THEME

WHAT IS THEME view about life and/or how people behave in a work of fiction or a personal essay

View the author revealsControlling ideaCentral insight

SYNONYMS Main idea Theme Thesis Big idea

HOW ARE THEME AND MAIN IDEA DIFFERENT?

Theme Main Idea

Fiction /personal essay Informational Text

Not directly stated (often) Can be directly stated or implied

Universal message Specific to text

THEME OR MAIN IDEA ____Chum Salmon swim upstream if they

can escape many obstacles like fishermen and sea lions.

____ Living beings tend to fight to survive regardless of the obstacles.

____ Homer Simpson is the best candidate for president.

____ People tend to follow strong leaders.

IT IS NOT NOT intended to teach or preach NOT presented directly NOT a moral or a lesson NOT about specific characters in the

story NOT about something that happened in

the story (plot) NOT a word or phrase (that is the

subject)

You must figure out the theme yourself.

HOW DO WE DISCOVER THE THEME? There is no single way to discover

theme. Ask: What insights into life or human nature

are revealed by the story. Examine: changes to the protagonist; what

the protagonist learned; or the nature of the conflicts

Finish the sentence: People tend to…complete sentencesMake generalization vs. reference to

specific characters or plot

SOME COMMON THEMES1. The Individual in Nature a. Nature is at war with each of us and

proves our vulnerability. b. People are out of place in Nature and

need technology to survive. c. People are destroying nature and

themselves with uncontrolled technology.

Can you think of examples of fiction that have any of these themes?

EXAMPLES ANYONE? The Individual in Society a. Society and a person's inner nature are

always at war. b. Social influences determine a person's

final destiny. c. Social influences can only complete

inclinations formed by Nature. d. A person's identity is determined by

place in society. e. In spite of the pressure to be among

people, and individual is essentially alone and frightened.

EXAMPLES ANYONE?

Time a. Enjoy life now, for the present

moment, because we all die too soon. b. By the time we understand life, there

is too little left to live.

GROWTH AND INITIATIONa. A boy and a girl must go through a special

trial or series of trials before maturing.b. Manhood or womanhood is often

established by an abrupt, random crisis, sometimes at an unusually early age.

c. Aspects of childhood are retained in all of us, sometimes hindering growth, sometimes providing the only joy in later life.

d. d. A person grows only in so far as he or she must face a crisis of confidence or identity.

DEATHa. Death is part of living, giving life its

final meaning.b. Death is the ultimate absurd joke on

life.c. There is no death, only a different

plane or mode of life without physical decay.

d. Without love, death often appears to be the only alternative to life.

ALIENATIONa. An individual is isolated from fellow

human beings and foolishly tries to bridge the gaps.

b. Through alienation comes self-knowledge.

c. Modern culture is defective because it doesn't provide group ties which in primitive cultures makes alienation virtually impossible.

WHAT DO I DO WITH THEME? Themes in interpretive fiction often

challenge our beliefs and provide rather somber truths. A reader need not accept a theme that is contrary to his or her personal beliefs. However, any theme is worthy of consideration in that it is someone's view.

http://members.fortunecity.com/nadabs/literature-theme.html

QUIZ Which is the best theme statement for

Lord of the Flies: A. Jack and his followers become evil.B. Human Nature C. Human Nature is defective. D. People like to kill pigs.

QUIZ Which is the best theme statement for

“The most beautiful thing”? A. A boy and a girl fall in love even

though they can’t communicate easily. B. Love conquers all. C.

QUIZ What is the best theme statement for

“Where have you gone Charming Billy”?

A. A new soldier starts to giggle and puts his platoon in danger.

B. War tends to be both mentally and physically stressful.

C. Expect the unexpected. D. Don’t let fear stop you. E. Fear

ANOTHER QUIZ What is the best theme statement below

for the story of Romeo and Juliet?A. A person matures quickly when faced

with crisis situation B. Romeo and Juliet face many difficult

decisionsC. Loss of innocenceD. You should not go against your parents’

wishes.

TRUE OR FALSE 1. A theme is a life lesson 2. A theme is a plot retell 3. A theme names characters and setting from

the work being read 4. Theme is a universal statement about life or

society 5. Theme is applicable beyond the immediate

material 6. Theme can be found in every piece of fiction 7. There can be more than one theme in a

story 8. Theme should be a complete sentence, not

just a phrase.

WATCH AND FIND THEME https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8BcnXmOl_s&list=WL&index=2

STRATEGIES TO TAKE MC TESTS Read the question carefully so you know

exactly what they want For example: Which choice is NOT an

example of… Underline key words

Figure out the answer before you look at the choices.

Eliminate obviously wrong answers (cross them out)

Read all choices carefully Avoid answers with words like Always, All,

Never, None…