Theme: the heart of a story

Definition A theme is the message that a reader takes away from a story. It’s what the writer is trying to say about life. It is an idea about people or life. There are often several themes in a single story.

More about themes For example, one theme in The Three Little Pigs might be “A person who prepares for the worst is rarely caught off guard.” What might be another theme from this story?

Transfers A theme transfers from the piece of writing to our world. In other words, the message should work in the writing AND in our world. So, it can’t be too specific. It’s not, “build a strong house in case a wolf comes” because that doesn’t transfer from the story to our world.

Theme vs. Plot Theme is what the story means. It involves the message of the story. “This story showed me that. . .” Plot involves conflict or problem in the story. It involves the major events in a story. “This story is about. . .”

What is a thematic statement? A thematic statement is not a single word, it is a sentence. Examples Money can’t buy happiness. Don’t judge people based on the surface. It is better to die free than live under tyranny.

How to find the theme A theme is usually not stated directly in the work, unless it is a moral in a fable. Readers infer, make an educated guess about, the theme by looking at all the elements of the story, particularly: What is the conflict? How did they solve the conflict? How did the main character change?

Now, you try to find the theme… We’re going to watch a short video, then I want you to fill out the Find Themes Chart. When summarizing, practice using “Somebody, wanted, but, so, then, finally” Use your summary to help think about what the characters learned or how the problem was solved to help you think of a theme. We’ll come back and discuss your findings in a few minutes.