1. Theme The Search for Meaning

2. What is a Theme? Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, main point, or message about life or human nature from the author’s point of view. In other words… Theme is what the story teaches readers.

3. Themes A theme is not a word, it is a sentence. Themes must contain a point of view. You don’t have to agree with the theme to identify it. Examples Money can’t buy happiness. Don’t judge people based on the surface. It is better to die free than live under tyranny.

4. Themes A theme is not a the subject of the story or the topic of the story. Examples For example, an author could write about a brave young girl during the Revolutionary War era. The young girl is the subject of the story. The theme of this story could be the importance of standing up for one’s rights.

5. What is the theme? Jenny Puchovier was so excited. She had a pack of Starburst in her lunch and she had been looking forward to eating them all morning. Lunch finally came and Jenny sat down to eat her Starbursts when her friend Yudy sat next to her. “Let me get the pink ones,” asked Yudy. Jenny liked the pink ones best, but she thought Yudy was funny and Jenny wanted Yudy to like her, so Jenny gave Yudy all of her pink Starbursts. Before Jenny was done giving Yudy the pink ones, Carrie sat on the other side of Jenny. “Let me get the red and the orange ones, Jenny. Remember when I gave you that Snickers?” Jenny didn’t remember that, though she did remember when Carrie ate a whole Snickers in front of her, but Jenny thought Carrie was cool, so she gave her the red and the orange Starbursts. Now that she only had the yellow ones, Jenny wasn’t so excited about eating starbursts anymore.

6. Big World of the Theme. Applies to the “Real” World. Identifying Themes Themes are not explicit (clearly stated). Themes are implied. Themes are bigger than the story. Small World of the Story

7. Themes are about the big picture. Not “Yellow Starbursts taste bad” Not “Yudy and Carrie are bad friends.” Think BIGGER. Find “Real” World advice. Big World of the Theme. Applies to the “Real” World. Small World of the Story

8. Determining Theme 1. Who is involved? 2. What conflict was in the story? 3. What is the end result and why does this happen? Big World of the Theme. Applies to the “Real” World. Small World of the Story

9. Review 1.Theme is what we can learn from a story. 2.Themes must be inferred. 3.Themes are about the BIG world.

10. Practice 1.We’ll read each story. 2.Consider each of the three questions. 3.Write a sentence explaining the theme or what this tells you about life. How does the small world of the story connect to the big world theme?

11. The Ant and the Grasshopper In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew.

12. Consider the questions. 1.Who is involved? 2.What conflict was in the story? 3. What is the end result and why does this happen?

13. Consider the questions. 1.Who is involved? Grasshopper and the Ant 2.What conflict was in the story? Grasshopper doesn’t want to work to save food for the winter. 3. What is the end result and why does this happen? The grasshopper does not have food for the winter.

14. Theme: What does this tell us about life? Grasshopper learned to work now and play later.

15. The Fox and the Crow A Crow, having stolen a bit of meat, perched in a tree and held it in her beak. A Fox, seeing this, longed to possess the meat himself, and by a wily stratagem succeeded. "How handsome is the Crow," he exclaimed, in the beauty of her shape and in the fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were only equal to her beauty, she would deservedly be considered the Queen of Birds!" This he said deceitfully; but the Crow, anxious to refute the reflection cast upon her voice, set up a loud caw and dropped the flesh. The Fox quickly picked it up, and thus addressed the Crow: "My good Crow, your voice is right enough, but your wit is wanting."

16. Consider the questions. 1.Who is involved? 2.What conflict was in the story? 3. What is the end result and why does this happen?

17. Consider the questions. 1.Who is involved? Fox and Crow 2.What conflict was in the story? The fox wants the meat, and the crow wants to be Queen of the Birds. 3. What is the end result and why does this happen? Crow drops the meat, and Fox eats it.

18. Theme: What does this tell us about life? Be wary of flatters.

19. The Boy Who Cried “Wolf!” Once there was a mean little boy who lived in a small village. This mean little boy loved to mess with people, so one day he ran up to a sheep herder and shouted, “WOLF! WOLF! A wolf is attacking the town!” The sheep herder grabbed his staff and ran to defend the town, but realized he had been fooled when the boy started pointing and laughing at him. “Ha ha! I made you jump,” said the boy. Then the boy ran up to a farmer and shouted, “WOLF! WOLF! A wolf is attacking the town!” The farmer grabbed his pitchfork and ran to defend the town, but when the boy started pointing and laughing at him, he realized he had been tricked. As the boy went back to his family’s farm laughing about the funny trick he played, he saw a real wolf in his father’s chicken coop. As the wolf ate all of his father’s chickens, the boy screamed over and over again, “WOLF! WOLF! Please help us!” But nobody came to help him.

20. Consider the questions. 1.Who is involved? 2.What conflict was in the story? 3. What is the end result and why does this happen?

21. Consider the questions. 1.Who is involved? A boy and a farmer 2.What conflict was in the story? The boy wanted to play jokes on people. 3. What is the end result and why does this happen? When he really did see a wolf, no one believed him.

22. Theme: What does this tell us about life? Lying has negative consequences.