Introduction

Ok. So I’m a bit worried about the introduction to my thesis. My main objectives in the thesis are to prove that Adam and Eve establish a familial relationship with the plants in pre-lapsarian Eden and that the plants are more heavily punished than the humans in the post-lapsarian world. However, I honestly couldn’t tell you how I’m going to prove that yet. I can point to textual evidence in Paradise Lost, but I don’t have any critical basis for my claims yet. How am I supposed to write a thesis statement with authority if I do not yet have that authority? Do I just kind of lie and fake it? Or do I admit that I’m not sure about it yet, but I hope to explore this idea? And how do I convey that without “I” statements.

The other thing I’m wondering about is how much to include in this introduction. I know we talked about this in class, but do I just say, “In the seventeenth century, there was a popular critical debate concerning the idea that Nature was in a state of decay (see Godfrey Goodman and George Hakewill).” Is that really good enough? Do I then simply elaborate on them in my Literature Review? I guess this is going to be my plan and if it’s not good enough, then oh well.

I think once I’ve drafted my Literature Review this will make more sense to me. Then I will be able to organize my research more fully and perhaps get somewhat of an idea about how the larger project might unfold.