Theme and Universal Theme
Chapter 4
Theme
The theme of a literary work is the central idea
about life that it reveals.
A theme is a message that the writer wants you
to get, but you usually have to look for it.
The writer’s theme is usually not stated directly..
Theme
Because theme is not usually stated directly, try
to identify the significant elements in each
selection and how they affect the main
character or narrator.
characters
setting
plot
Theme
symbols
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
Theme
The author often reveals the theme through the
actions and realizations of the characters.
• Is this really
how people
are?
• Do I agree
with this
view of life?
Universal Theme
The themes writers express are often
universal—that is, they apply to people from all
over the world.
A teacher can make
a difference in a
child’s life.
Awareness of death
can make life richer.
A loving
grandparent can be
a source of wisdom.
Universal Theme
Universal themes represent the idea that no matter
who we are, we all experience common joys,
sorrows, and concerns that bind us together.
Practice
Read the following. What clues can you find that
suggest a theme about life renewing itself?
Mr. Day held his tiny new
grandson in his wrinkled
hands. Outside the window of
his hospital room, the gray of
winter was broken by the
first flowers of spring
peeking up from the ground.
Mr. Day stroked the baby’s
blanket, the same one in
which he’d wrapped his
own son thirty years ago.