ELA Main Idea vs Theme

The theme of the story is the __________________________.

• main character

• message about life that the author expresses

• sequence of events

• short summary of what the story is about

What is the main idea?

• the main character in a story

• the message about life that an author expresses

• the sequence of events in a story

• a description of what the story is mostly about

Which of the following could be the theme of a story?

• Fear is more dangerous than any beast.

• a fear of heights

• A brave young girl pretends to be a man and takes her father's place in the army.

• "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too."

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• a 35-year-old woman named Essie and her brother

• a small apartment in Marfa, Texas

• Telling the truth may cause pain, but in the end, it's better than lying.

• Essie lied to her brother about her identity for two years, but she finally decided to tell him the truth.

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• Your past does not define you.

• returning home after a long time

• A man sees a group of people he used to work with a long time ago.

• an old man who used to be a farmer.

Read the following sentence.

A toad and a lizard learn to get along while on a journey through the wilderness.

The sentence above is an example of a ______________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

Read the following sentence.

Friendship helps people get through hard times.

The sentence above is an example of a _________________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

Read the following sentence.

A woman risks her life to spy for the Union during the Civil War.

The sentence above is an example of a __________________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

All of the following are examples of theme, except...

• Don't be afraid to try new things.

• Friendship

• Two boys become friends during summer camp.

• Be happy with what you have.

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• You can never turn your back on your family.

• Most people have at least one brother or sister.

• A young girl returns to her family after moving far away.

• "I'll never speak to you again," she said.