Theme and Central Idea

What is the central idea of a persuasive essay?

• To persuade the reader to agree with the writer's point of view or take a specific action.

• To confuse the reader with contradictory information

• To inform the reader about a historical event

• To entertain the reader with a fictional story

The main theme in The Necklace warns of...

• Giving into a spouse's demands

• Getting too deeply into debt

• Trying to escape one's fate

• Attaching importance to wealth

Being able to identify the central idea of a text shows...

• that you can cite evidence from the text.

• that you know how to write.

• that you understand the text.

• that you like what you are reading.

what the text is all about; has the same meaning as the main idea

• supporting details

• topic

• central idea

• paraphrase

central idea that is not clearly stated in a text

• implied central idea

• stated central idea

• inferred central idea

• text evidence

the same as the central idea

• implicit

• explicit

• main idea

• objective summary

What do you need to ask yourself when determining central idea?

• What message does the author want me to take away from the article?

• What is the first paragraph mostly about?

• What is the author's name?

• Why am I reading this article?

Why does the author include supporting details?

• So we can write SARs

• To develop the central idea through giving more information

• To develop the theme of the passage

• To help argue against the central idea

The central idea is what the text is _____________ about.

True or False: The central idea is directly tied to the author's main point or argument.

• False

• True