is the final product of your reading and research on your author. You will be writing a literary analysis of your author’s works. You should consider yourself something of an expert on this author and the issues and criticisms surrounding the author. THE MAIN GOAL OF YOUR THESIS IS TO USE 3 OR MORE OF YOUR AUTHOR’S BOOKS AND THE CRITICISIM TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN THESE NOVELS. The “issue” you choose to focus on is dependent on you, but the following suggestions might be jumping off points. A. Trace a specific symbol or prevalent image or device throughout the author’s works. Example: hand or bloody imagery in Macbeth, Hawthorne’s use of the scaffold as a symbol, colors that continually keep appearing, or symbolic images such as water, light, or sound. B. Two major and related themes permeate Western literature to some extent—the distinction between reality and perception, and the conflict between self-knowledge and self-delusion. Follow this dichotomy in your novels. C. Novelists often give many hints as to the nature or destiny of the main characters— names, nature and places of births, early experiences, physical appearances. Analyze the main characters in terms of these aspects. D. Over time, certain novels become canonical (books that are considered important and required reading—major pieces of cultural literacy), and it is not always easy to see why some novels do and others don’t. Explore the notion of the canon, and make an argument about the canonical eligibility of your novelist’s works. Determine which novels should be canonical, if any, and which ones should not. E. Compare a Biblical or mythological story or image to your novelist’s works. Perhaps there is one theme in particular used over and over. Discuss how your author uses this story or image, considering consistency and frequency of usage. F.

How does the author present and explore gender? Class? Race? (All three?)

G. You may consider other possibilities that aren’t discussed here. Please don’t limit your ideas to these choices.