WRITING A THEMATIC STATEMENT ABOUT A TEXT
When figuring out a text’s theme, we want to ask ourselves:
What does this work say about being alive? What’s the big, idea that runs through the text? What is the
writer observing about how we behave? Even though this story is about a girl and a giraffe living on a
submarine, what idea is the author exploring that can apply to almost all of us?
We start by considering the life subjects or abstract ideas or behaviors we find in the text. Here’s a list we
can use. (Although you may—and will--find a subject in a text not listed here.)
Alienation
Anger
Fantasy vs. Reality
Betrayal
Loss of Innocence
Courage
Dreams
Education
Escape
Evil
Fear
Forgiveness
Freedom
Grief
Honor
Honesty
Identify
Justice
Love
Loyalty
Nature
Perseverance
Power
Prejudice
Pride
Rebellion from authority
Relationships
Revenge
Faith/Religion
Revenge
Ritual
Social status
Success
Temptation
Time
Violence
Wealth
Loneliness
Hatred
Beauty (inner/outer)
Cowardice
Learning
Free Will
Insecurity
Individuality (and loss of)
Despair
Heroism
Deception
Equality
Obsession
Duty
Facing hardship
Corruption
Stereotypes
Hubris
Conformity
Family
Friendship
Tradition
Failure
Sin
War
Judgment of others
Acceptance of reality/truth
Knowledge
Sacrifice
Oppression
Progress
Self-Awareness
Doubt
Youth
Will to survive
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
Here’s one possible structure for writing a thematic statement. (If we are faced with the prompt:
What’s the central theme of _______? we are being asked to write a thematic statement for that text.)
1) Chose a Thematic Idea
Example
Text: “Bullhead” by Leigh Allison Wilson
Thematic Idea: memories
2) Now….I want to make an assertion—a claim or argument—about what the text specifically has to
say about the thematic idea I’ve chosen. In this story, how does the mother handle her memories
about the boy she loved? How do the mother’s memories affect the narrator?
Example
In the short story “Bullhead,” Leigh Allison Wilson presents the idea that
clinging to a memory from our past can prevent us from appreciating our present life
(assertion about what the text specifically has to say about the thematic idea—in this case, memories)
3) Now I want to get a little fancier and add a qualifying clause. This gives me the chance to be more
specific about how this particular text addresses the thematic idea.
Some words that can help set up a qualifying clause are the following: (not your choices, but a start)
When
So
Until
Because
So that
Since
Unless
Whether
Which
Even
If
Although
Example
In the short story “Bullhead,” Leigh Allison Wilson presents the idea that
clinging to a memory from our past can prevent us from appreciating our present life ,
EVEN causing us to hurt others we care about by making them feel undervalued.
(qualifying clause)
Text: “Us and Them
In “Us and Them,”
(title of text)
Thematic Idea: ______________________________________
David Sedaris
(author’s name)
presents the idea that
_____________________________ ________________________________________________________
(thematic idea)
(your assertion about what the text has to say about the thematic idea)
(qualifying statement—where you further explain or explore your assertion and/or show more
specifically how this specific text addresses your thematic idea)