+ Welcome back! For class today, you’ll need: - your annotated readings - notebook and pen/pencil Begin class by reviewing your readings For your Writer’s Notebook #1, respond to the following: Explain how the ideas in the reading either complicated, reinforced, or enhanced your view of Theme. Write out any unanswered questions you have about what you read or write out a passage from the reading you found intriguing

+ MIMESIS Definition - Holding a mirror up to nature The very core of what art and literature mean Is literature “true” or “false?” Why do certain works endure? Plato: literature is a shadow of reality; truth only in philosophy Aristotle: Lit is unfettered by the randomness of history and can therefore articulate essential, eternal, or higher truths Fiction truer than fact Art works us up, but leaves us less, not more

+ Theme 1. How has the main character changed during the course of the story? What, if anything, has s/he learned? 2. What is the nature of the central conflict of the story? What was the outcome of that conflict? 3. How does the title relate to or comment on the story? (Perrine 110)

+ Theme Theme must be expressible in the form of a statement with a subject and a predicate....[It] must be a statement about the subject.... The theme must be stated as a generalization about life. In stating theme we do not use the names of the characters or refer to precise places or events, for to do so is to make a specific rather than a general statement.... We must be careful not to make the generalization larger than is justified by the terms of the story. Terms like every, all, always should be used very cautiously; terms like some, sometimes, may are often more accurate....Only occasionally will the theme of a story be expressible as a universal generalization.... Theme is the central and unifying concept of a story.

+ Moving from Concept to Theme The Scarlet Letter Sin (idea) Hester commits the sin of adultery (supporting observation) Hester regrets her sin (inference about the text) According to the readings, how do we turn this into a theme?

+ Developing a Theme Statement Begin with this sentence frame: _________ is a story about _______. The Scarlet Letter is a story about ____________. In the second blank space, put a single word that says what the story is really about. Do not give plot summary, which would look like this: The Scarlet Letter is a story about a woman who has a baby out of wedlock. Instead, use a word such as “sin”: The Scarlet Letter is a story about sin. Now make phrases out of the words you’ve listed for the second blank, such as: the desire for revenge -- the shadow of sin Consider what the piece of literature says about these words/phrases. What does the book say about the abuse of power? Once you can answer that question, you have discovered a theme of the piece.

+ Working in groups You’ll be assigned a topic / concept related to The Scarlet Letter Discuss the topic / concept and develop theme. Develop the topic into an accurate theme statement. Find quotes from the novel that support your theme and then explain how the quote exemplifies the theme. Create a google doc for compiling your work Invite me to the document, please