Making an Argument about Books

First, you have to think about something related to the book that interests you.

Example: Thousand Splendid Suns
Interest: Marriage Customs in Afghanistan and how they're portrayed in TSS

Brainstorm! Ask yourself questions. Why am I interested in this idea of marriage customs? How does it shape the characters?

Answer the questions

• Hosseini seems critical of polygamy, shown through the contentious marriage of Rasheed, Laila, and Mariam, vs. Laila and Tariq's happy marriage.
• It's a women's rights issue
• It seems to be part of Afghanistan's patriarchal structure

So, let's put your argument together in ONE sentence:

In Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini criticizes the custom of polygamy in Afghanistan, calling for an end to the patriarchal structure that views women as objects.

The Test: Can I oppose what I just said?

Your argument is not an argument unless someone can oppose you. Then, it is fact

Examples of facts

• Polygamy occurs in Afghan culture
• Polygamy is part of a patriarchal structure
• You cannot find an opposition for these facts because they are indisputable!

Possible oppositions to Argument

• Polygamy is an important customs tied to the Muslim religion; while we may not understand it, we should not condemn it.
• Women may find comfort in being with other women

I passed the test!

So, now we add our opposition to our sentence as succinctly as possible.

So, now we add our opposition to our sentence as succinctly as possible.

While some may say that polygamy is in important custom tied to the Muslim religion, in actuality Hosseini, through his characters, criticizes polygamy as it is part of a patriarchal system that treats women as objects and encourages oppression.

Oppositions that are not great

• Polygamy is not a marriage custom in Afghanistan
• Hosseini supports polygamy
• Women's rights is not an issue in Thousand Splendid Suns

So What?

We make arguments about literature because we can connect them to current society.

So, we add one more sentence to our thesis answering the question, why should we, as readers living in 2016, care about Antonio and death and religion?

We have to ask ourselves: how do we as a society think about women's rights?

This is important because Afghanistan cannot progress in its new democratic society without freeing women from these oppressive structures.

All together now:

While some may say that polygamy is in important custom tied to the Muslim religion, in actuality Hosseini, through his characters, criticizes polygamy as it is part of a patriarchal system that treats women as objects and encourages oppression. This is important because Afghanistan cannot progress in its new democratic society without freeing woman from these oppressive structures.

The points I will need to discuss

• Polygamy as a religious custom - why people support it.
• Mariam, Laila, and Rasheed -- criticizes polygamy
• Tariq and Laila: equal marriage, no extra wives
• women's oppression

You got a thesis!