How to Write the Best Thematic Essay

Sometimes, students are scared when being assigned a thematic essay. But don’t worry; we are sure you’ve written tons of thematic essays already, they just were called differently, for example, analytical or research essay. However, a thematic essay is not the same as those ones, but sometimes professors do not give exact writing instructions.

A thematic essay is an essay discussing a phenomenon, concept, or theme. Here you should use all the skills you mastered when writing previous essays. The skills you will need to write your thematic essay include writing in a well-organized manner, presenting evidence, and supporting your thesis.

Thematic Essay Definition

Sometimes, professors call any assignment on literature a thematic essay. And, very often teachers assign any essays revolving a certain subject or theme in any branch of life as thematic essays. Some professors think that a thematic essay can be written only about literary devices, i.e. you will have to create a thesis around metaphor, symbolism, or hyperbole, for example. Your task will be to take a motif in the literature and create a thesis around that motif. The motif can be different, for example, success, self-knowledge, lost love, etc.

As you can see, the approaches of teachers to thematic essays are very different. One of such common topics is How does William Shakespeare use young love bloom to spread the tragedy seeds in Romeo and Juliet?

And here is the example of a thesis on that topic: Mental superiority and infallibility of youth are consistently demonstrated by Shakespeare as means of creating the fundament for the later tragedy.

You can select a motif or literary device typical for the text and craft an original thesis. Eventually, your task is to prove the thesis with the help of evidence from the text in a coordinated way. Nowadays, teachers assign more thematic essays not related to literature, they simply link thematic essays with various challenged in social human existence.  It means that you will have to do some deeper research. However, you should realize that the reader might not see the thematic essay issue in the same way as you do. That’s why make sure to provide very tight evidence.

A thematic essay might require you to write about some very sensitive social problems, so make sure to use light and elegant words not to make your reader disagree with you. Be focused on your central argument at all times.

Let’s Write a Thematic Essay Step By Step

1. Choose the best topic to cover your thematic essay.

It can be abusage in the workplace if you write about the exploitation of servants in Victorian England, for example.

2. Select a quote, fact, joke, or statistic related to your best topic and create a hook.
3. Link that topic to the narrower one and discuss it in two-three sentences.
4. Provide the thesis.
5. Write three separate topic sentences for each paragraph provided.

For example:

1) The exploitation of servants was a means of participating in darker impulses for the wealthy.

2) The exploitation of servants was caused by poor patterns of communication and politeness of the elite society.

3) The exploitation of servants used the most vulnerable society members, and, thus, was opportunistic.

6. Support each topic sentence by providing evidence from history and top sources.
7. State your thesis again in a different manner. Use new vocabulary to recap the main points in a conclusive paragraph. Now the perspective has to be linked to a bigger social issue.

Outline

Some students don’t pay much attention to writing an outline while they consider it to be a waste of time. However, writing an outline will make everything clearer and will guide you through your essay.

Outline Sample

Introduction

1. Interesting fact, joke, statistic, or quote which will be a hook.
2. Up to three sentences relating specific theme.
3. Statement of thesis:

Second paragraph

1. First topic sentence supporting the thesis.
2. Evidence supporting that claim and explanation of its relevancy or efficiency.

Third paragraph

1. Second topic sentence supporting the thesis.
2. Evidence supporting that claim and explanation of its relevancy or efficiency.

Fourth paragraph

1. Third topic sentence supporting the thesis.
2. Evidence supporting that claim and explanation of its relevancy or efficiency.

Conclusion

1. Reiterate your thesis.
2. Recall three primary points.
3. Link a perspective to a greater picture of life, history, society, etc. issue.

Introduction

In order to write an introduction, you should complete several tasks at a time, so it might be a bit confusing. From the very first line, it’s necessary to capture the attention of the reader, present him a wider topic and take them to a more specific one. When your experience in writing essays is not that big, it might be tough. However, if you have troubles with writing an introduction, you can go to your thesis and get back to it later.

You will find it much easier to write an introduction after you have finished your essay already.

Body Paragraphs

The body of your thematic essay requires you to think well and write the strongest topic sentences. In your body paragraphs, you should show you’re able to research, collect and organize evidence and make an analysis. Remember that each topic sentence is to be supported by evidence.

Initially, topic paragraphs can be written in a certain order, but later, you can restructure them if it is needed. Yes, it happens that the third paragraph should be first eventually, or the first paragraph should become second.

Once the essay is written, take your time and check the body paragraphs order again, while the flow of your ideas has to be nice and understandable.

Conclusion

Before writing a conclusion, take a break and refresh your mind. The reader should have a clear closure after all. In conclusion, it is necessary to remind your reader about the most important points of the essay and help him understand the general sense of its ending.

Topics for Your Thematic Essay

• History

1. How the Civil displayed progress versus tradition?
2. How the seeds of the Great Depression were sowed by the Roaring Twenties?
3. How the notion of brotherhood was undermined in the Civil War?
4. Discuss how human beings created a royal class in modern times and antiquity.
5. What is the role of religion in civilized nations?

• Human Rights

1. Can we deny the Holocaust?
2. What are the LGBT rights trends in America for the last decade?
3. Discuss the civil rights movements.

• Nationalism

1. The Neo-Nazi and the KKK movements.
2. American Revolution and nationalism.
3. Is there any connection between nuclear weaponry and nationalism?

We Can Help

A thematic essay is assigned to you to check if you can create an original essay using the concepts or trends around the events in history or a piece of literature.  It is a real challenge to brainstorm a thesis unconventionally. Sometimes it seems impossible to find the most proper evidence for your thesis. We get lots of request from students like you, who get stuck with their thematic essay, and we are here to help.

Our top writers have created tons of thematic essays and they are always inspired to create a masterpiece for you. Our experts know exactly what teachers want from you and how they evaluate your works, so they will be able to write a perfect thematic essay for you!

Conclusion

Don’t be scared when you are assigned a thematic essay, while it is the same essay you have already mastered before. All you need to do it to create a more specific thesis around more precise trend or concept. Once you do that, write an essay using the same structure as for all the previous ones.

Your main problem might be connected not with writing itself but with finding unique ideas to support your writing. It’s necessary to set your imagination free and think in some new directions for your essay to be unique and successful.

And if you need professional help and support, you know where to find us!