Theme Video

Definition What the author is trying to get you to learn. The author’s primary purpose of writing.

Not what the book/story is about, but what we can learn from it. Can’t be stated in one word…at least a sentence. People may express the same theme in different words.

Theme is always an opinion! Can be more than one in a story. In most stories, the theme is not stated directly. Instead, it is revealed through the characters’ experiences. Think outside the small world of the story…INSTEAD…think of a big world idea!

Examples (Copy 1) Things are not always as they appear. Things are usually not as bad as you think they will be. Family should always come before friends. Beauty is only skin deep. Believe in yourself. To succeed, we must first believe that we can.

In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history. What is the theme of the story? What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?

Universal Themes Different writers from different cultures often express similar themes. Certain types of experiences are common to all people everywhere. Basic human concerns—good and evil, life and death, love and loss Shine a light on our common experiences