1) Begin with a one or two sentence thesis statement/argument. This is what your paper will attempt to
prove.
a. Make sure that it is not obvious (e.g. Cloud Atlas has many different characters and
complicated plots),
b. but narrow enough so that you can fully defend your position within 1000 words (e.g. a
thesis statement like “Cloud Atlas shows that all of western civilization is morally bankrupt”
would be too broad because of the focus on all of western civilization.
c. Make sure that the thesis statement is a critical judgment (e.g. Despite its celebration of
freedom, Cloud Atlas cannot escape the colonial legacy it so desperately wishes to eclipse).
2) Pro-tip: write your thesis statement last after you have done your analysis.
3) Beyond the thesis statement, DO NOT WRITE AN INTRODUCTION. Just go straight into
analysis. You are still writing a coherent paper with transitions between paragraphs and a significant
conclusion, but I don’t want you to spend time with initial framing.
4) Quote at least 3 specific passages from the novels and do detailed textual analysis of them (i.e. close
readings). A good guideline here: describe how the language works, how it produces certain effects.
Connect these specific observations to your broader argument.
5) Your essay should be informed by class lectures and discussions, but it should not simply reproduce them. Use in-class material as launch points for different or more nuanced analysis.
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