Analyzing Theme

What is a theme?

• A word-one answer like "Love" or Justice"

• The events at the end of a story

• An overall message or lesson

• A type of conflict in literature

Answer explanation

A theme is what a story is really about below the surface.

A theme is a statement or sentence that can be applied to life beyond a story,

The following are all

examples of themes except:

• Nature can be a place of calm and comfort.

• Janice ended up losing the big game,

  but learned how to face failure.

• One must sometimes face difficult times to appreciate the good times.

• True wealth is having family and friends who are filled with love and support.

Answer explanation

It is important that themes do not directly reference a specific text or character.

This could easily become a theme by saying, "Learning how to face failure is just as important as learning how to succeed.

Which of the following are effective strategies to identify theme?

Select all that apply.

• Identify the topic or the core idea explored in

  the story and what can be concluded about that topic.

• Identify what the characters learned or

  should have learned from the events of the story.

• Consider what can be learned by the

  reader about life, people, or society.

Answer explanation

These are all ideal ways to effectively identify themes in literature.

Which of the following themes best matches the quote featured below?

“Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive—it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we knew all about everything, would it?”

-Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery

• People sometimes find

  role models in unlikely places.

• All people have good and evil

  within them fighting for control.

• Although one must recognize the realities of life,

  imagination and curiosity bring happiness.

• If a person is too focused on when things will happen,

  they cannot enjoy the present.

Which of the following themes best matches the quote featured below?

"He was always much more concerned with time than place."

-Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

• People sometimes find

  role models in unlikely places.

• All people have good and evil

  within them fighting for control.

• Although one must recognize the realities of life,

  imagination brings happiness.

• If a person is too focused on when things will happen,

  they cannot enjoy the present.

Which of the following themes best matches the quote featured below?

"I saw that, of the two natures that contended in the field of my consciousness, even if I could rightly be said to be either, it was only because I was radically both".

-The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by

Robert Louis Stevenson

• When people truly care about others,

  they are willing to make sacrifices for them.

• All people have good and evil

  within them fighting for control.

• Knowledge should be share.

• Others can help us see our faults.

Understanding: Mark had so many toys, but he would not share with his sister. He hid all his toys in his closet so she could not play with them. When his mother came looking for Mark and his sister, she could only find his sister. She handed her a plate of cookies to enjoy. Mark was sure his sister would not share the cookies since he was not sharing his toys. But his sister knew the right thing to do was to share. Mark was so happy that his sister gave him a cookie, that he shared his toys with her. What is the theme?

• Friendship

• Helping others

• Do the right thing and people will follow.

• Practice and persistence pay off.

Analyzing:

How did the actions or thoughts of the characters help you determine the theme?

Evaluating:

What else could the author have included in the story to make the theme more clear?

Which of the following is an example of theme?

• Love

• Power

• Family

• Good will always win against evil.