What is the hidden message?

Fill out the
Rhetorical triangle.
What goes where?
DO NOW #1
Mood

DO NOW #2
 Define theme.
 How do you write a thematic statement?
 How does the writer create a theme?

What is a theme or message?
 A theme is a message that unites the story.
 It is evident throughout the entire story.
 It shows up in diction and figurative language.
 It is also created by the tone or the author’s attitude toward his or her subject.

What do you think the theme of
Flowers for Algernon is?
There are a lot of themes in Flowers for Algernon.
How do you even begin to answer this question.

Step 1.
 What is this story about in ONE word.
 This ONE word needs to be a NOUN: an idea.

Step 2.
 What does the speaker try to TEACH us about this one word?
 How does the speaker feel about this one word as evidenced by the writing piece?

Step 3.
 Now cross out “the speakers teaches us that”
 What is left is a THEMATIC STATEMENT!

Now try it.
 Step 1. What is the story about in one word?
 Step 2. What does the author say about this word through this story?
 Step 3. Get rid of “The author says that.” What is left is your thematic statement.

Evidence
• Find evidence of this theme in the story.
• What does the author say that proves that your statement is accurate?
• If your statement is not accurate, it will be pretty hard to prove.

Tree Map It.
 Create a tree map that branches into 3 pieces of evidence that prove your thematic statement.
 Below the evidence, explain how this evidence proves your theme and clarify what it means to the story.

Practice.
 Practice writing thematic statements on your worksheet with simple themes already written.
 See if you can come up with one for each word.

Commentary: Answer the following questions for each piece of evidence on your tree map.
1.
2.

Thematic Statement:
Ignorance is bliss.
 Evidence: When Charlie was ignorant, he thought all the people at his work were his friends. When he became intelligent, he realized they were not.
 Commentary: This evidence shows how much happier
Charlie was before the operation.
 Commentary: Sometimes people are mean to people they do not feel equal them in intelligence or ability.

Book Project
 Create a tree map based on a thematic statement you created independently for your book jacket project.
 Once you finish it, you have one part of your book jacket planned and ready to go!

Exit Ticket #1
 FIST of FIVE: How comfortable are you writing a thematic statement?
 1 I don’t know what I am doing.
 2 I have difficulty doing this.
 3 I just need more practice.
 4 I can do this.
 5 This is easy! What’s next?

Exit Ticket #2
 On a NOTECARD:
 Write one thematic statement for Flowers for Algernon that you plan to use for book jacket project.
 Give one piece of evidence that proves that it is accurate.