1. Literary Themes

2. What is a theme? Themes can be found everywhere: literature, stories, art, movies etc… The theme can be a moral. Ask yourself, “What is the story teaching?” Try to figure out the author’s view about life by looking at how people behave. Themes can be found everywhere: literature, stories, art, movies etc… The theme can be a moral. Ask yourself, “What is the story teaching?” Try to figure out the author’s view about life by looking at how people behave.

3. Theme & Meaning Theme is the… underlying meaning of the story, a universal truth, (something true for all) statement society or human nature.a significant statement the story is making about society or human nature. Theme is the… underlying meaning of the story, a universal truth, (something true for all) statement society or human nature.a significant statement the story is making about society or human nature.

4. Theme = universal truth The theme is usually something everyone goes through, a statement or a lesson about life.

5. Theme...the meaning of life? The theme expresses the author's opinion or raises a question about human nature or the meaning of human experience.

6. At times the author's theme may not confirm or agree with your own beliefs. Even then, if skillfully written, the work will still have a theme that illuminates some aspects of true human experience.

7. The author's task is to communicate on a common ground with the reader. Although the particulars of your experience may be different from the details of the story, the general underlying truths behind the story may be just the connection that both you and the writer are seeking.

8. Be aware that the theme never completely explains the story. It is simply one of the elements that make up the whole. Some short stories have secondary themes as well.

9. Common Literary Themes (Themes repeated in many works)

10. 1. The quest for immortality “Stranger, stop and cast an eye. As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, so you shall be, Prepare for death and follow me.”

11. 2. The individual’s relationship and obligation to society. Sometimes called “man vs. society”

12. 3. The individual’s inward journey to understand himself or herself/identity. Sometimes called “man vs. self”

13. 4. The individual’s relationship and obligation to the natural world. Sometimes called “man vs. nature”

14. justiceinjustice 5. How justice and injustice are decided

15. hero anti-hero. 6. The individual as hero; what it means to be a hero or anti-hero.

16. 7. What it means to be a “survivor.”

17. 8. The individual’s experience of alienation, lonliness and despair

18. 9. What tomorrow’s world holds for us … aka: “The Future”

19. 10. Love : Topics/Effects Friend Love Friend Love Love of Country Love of Country Admiration Admiration Possessiveness Possessiveness Physical Love Physical Love Romance Romance Logical Type Love Logical Type Love Self-centered love Self-centered love Game-Playing Game-Playing Unrequited love Unrequited love Godly love Godly love Familial love Familial love Infatuation Infatuation Jealousy Jealousy

20. …the moral of the story, the life lesson of the story. It can easily be stated in ONE SENTENCE!! Theme is…

21. More Themes  Bravery: Never give up.  Friendship: Success comes with working together.  Greed: Family and friends are worth a ton.  Loyalty: True friends will tell you when you’re wrong, and they’ll never leave you.  War: When man has suffered a loss, no one wins. War is necessary sometimes.  Honesty: The truth will set you free.  Kindness: It is better to give than to receive.