WRITING A COMPLEX
THEMATIC STATEMENT
A theme statement is the universal lesson anyone
reading the book should learn.
For example:
People should not try to please others by
pretending to be something false.
Or
People should not blame their problems on others.
A major conflict is
The primary problem in the book. This must be
universal, apply to many situations and may not
actually be solved in the book.
For Example:
People often discriminate against others based off
appearances and actions.
OR
People are often oblivious to the nature of love.
A COMPLEX THEMATIC STATEMENT…
Combines both the major conflict, the
consequences of facing the major conflict and
the theme statement to explain the great
TRUTH/LESSON of the novel.
Example Thematic Formula…
CONFLICT
People often ___________________
because
Explain why people have this problem
___________________ and, as a result,
____________________________.
CONSEQUENCES of the Conflict
Therefore,
THEME statement/ lesson the reader should learn.
_______________________
So, for example…
The CONFLICT of The Great Gatsby is … attempting to be
something you are not.
The EXPLANATION of why people do this is …
because people want to achieve their goals at any cost.
The CONSEQUENCE of this problem is… people end
up forgetting who they truly are.
Therefore, the THEME/LESSON of this book is… people
should recognize that losing themselves will not lead to
happiness.
This elements create a
COMPLEX THEME STATEMENT
to turn themselves into someone they are not
People often Try
___________________
They want to achieve their goals at any
because ___________________
and,
cost
They end up forgetting who they truly are
as a result, _____________________.
Therefore,
People
should recognize that losing themselves will not lead to happiness
_______________________________
The finished
COMPLEX THEME STATEMENT
People often try to turn themselves into
someone they’re not because they want to
achieve their goals at any cost and, as a result,
they end up forgetting who they truly are.
Therefore, people should recognize that losing
themselves will not lead to happiness.
REMEMBER, a COMPLEX THEME
STATEMENT
 Is universal, meaning it applies to almost
everyone on the planet – not just the
characters from your book.
 Begins with the major conflict from the book
 Ends with the lesson every person reading
this book should learn.
 Makes SENSE when you read it aloud!
Which one is the GOOD complex
theme statement?
1. People often overeat fast food because it’s cheap and good
and, as a result, people get health problems. Therefore,
people should stop constantly eating fast food.
2. People often change their personalities around certain
people because they’re embarrassed about their true selves
and, as a result, they have to maintain a false image.
Therefore, people should reject social normalcy and accept
themselves for who they are.
Which one is the GOOD complex
theme statement?
1. People often misjudge because of looks and,
as a result, loose chances. Therefore, don’t
be discriminative of looks.
2. People often turn away from their problems
because they are afraid of failure and, as a
result, they ultimately fail. Therefore,
turning away from problems only makes the
situation worse.
Can’t Figure Out the Deeper Meaning? Try this…
 Who is the main character? How does the main
character change or what does the main character
learn?
 Start with a thematic subject. What is the main
thing the literary work is about? What is the
author saying about this subject?
 Example subjects:





change
good and evil
poverty
responsibility
love
growing up
friendship
fear
parenthood
choices
war and peace
deception
memory
misunderstanding
ambition
NOW…
As a group, write a complex
thematic statement for a Disney
movie.
Do not tell other groups what
movie it is! We will need to guess!
Example Thematic Formula…
CONFLICT
People often ___________________
because
Explain why people have this problem
___________________ and, as a result,
____________________________.
CONSEQUENCES of the Conflict
Therefore,
THEME statement/ lesson the reader should learn.
_______________________
So, is the theme statement the
first completed paragraph of a
paper??
NO!!!
A GOOD OPENING PARAGRAPH…
•Explains what you will be addressing in your paper and
implying how it relates to the prompt (Thesis)
•Provides a clear Theme that relates to the prompt
•May give a quick summary of the primary conflicts within
the piece of literature (only conflicts which directly relate
to the prompt)
GOOD OR NOT SO GOOD?
 In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet juggles with
the emotions of to love or hate the relationship that his mother
has with his father’s brother, Claudius.
 People often let their passion or desires override their better
judgment and, as a result, neglect their responsibilities and
obligations to others and themselves. Therefore, people should
prioritize their lives and control their emotions.
 In the play, Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the character Hamlet to
prove how people often become more likely to commit violent
acts because of their thirst for revenge and, as a result, cause
harm to themselves and others. Therefore, people should not let
a want of revenge alter their thinking. Shakespeare
demonstrates this theme through Hamlet deteriorating mental
state in his soliloquies and comparisons to the character Ophelia.