Theme vs. Moral

“The Dove and the Ant” An Ant, going to a river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition , and threw into the river a small leaf. The Ant grabbed the leaf and was able to float safely to shore. The Ant, afterward, seeing a man with a gun aimed at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his shot. The Dove’s life was saved. What might be the moral of this fable?

Moral = Advice “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” “Never count your chickens before they’re hatched.” “Always be nice to people.” “Respect your elders.”

Theme = general statement about life, human nature, or society For example, in… The Outsiders THEME: Differences in social class do not necessarily make natural enemies. We did not say… MORAL: Don’t judge people until you know them.

How to write a theme… 1. Come up with a few abstract / idea nouns 2. What about it? 3. Write a general statement that has to do with the story, but does not include details from the story. 4. Can you prove this theme with evidence from the text?

Let’s try writing some more THEMES….. Beauty and the Beast Charlotte’s Web Pinocchio Monsters, Inc.