Identifying Implicit
and Explicit Themes
7th Grade Reading: Ms. Stoller
First…
Write down: What is the
difference between a theme
and a main idea?
Today we will…
01
Identify which
themes are present
in practice texts and
in our novel Bruiser.
02
Determine if a
theme is implicit or
explicit in practice
texts and in our
novel Bruiser.
What is a theme?
● A theme is a universal idea,
lesson, or message in a story.
● It is conveyed (or
communicated) by the author
and interpreted by the reader.
● There can be MULTIPLE themes
in one piece of text.
Theme or Main Idea?
A theme…
● Teaches a lesson
● Usually is not
directly stated, but it
can be
● Universal and could
be about any text
A main idea…
● Is the topic of the
text
● Who or what the
story is about
Implicit and Explicit Themes
Implicit
● Not clearly
expressed or directly
stated
● Hinted at in the text
● More common
Explicit
● Clearly expressed or
directly stated in the
text
● Not as common
Examples of Implicit and Explicit Themes
Implicit
● What comes around,
goes around
● Faith vs. doubt
● Pursuit of love
● Coming of age
● Home is where the
heart is
● Do the right thing,
even when it is hard
Explicit
● Slow and steady
wins the race
● It is better to work
now and play later