In essays on A Complicated Kindness, the thesis statement is where most problems begin. Students often write something like "Nomi struggles with her family and her town," which is accurate but not arguable. A thesis that cannot be disagreed with leaves the rest of the essay with nothing to prove. Teachers who learn to diagnose these problems quickly can give feedback that improves the entire paper, not just the first paragraph.

There are three common thesis problems in essays on this novel. The first is a topic announcement, such as "This essay will discuss grief and humor in the book." The second is a statement of fact that no reader would dispute, like noting that Nomi's mother and sister leave town. The third is a claim so broad, such as saying the novel is about the human condition, that no evidence could meaningfully support it. Naming the category helps students see why their sentence is not working.

A strong thesis for this novel takes a position about how or why something happens. For example, a student might argue that Toews uses Nomi's humor not to avoid grief but to make grief bearable enough to narrate. That claim can be tested against passages, challenged by a counterexample, and developed over several paragraphs. When you grade, look for a sentence that makes a reader want to see the proof.

A quick diagnostic you can apply while grading

One useful test is to ask whether a reasonable classmate could disagree with the thesis. If the answer is no, the claim is probably a summary, and you can write a short comment asking the student to turn it into an argument. Another test is whether the thesis contains a verb that shows interpretation, such as reveals, complicates, or suggests, rather than only describes. Teaching students to run these two checks themselves reduces how often you need to make the same comment.

• Makes a claim that another reader could reasonably dispute
• Names a specific idea about the novel instead of a broad theme
• Hints at how the argument will be supported
• Uses interpretive language rather than plain description
• Can realistically be developed within the assigned essay length

Writing feedback that helps students rewrite

Telling a student that a thesis is weak does little unless you show a path forward. Try offering one question the thesis could answer, such as why Nomi jokes about her losses instead of mourning openly, and invite the student to answer it in a single sentence. Students often produce a far stronger thesis in a few minutes once they have a clear question. This approach respects their own ideas while guiding them toward a more arguable form.

Avoid rewriting the thesis for the student, even when it would be faster. A teacher-written thesis becomes the teacher's argument, and the student loses the opportunity to practice a core academic skill. Instead, offer a sentence frame, like "In the novel, Toews uses X to show Y, which complicates the idea that Z," and let the student fill it in. Frames provide structure without supplying the thinking.

Connecting thesis feedback to the rest of the essay

A weak thesis often reveals itself again in the body paragraphs, where topic sentences drift from the claim and evidence is chosen without a clear purpose. When you see this, note the connection so students understand that their thesis shapes every later decision. A well-built thesis makes selecting quotations and organizing paragraphs far easier. Students who grasp this tend to improve more on their next essay than those who only fix a single sentence.

AI-assisted grading tools such as GraideMind can flag essays where the stated claim and the body paragraphs do not align, which is a pattern many teachers recognize but find time-consuming to document. The teacher can use that flag as a starting point and then write the human comment that explains what to change. This is especially helpful when you are marking a large number of essays on the same novel. It keeps your attention on the substance rather than on spotting the same issue repeatedly.

Building thesis skills before the final essay

Thesis writing improves with low-stakes practice, so consider using the first ten minutes of class to have students draft a claim about a short passage. Collect them, sort them into strong and weak, and show a few anonymously. The class can then discuss why one claim opens up an argument while another shuts it down. This habit makes the final essay much stronger.

Over a unit, you can ask students to revise their thesis three times, each version more specific and more arguable than the last. Keep the drafts together so they can see how their thinking developed. Students are often proud of that visible progress, and it gives you evidence of growth beyond a single final score. A strong thesis, after all, is usually the product of revision rather than a first draft.