1. Finding Theme and Using Evidence to Trace it Across Genres
Theme Across Genre
Finding Theme and Using Evidence to Trace it Across Genres

2. Remember LTT Lady?
Theme is an _________________ about ___________ that’s revealed in a literary work.
Theme is ____________ directly stated by the author.
Good literature often has lots of __________ themes.

3. Looking for Theme? Ask the following questions:
How is the main character ____________?
What is the main character ___________?
What are the BIG life __________________?
What’s the author ______________ to me?

4. WARNING-WARNING-WARNING
Theme is always more than one word.
Can the theme be Perseverance? Love? or Friendship?
The LTT Lady says NO!
Theme should NEVER sound like a Hallmark card.

5. What is the author saying ABOUT…
Perseverance-- It’s a hard character quality, but it pays off
Love– All we truly NEED in life
Friendship– True friends are few and far between

6. Let’s Practice…
Follow along as I read the passage and circle what you think the theme could be.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
THEME?
A.Without dreams you’ll freeze
Life is a wasteland
Life is empty without dreams

7. What do all 3 images have in common?

8. Can we trace themes across genre the same way ?
Genre= types of writing like poetry, nonfiction, short story, novels, and so on
Directions: First—Identify the theme of each of the passages on your Theme Office Mix Response Sheet
Let’s do Passage A together– Theme_____________________
You can find Nature’s beauty in the strangest places. Deep in the ocean, miles below the surface, groups of giant tube worms attach themselves to the ocean floor. They undulate in a rainbow of mesmerizing colors.

9. Is there a poem with the same theme?
Directions: On the back of your Response Sheet, work with a partner and match all the passages on the front to a poem on the back that has the same theme. Do not work with your partner until Mrs. Lancaster says to.
You are now matching theme across genre—in other words, you are finding common life messages in different kinds of literature.
R REMEMBER-- Theme = The me ssage—The message!