Theme
What is Theme?
 The theme is the most
important idea of a story.
 It is more than just the
subject of the passage.
What is Theme?
 It has a larger meaning that
may include a short lesson
about life.
 It may tell how the author
feels about life or human
nature.
 It may make a statement
about society or moral
values.
Theme- Focuses on the “big” topics
in everyone’s life
Responsibility
Love
Friendship
Loss
Ambition
What is a theme?
A theme is not . . .
• A topic is a very brief description
of the subject of a story.
a topic
• You can state a topic in one or
two words:
respect
farm life
friendship
• You need a full sentence to
explain a theme: Friendship is a
fragile thing.
What is a theme?
Not a Theme
Happiness
Childhood
Awareness
Theme Statement
Happiness is
accepting the
joys of ordinary
life.
Childhood is a
time of
innocence.
Awareness of
death can make
life richer.
Plot is NOT theme
What is a theme?
A theme is also not . . .
• A plot is made up of the events
of a story—what happens to the
characters.
a plot
• You can diagram or outline the
plot of a story.
• You can’t diagram a theme.
You need to state a theme in a
sentence.
What is a theme?
Decide whether each item states a plot, a topic,
or a theme.
1. A family travels
to Alabama and
faces hardships
along the way.
Plot?
Topic?
Theme?
Why?
Describes events
in a story.
2. Prejudice
Plot?
Topic?
Theme?
Why?
One word; not a
sentence.
What is a theme?
Decide whether each item states a plot, a topic,
or a theme.
3. Facing your fears Plot?
is the only way to
Topic?
overcome them.
Theme?
Plot?
4. Happiness can
be found in the joys Topic?
Theme?
of ordinary life.
Why?
Complete sentence;
tells a truth about
life.
Why?
Complete sentence;
tells a truth about
life.
[End of Section]
Themes occur over and over again because
some truths about human experience are
universal.
All that
glitters is
not gold.
Time
waits for
no man.
What goes
up, must
come
down.
Love
conquers
all.
Are these sayings familiar? They have been used
(and overused) by writers for centuries.
Finding Theme
 The author may repeat the
idea more than one time.
 Most of the time the author
doesn't tell you what the
theme is in a single
sentence.
 You may have to figure it out
from what the author does
write.
Why find the theme?
Finding a theme helps you understand
• stories or poems about
the human experience
• changes a character
goes through
• the writer’s views on life
Why find the theme?
Finding a theme also helps you make up your
own mind about the writer’s message.
• Is this really
how people
are?
• Do I agree
with this
view of life?
A writer doesn’t usually state the theme directly.
You probably wouldn’t want to read a story that
begins this way:
“This is a story that shows character matters
more than size.”
Theme is what the
writer wants you to
discover for yourself.
Tips for Identifying Theme
 Look closely at the title.
Sometimes you will find a
clue about the theme.
 Are there ideas that are
repeated more than once?
Did the characters in the story
learn a lesson? The author
may want you to learn the
same lesson.
Pay attention to the details in
the story. Could they have a
greater or deeper meaning?
For example, most
sports movies are
about teamwork or
end with the
“impossible” goal or
save. Do you
agree with what
these movies say
about life?
 The characters, setting, and
plot may also give you clues
about the theme.
 Did the character change in
the story? What does this
change say about life in
general?
Evaluating the Theme
Many teen romances follow the same plot: two
people who are very different from each other fall
in love.
These stories also share
a similar theme:
Nothing can stand in the
way of true love.
Is that
really
true?
Evaluating the Theme
You don’t have to like the way a story ends.
Why didn’t
they get
back
together?
Sometime
s the hero
dies?
You don’t have to agree with a theme, either.
Putting a theme into words brings it into the open.
You can then look at it closely and decide if it fits
with what you know about life.
The theme is
what the story is
really about.
Let’s Try It
Practice
On a beautiful summer afternoon,
Grasshopper lay on his back on a leaf, gazing at
clouds and humming a little grasshopper song.
This was Grasshopper’s favorite thing to do—all
day, every day.
By and by, Grasshopper’s good friend Ant
came by, struggling under a heavy load.
“Are you crazy?” Grasshopper sneered at
the ant. “It’s way too beautiful outside to
work!”
“You said that yesterday, Grasshopper,” Ant
replied. “And the day before, and the day
before, and the day before. . . .”
“That’s right, Ant. It’s always too beautiful
to work! That’s what I say!”
1. What does
each
character
want?
2. What else
does
Grasshopper
want?
Let’s Try It
Practice
“True, but there’s a little chill in the air,
Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.”
“Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.”
Grasshopper leaned back and started humming
again. Ant trudged on.
By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant
and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill
as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a
little tapping and went to the door.
There stood Grasshopper, shivering and
slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in,
Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so
hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re
pretty big for this house, and you probably eat
more than all of us put together.”
3. Why does
Ant want to
work?
4. What
happens when
winter comes?
5. Why is Ant
hesitant about
helping Grasshopper?
Let’s Try It
Practice
“True, but there’s a little chill in the air,
Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.”
“Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.”
Grasshopper leaned back and started humming
again. Ant trudged on.
By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant
and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill
as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a
little tapping and went to the door.
There stood Grasshopper, shivering and
slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in,
Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so
hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re
pretty big for this house, and you probably eat
more than all of us put together.”
6. Without
knowing the
end of the
story, what
do you think
is a possible
theme for the
story?
Practice
Let’s Try It
Ant shut the door in Grasshopper’s face.
He’d worked hard all summer while that
lazy Grasshopper sat around humming.
Too bad for him, Ant thought, and went
back to warm his hands at the fireplace.
Here’s one
resolution for the
story.
7. Does this
ending change
the theme?
8. Does this
ending
introduce
another theme?
Practice
Let’s Try It
“Please, please, Ant! Just until the snow
stops falling. I’ll do anything—and I’ll never
be lazy again!”
“Oh, all right,” said the kindhearted Ant. “I
could use your help in the spring anyway.”
Here’s another,
different ending.
9. Does this
ending change
the theme?
10. Does this
ending introduce
another theme?