THEME WHAT IS a THEME A theme is

THEME

WHAT IS a THEME? • A theme is a unifying idea in a piece of writing. • It is not the topic – it’s how the author approaches the topic. • It’s not one part of a story, like a piece of pie you can slice out and give to someone. • It’s more like a ingredient that affects the whole book, like hot sauce in chili. When you mix in the sauce, it affects everything in the pot – everything gets hot!

WHAT IS a THEME? • You can find evidence of theme in all of the other elements in the story. – Characters – Setting – Plot

TOPIC vs. THEME • Two pieces of writing may be about the same topic, but theme may have different themes. Author #1’s theme: Having the courage to reach out for help Author #5’s theme: Courage and following your dreams Topic: Courage Author #4’s theme: Having the courage to stand up for yourself Author #2’s theme: Courage and telling the truth Author #3’s theme: Getting the courage to start again

CLASSIC THEMES • Here are some of the major themes that you will see Remember: you can repeating in stories and poems: – The Importance of Love and Friendship have more than on theme in a story • Example: Lord of the Rings – Evil is vanquished only when a friend helps a friend – Dealing with Loss • Example: Up – An elderly man loses his wife, but goes on one last quest in her memory – Learning to Be a Hero • Example: Hercules – In order to appease the gods, Hercules has to perform 12 heroic labors

CLASSIC THEMES – The Importance of Family • Example: A Wrinkle in Time – The love a brother and sister have for their father leads them to journey through space and time to find him. – What It Means to Grow Up • Example: The Lion King – A lion cub runs away from home after the death of his father, but returns to take his rightful place as king of the pride. – The Coexistence of Good and Bad in a Person/ the World • Example: To Kill a Mockingbird – A young girl watches as her father fights for justice in a small town.

Where Do You Find the Theme? • In the Details – Theme doesn’t just show up in one place – It comes back again and again in the details of a story • In Sentences and Scenes – A single sentence can bring up a theme. – A whole scene can be about a theme. • In the Characters – A theme can appear in how a character changes. – The way a main character evolves often points to theme

Where Do You Find the Theme? • All the Way Through – A theme will appear throughout a story from beginning to end • Sometimes in large ways, like a scene with a plot twist • Sometimes in detailed ways, like the language used in a sentence

COMPARISON ASSIGNMENT • Two texts: – ”The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, ” by F. Scott Fitzgerald – ”A Christmas Carol, ” by Charles Dickens • Read both and find a common topic • Compare and contrast how the authors deal relate that topic with different themes • Use the “Theme Comparison” organizer to record your information. Submit it through Focus.