What Is Theme? Discovering a Theme Stating a Theme Practice
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What Is Theme? Discovering a Theme Stating a Theme Practice
What Is Theme? A work’s theme is the central idea or insight about human life that it reveals. Many elements contribute to a work’s theme. characters
plot Theme
conflict Note
setting
What Is Theme? The theme of a work of literature is its root. It • gives meaning to the work’s characters and events • reveals the writer’s personal attitude toward the world and the people in it • may give readers insight into life and human nature or help them realize the importance of what they already know
What Is Theme? A work’s theme is sometimes confused with its • subject—what the story is about • plot—the events of the story • moral—the rule of conduct that the story teaches These parts of a story are important, but they are not its theme.
What Is Theme? Quick Check Listen to your elders. Three siblings go swimming in a creek even though their grandfather warns them not to. One sibling is almost swept away by the current.
Identify each item as one of the following: • subject • plot • moral • theme
The story of a dangerous swim Young people’s overconfidence can put them in danger; young people often learn a lesson the hard way. [End of Section]
What Is Theme? Quick Check Listen to your elders.
moral
Three siblings go swimming in a creek even though their grandfather warns them not to. One sibling is almost swept away by the current. plot The story of a dangerous swim
subject
Young people’s overconfidence can put them in danger; young people often learn a lesson the hard way. theme
Identify each item as one of the following: • subject • plot • moral • theme
Discovering a Theme Identifying a work’s theme is not easy but can help the reader understand the work more fully. • The theme is rarely stated outright and must be inferred. • A long and complex work may present more than one theme, or insight into human life.
Discovering a Theme Here are some guidelines for discovering theme. • Think about the title. • Consider how the protagonist changes. • Pay attention to story’s conflict and how it is resolved. • Consider the work as a whole.
Discovering a Theme Think about the title. Readers may find clues to the theme in the first words they read, the work’s title. “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant”
How might these three things—a fish, a river, and a girl—affect the main character’s life?
Discovering a Theme Consider how the protagonist changes. Often what the main character learns about life is the truth the writer wants to reveal to the reader. At the beginning . . . There was a summer in my life when the only creature that seemed lovelier to me than a largemouth bass was Sheila Mant. I was fourteen.
Discovering a Theme Consider how the protagonist changes. Often what the main character learns about life is the truth the writer wants to reveal to the reader. At the end . . . Poor Sheila! Before the month was over, the spell she cast over me was gone, but the memory of that lost bass haunted me all summer and haunts me still. . . . I never made the same mistake again.
Discovering a Theme Pay attention to story’s conflict and how it is resolved. Conflict is central to most literature and often contains clues to the theme. “I think fishing’s dumb,” she said, making a face. “I mean, it’s boring and all. Definitely dumb.” . . . I would have given anything not to appear dumb in Sheila’s severe and unforgiving eyes.
What conflict does the protagonist face? How does he initially respond to the conflict?
Discovering a Theme Consider the work as a whole. Other elements of the story, such as setting or characters, may also contribute to the theme. “Eric said I have the figure to model, but I thought I should get an education first. I mean, it might be a while before I get started and all. I was thinking of getting my hair styled, more swept back . . . ?”
How does the development of Sheila’s subordinate character add to your understanding of the theme?
[End of Section]
Stating a Theme You should use at least one complete sentence to state the theme of a work. • Express the theme as a generalization about life or human nature. Do not refer to specific characters or events in the work. “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” reveals the extremes to which people will go when they are in love and reminds readers that these sacrifices often fail to win love. Note
[End of Section]
Practice Choose a story that meant something to you. Use this chart to help you discover and then state the story’s theme. Compare your statement with those of other students who chose the same story. Steps to Determining a Theme What the title suggests: How the main character changes: How the conflict is resolved: What, in general, the story reveals about life and people: The story’s theme: [End of Section]
The End
What Is Theme? Note Themes are important to all forms of literature. • Similar themes can often be found in different genres—in stories, novels, plays, poems, and even in nonfiction.
What Is Theme? Moral It is a mistake to reduce a theme to a simple moral or a cliché, such as “Be true to yourself.” Themes are usually more complex and original revelations about life. • When trying to discover a work’s theme, readers should ask themselves, “What does this work reveal?” rather than “What does this work teach?”
Stating a Theme Complete sentence A theme must be a statement about the subject of the work rather a phrase. Incorrect
making sacrifices for love
Correct
The story reveals that people often make unwise sacrifices to win the love of others.
Stating a Theme Generalization Themes are stated as generalizations because they apply to more than one situation. • In fact, many themes are universal. They apply to people everywhere because people all over the world have common desires, needs, and experiences.
Stating a Theme Note There is no single way to state a theme. Your statement of theme may be different from your classmates’ themes.
What Is Theme? Discovering a Theme Stating a Theme Practice
What Is Theme? A work’s theme is the central idea or insight about human life that it reveals. Many elements contribute to a work’s theme. characters
plot Theme
conflict Note
setting
What Is Theme? The theme of a work of literature is its root. It • gives meaning to the work’s characters and events • reveals the writer’s personal attitude toward the world and the people in it • may give readers insight into life and human nature or help them realize the importance of what they already know
What Is Theme? A work’s theme is sometimes confused with its • subject—what the story is about • plot—the events of the story • moral—the rule of conduct that the story teaches These parts of a story are important, but they are not its theme.
What Is Theme? Quick Check Listen to your elders. Three siblings go swimming in a creek even though their grandfather warns them not to. One sibling is almost swept away by the current.
Identify each item as one of the following: • subject • plot • moral • theme
The story of a dangerous swim Young people’s overconfidence can put them in danger; young people often learn a lesson the hard way. [End of Section]
What Is Theme? Quick Check Listen to your elders.
moral
Three siblings go swimming in a creek even though their grandfather warns them not to. One sibling is almost swept away by the current. plot The story of a dangerous swim
subject
Young people’s overconfidence can put them in danger; young people often learn a lesson the hard way. theme
Identify each item as one of the following: • subject • plot • moral • theme
Discovering a Theme Identifying a work’s theme is not easy but can help the reader understand the work more fully. • The theme is rarely stated outright and must be inferred. • A long and complex work may present more than one theme, or insight into human life.
Discovering a Theme Here are some guidelines for discovering theme. • Think about the title. • Consider how the protagonist changes. • Pay attention to story’s conflict and how it is resolved. • Consider the work as a whole.
Discovering a Theme Think about the title. Readers may find clues to the theme in the first words they read, the work’s title. “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant”
How might these three things—a fish, a river, and a girl—affect the main character’s life?
Discovering a Theme Consider how the protagonist changes. Often what the main character learns about life is the truth the writer wants to reveal to the reader. At the beginning . . . There was a summer in my life when the only creature that seemed lovelier to me than a largemouth bass was Sheila Mant. I was fourteen.
Discovering a Theme Consider how the protagonist changes. Often what the main character learns about life is the truth the writer wants to reveal to the reader. At the end . . . Poor Sheila! Before the month was over, the spell she cast over me was gone, but the memory of that lost bass haunted me all summer and haunts me still. . . . I never made the same mistake again.
Discovering a Theme Pay attention to story’s conflict and how it is resolved. Conflict is central to most literature and often contains clues to the theme. “I think fishing’s dumb,” she said, making a face. “I mean, it’s boring and all. Definitely dumb.” . . . I would have given anything not to appear dumb in Sheila’s severe and unforgiving eyes.
What conflict does the protagonist face? How does he initially respond to the conflict?
Discovering a Theme Consider the work as a whole. Other elements of the story, such as setting or characters, may also contribute to the theme. “Eric said I have the figure to model, but I thought I should get an education first. I mean, it might be a while before I get started and all. I was thinking of getting my hair styled, more swept back . . . ?”
How does the development of Sheila’s subordinate character add to your understanding of the theme?
[End of Section]
Stating a Theme You should use at least one complete sentence to state the theme of a work. • Express the theme as a generalization about life or human nature. Do not refer to specific characters or events in the work. “The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant” reveals the extremes to which people will go when they are in love and reminds readers that these sacrifices often fail to win love. Note
[End of Section]
Practice Choose a story that meant something to you. Use this chart to help you discover and then state the story’s theme. Compare your statement with those of other students who chose the same story. Steps to Determining a Theme What the title suggests: How the main character changes: How the conflict is resolved: What, in general, the story reveals about life and people: The story’s theme: [End of Section]
The End
What Is Theme? Note Themes are important to all forms of literature. • Similar themes can often be found in different genres—in stories, novels, plays, poems, and even in nonfiction.
What Is Theme? Moral It is a mistake to reduce a theme to a simple moral or a cliché, such as “Be true to yourself.” Themes are usually more complex and original revelations about life. • When trying to discover a work’s theme, readers should ask themselves, “What does this work reveal?” rather than “What does this work teach?”
Stating a Theme Complete sentence A theme must be a statement about the subject of the work rather a phrase. Incorrect
making sacrifices for love
Correct
The story reveals that people often make unwise sacrifices to win the love of others.
Stating a Theme Generalization Themes are stated as generalizations because they apply to more than one situation. • In fact, many themes are universal. They apply to people everywhere because people all over the world have common desires, needs, and experiences.
Stating a Theme Note There is no single way to state a theme. Your statement of theme may be different from your classmates’ themes.
