Friday, April 15 Find your table. Long Way Gone: Thematic Statements Group 1 Mya Stephanie Alijah Yani Group 4 Brianna W Briana Q Katelyn Evan Group 2 Daisy Grace Tyler Amber J. Felicity Group 5 Kayla Rafael Amber N Angelis Group 3 Katherine Kishan Brooke Mckenzie Group 6

Friday, April 15 Find your table. Long Way Gone: Thematic Statements Group 1 Alex Slade Evelyn Cecil Group 4 Barbara Aric Kaitlyn Matt Group 2 Dylan James Katie Brianna Group 5 Blake Ana Kylee Abby Group 3 Kenzie Marc Sydney Group 6 Casey Kaylee Sierra

Friday, April 15 Find your table. Long Way Gone: Thematic Statements Group 1 Ashlin Paula Delaney Marcelo Group 4 Bry’nesha Alyson Amber H Jazzy Group 2 Jeremy Valerie Tabytha Kailey Group 5 Jaylen Anna Alex Hailee Group 3 Noah Haley W Ayana W Group 6 Samantha Emily Andrew

Friday, April 15 Find your table. Long Way Gone: Thematic Statements Group 1 Grace Austin Kelli Group 4 Tabatha Andrea Aidan Group 2 Sandy Brie Max Group 5 Bryan Brianny Jaylen Group 3 Katelyn Jeremiah Nathan Group 6 Casie Alex Isabella

Friday, April 15 Find your table. Long Way Gone: Thematic Statements Group 1 Emma Veronica Kyle Danny Group 4 Jose Simone Christalia Victoria Group 2 Rebecca Jayleen Nicholas Janelisse Aaron Group 5 Allyson Sunna David Jack Group 3 Haley Jessica Marc AJ Group 6 Christian Yani Jordan Lauren

Friday, April 15 Find your table. Long Way Gone: Thematic Statements Group 1 Dru Hunter Group 4 Troy Megan Group 2 Nathan Erik Leangelie Group 5 Laci Jasmine Jean Group 3 Ivy Hannah Gillian Group 6 Heather Courtney Teighlor

What is a theme NOT? ▪ 1. A theme is not ONE WORD. That is a topic. Bad example 1: The theme was love. NO! ▪ 2. A theme is not a definition Bad example 2: Love is when you have feelings for someone. NO! ▪ 3. A theme is not specifically about one story or character; rather, it is universal. Bad example 3: Greasers and Socs don’t get along. NO!

Some GOOD Examples ▪ Topic: Love ▪ Theme: Unconditional love withstands any obstacle. ▪ Topic: Hope ▪ Theme: Hope can help a person to survive any dark time. ▪ Topic: Courage ▪ Theme: It is important to have courage to express your individuality. ▪ Topic: Jealousy ▪ Theme: Jealousy can cause lasting damage to individuals and relationships.

9 An example(s) from a familiar text ▪ The Most Dangerous Game – Men, when they are courageous and lucky, even in a hostile environment, can overcome the odds against their survival. – Our reason, courage, and strength can reach their full potential when challenged by a hostile environment. ▪ In the Harry Potter series, a topic is destiny. Harry is given two gifts: the gift of great talent and the gift of life. He’s the boy who lived. But these gifts are also burdens because he is destined to use his talents to save the lives of other people. So a thematic statement might be, “When your life and talents are a gift, it’s both a burden and a duty to use your life and talents for the good of others.”

Step 1: Find a main topic that is contained in the book. Choose one below or come up with your own! Alienation Ambition Appearance vs. reality Custom / tradition Betrayal Bureaucracy Children Courage / cowardice Women / feminism Cruelty / violence Defeat / failure Despair/discontent/disillusionment Chance / fate / luck Domination / suppression Dreams / fantasies Duty Education / school Escape Exile Faith / loss of faith Falsity / pretense Family / parenthood Free will / will power Games/contests/sports/tricks Greed Guilt Heaven / paradise / utopia Home Heart vs. reason Innocence Illusion / innocence Instinct Journey/psychological journey Law / justice Loneliness / alones Loyalty Maturing Memory / the past Mob psychology Music / dance Mysterious stranger Persistence / perseverance Patriotism Poverty Prejudice Prophecy Repentance Resistance / rebellion Revenge / retribution Ritual / ceremony Scapegoat / victim Search for identity Social status Supernatural Time/ eternity War

Step 2: Write a statement based on your topic ▪ Helpful reminders vA THEME is a statement about a topic vTheme involves making a point about a topic vIf your topic was racism, your thematic statement might be: racism is caused by ignorance and insecurity

Step 3: Check that your thematic statement is universal ▪ Could this thematic statement apply to everyone (in the world? In this classroom?) ▪ Where have you seen this theme in your life? If you can’t relate, come up with a situation you could encounter where you’d observe this theme. ▪ Write your situation: ▪ If you can relate, it’s probably universal!

Step 4: Connect your thematic statement to the text 1.With your group, develop a thematic statement relevant to the text, Long Way Gone. 2.Write the statement in the middle of the poster. 3.Now, draw and cite three events from the text that support this thematic statement. 4.This should be “pretty” and colorful! 5.You will be presenting these at the end of class.