
Imagery: words or phrases that appeal to the
senses and conjure up mental images.
Imagery helps readers imagine the sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, and feelings associated with a
character’s or author’s experiences. Imagery appears
extensively in setting, character description, and
nature poetry.


Imagery appears extensively in setting, character
description, and nature poetry.
On your notes paper, write down the sights, sounds,
and feelings you have based on Tim Burton’s vivid
imagery in “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Main Idea:
◦ The overall idea about a passage or text. The main idea is
closely related to the TOPIC of a passage and may sometimes
be stated in a topic sentence, especially in shorter passages
or paragraphs. The main idea may be stated directly or
implied. You can find the main idea by thinking about the
supporting details. Supporting details tell more about the
main idea. Supporting details often answer the questions:

Moral:
◦ The lesson expressed in a simple story. Fables and
parables are specifically designed to teach a specific
lesson, which often appears in a single statement at the
end.
Theme:
• The lessons that an author conveys in a piece of
literature. Sometimes the theme is obvious, while other
times the reader must think carefully about a work in
order to identify theme.
• In most stories, theme is not directly stated. It is indirectly
stated through a character’s actions or thoughts, or through
a sequence of events.
• Theme is found in short stories, poems, novels, movies,
television programs, and songs!
• There can be more than one theme in a piece of literature.
◦
◦
◦
◦
the
the
one
the
main idea.
summary of a story’s plot.
word.
same as a moral.
Main Idea
In this classic film, a tornado transports Dorothy Gale into the fantastical land of Oz,
where she must contend with witches, odd creatures, and supernatural happenings in
order to make it back home to Kansas.
Theme
The real message of the film is the value of self-reliance; the film helps children learn
that they can succeed in life and survive great hardship through their own
resourcefulness and determination.
**** This is not the only theme found in this film.

“A shepherd boy watching a flock of sheep caused a group of
villagers to come running to his aid twice by crying, “ Wolf!
Wolf!” Each time the villagers arrived, the boy laughed and
boasted that he had fooled them. The next day, a wolf really
did come, but when the boy cried out, the villagers paid no
attention. They thought the boy was trying to trick them again.
The wolf was able to eat the boy’s sheep.”
◦ A. It’s easy to criticize what you cannot have.
◦ B. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
◦ C. Liars are not believed, even when they tell the truth.
We have
already read
14 out of 23
chapters from
The Giver.
What’s
the main idea ?
What’s
the theme?
 Main

Idea:
Theme:



What is theme?
What is the difference between theme and
moral?
What is the difference between theme and
main idea?