THEME
Theme
Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, or message about life or
human nature that is communicated by a literary work.
A “universal truth.”
In other words…
Theme is what the story teaches readers.
You don’t have to agree with the theme to identify it.
Identifying Themes
Themes are not explicit (clearly stated).
Themes are implied.
Themes are bigger than the story.
Small
World
of the
Story
Big World of the Theme.
Applies to the “Real” World.
Theme
A theme is not a word; it is a sentence.
• Theme = Topic + Author’s Attitude About the Topic
WHICH IS THE COMPLETE THEME STATEMENT?
• In the short story “The Veldt,” a central theme is technology.
• In the short story “The Veldt,” author Ray Bradbury believes that overreliance on technology can lead to a decrease in human capability
and empathy.
Identifying Themes
Topic = What?
Theme = So what?
Small
World
of the
Story
Hope
In desperate times,
it’s important to
have hope rather
than act desperately.
Big World of the Theme.
Applies to the “real” world.
Example Theme Statements
• Example #1: In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, author William Shakespeare
believes that the pursuit of love can cause people to act foolishly.
• Example #2: In Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury demonstrates that ignorance
makes people vulnerable to authoritarian control.
• What is the TOPIC in each of these theme statements?
• What is the AUTHOR’S ATTITUDE in each of these theme statements?
• Word choice variations for the “attitude” of the author:
• believes/demonstrates/shows/thinks/illustrates that…
Review
1. Theme is what we can learn from a
story.
2. Themes must be inferred (use
evidence to make a good guess).
3. Themes are not limited to story
specific details: they are about the BIG
world. Something that can connect to
YOUR world and YOUR life.