THEME:A BRUSH UP

What is THEME?• In any piece of writing—a story, novel, poem, or

essay—the writer addresses a subject about the human experience such as…

• death, love, youth, learning, grief, setting goals, desire, tragedy, loneliness, faith, hope, human kindness, dependence on technology, destruction of nature, war, childhood, guilt, joy

A THEME statement gets a little more specific.

It describes what in particular the writer is saying about an aspect of being human or human behavior.

Examples of thematic statements• Knowledge can sometimes be used for

destructive ends.

• For the benefit of society, sometimes an individual’s needs must be sacrificed.

• Oftentimes, we might come to realize that what we dreamed of for our future is not what’s best for us.

• Falling in love can often repair the emotional damages people have suffered in the past.

Theme is NOT…

• a summary of the plot• about the specific characters in the

story• our personal opinion of a story

Theme is NOT…• always a lesson, moral, or piece of

advice about life• This kind of theme applies more to a lot

of kids’ books—where the writer’s purpose is to teach children a lesson.

Theme is NOT… always a lesson• In English III, we’re reading adult

literature. Often, writers make observations about dark sides of human behavior or the difficulties of life.

• So in this class resist always thinking a theme statement should start with…

• People should always ___________• Don’t _______________• Always remember to ________________

Theme is TRICKIER with more adult fiction• Sophisticated and skillful

writers don’t do this with their writing:

• As readers we must be Sherlock-esque and look closely at the story, the characters’ actions and dialogue, and—of course—the ending and do some heavy duty thinking to determine a work’s theme.

AUTHOR

THEME

Example: Frozen

What is a central theme of the film Frozen?WEAK ANSWERS:• A central theme of the film Frozen is the idea

that sisters face challenges.• A central theme of the film Frozen is the idea

that we all have strengths and weaknesses.

Example: FrozenWhat is a central theme of Frozen?POSSIBLE STRONG ANSWER:• A central theme of Frozen is the idea that

healthy family relationships often require us to be honest about our personal weaknesses and to make sacrifices that benefit others.

What’s important about a CENTRAL Theme?

• A CENTRAL theme can be applied to the story as a whole—including the ending

• A theme that applies only to one moment in the plot or a single paragraph is not a CENTRAL theme.

A story’s ENDING is very important when figuring out the CENTRAL theme.

• If at the end of Star Wars, Princess Leia fell in love with Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker’s x-wing fighter got zapped, and the Rebels failed to blow up the Death Star …the story would have a very different central theme.

A story’s ENDING is very important when figuring out the CENTRAL theme.

• If Frozen ended with Anna as a dead piece of ice, then the movie has a different—and much darker—central theme.

Theme Practice• After watching the animated short film

“Lifted,” identify a central theme that applies to the film and write a theme statement.

• Use a complete sentence. It can start as follows:

A central theme addressed in the short film “Lifted” is the idea that people…

Theme Statement Starter

• The central theme of (writer’s name)’s short story (title of story in quotation marks) is the idea that…

• Example: The central theme of Ryan Boudinot’s short story “The Littlest Hitler” is the idea that we often learn how to empathize with others only after we ourselves have shared in their suffering.

Pay close attention to the ending and to the title of both stories.