February 17 th, 2011 Journal: Laila has a strong bond with her friend Tariq. Describe a close childhood friendship. Do you still keep in touch?

Quiz 1. How much time has gone by since the last chapter? 2. Describe Laila’s appearance. 3. What is a good day like for Mammy? 4. What despicable act happens to Laila? 5. What is the name of Laila’s male friend?

How to Determine THEME in Literature

Themes can be tricky to identify! They are rarely stated directly. There can be more than one possible theme based on different interpretations. Moral, subject and theme are closely related but not exactly the same.

Subject: What the story is about; it is essentially the plot. Moral: The lesson or principle contained in or taught by a fable, a story, or an event. It teaches right and wrong behavior. If you find yourself saying “should,” then you are entering moral territory! (Ex: You should always clean up after you make a mess; never tell a lie; practice what you preach). Fables and parables have very specific morals. Theme: The theme of a book is a message that describes or reveals an opinion about life, human nature or elements of society. It is a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work.

Theme… The controlling idea or central insight of a story is its theme. It is the underlying or philosophical idea that the story conveys. To determine the theme of a story, we ask what insights into life or about human nature are revealed in the story.

To discover the theme of a story we should ask, "What does the story reveal?" rather than "What does the story teach?"

You extract the theme from the characters, action, and setting that make up the story. All of these elements should in some way support the theme.

Put a T, M or S next to each statement to distinguish whether it is a theme, moral or subject. _____1. Even when life is at its most difficult, there are always ways to find peace and happiness. _____2. You should always listen to music when you feel sad about things. _____3. Music has the power to make us feel more courageous and less afraid. _____4. A man plays his cello for people in a war-torn town. _____5. People who are committed to something can always find a way to make it happen, even in the most adverse or arduous circumstances.

Put a T, M or S next to each statement to distinguish whether it is a theme, moral or subject. __T___1. Even when life is at its most difficult, there are always ways to find peace and happiness. __M___2. You should always listen to music when you feel sad about things. __T___3. Music has the power to make us feel more courageous and less afraid. __S___4. A man plays his cello for people in a war-torn town. __T___5. People who are committed to something can always find a way to make it happen, even in the most adverse or arduous circumstances.

12 Most Common Themes in Literature Man Struggles Against Nature: Man is always at battle with human nature, whether the drives described are sexual, material or against the aging process itself. Man Struggles Against Societal Pressure: Mankind is always struggling to determine if societal pressure is best for living. Man Struggles to Understand Divinity: Mankind tries to understand and make peace with God, but satisfaction is elusive and difficult. Crime Does Not Pay: A popular theme played out in books throughout time is the concept that honesty is honored and criminals will eventually be caught. Overcoming Adversity: Many books laud characters who accept a tough situation and turn it into triumph. Friendship is Dependant on Sacrifice: This is the idea that you can't have friends if you don't act like a friend.

The Importance of Family: Sacrifices for family are honored and explored, as are the family bonds that survive adversity. Yin and Yang: Just when you think life is finally going to be easy, something bad happens to balance it all out. Love is the Worthiest of Pursuits: Many writers assert the idea that love conquers all, appealing to the romantic side of us. Death is Part of the Life Cycle: Literary works with this theme show how death and life and intricately connected. Sacrifices Bring Reward: Sacrifices and hard work pay off in the end, despite the challenges along the way. Human Beings All Have the Same Needs: Book after book asserts that rich or poor, educated or dumb, all human beings need love and other basic needs met.

Umbrella Job Titles – Generic Teacher Military Officer Doctor Politician

Specific Job Titles Teacher  12 th Grade English Teacher Military Officer  Lieutenant Colonel of the Army Doctor  Cardiologist Politician  Congressman

“Umbrella Theme Words” Love Friendship Violence Forgiveness Power Corruption

From these categories we devise specific thematic statements that are particular to a work.

Themes in A Thousand Splendid Suns Man’s inhumanity to man Systematic victimization of women by patriarchal institutions Spousal abuse Resistance to victimization Power of education Education for women Corrupting influence of absolute power Pick one of these themes and with a partner or small group and find evidence of it in part one of the novel. You may also include evidence from chapters 16 and 17. Record page numbers and excerpts.