1. Theme
Searching for Meaning

2. What is a Theme?
Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work.

3. What is a Theme?
Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work.
In other words:
A theme is what the story teaches readers.
A theme is not the same as the topic.

4. What is a Theme?
Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work.
In other words:
A theme is what the story teaches readers.
A theme is not the same as the topic.
For example:
A fable uses a simple formula to provide a thematic statement.

5. Fable
A fable is a very short story using some folk tale characteristics.
These stories involve talking animals, talking objects, life lessons.
In turn these characters represent human personality types and show consequences for human failings.
Example: The Fox and the Goat by Aesop.

6. Themes A theme can be summed up in one word: • love • regret
• redemption
These are considered Universal Themes. Consider them as keywords.

7. Themes
On the other hand, thematic statements must be expressed as a sentence.
Examples of thematic statements:
• Celebrate your life.
• Do unto others as you would do unto yourself.
• Redemption is not easy.

8. Themes Most importantly:
you don’t have to agree with the theme to identify it.

9. Identifying Themes
Themes are not always explicit (that is, they are not always clearly stated).

10. Identifying Themes
Themes are not always explicit (that is, they are not always clearly stated).
Themes are more often implied.

11. Identifying Themes
Themes are not always explicit (that is, they are not always clearly stated).
Themes are more often implied.
Themes are bigger than the story.

12. Identifying Themes Themes are bigger than the story. In other words:
The Big World of the Theme
Applies to the “Real” World.
the small
world
of the
plot

13. Review
Themes are what we can learn from a story. They are not explicit, therefore:

14. Review
Themes are what we can learn from a story. They are not explicit, therefore:
Themes must often be inferred.

15. Review
Themes are what we can learn from a story. They are not explicit, therefore:
Themes must often be inferred.
Themes are not limited to the story’s specific plot details: themes are about the BIG world, where you wander daily.

16. Review
Themes are what we can learn from a story. They are not explicit, therefore:
Themes must often be inferred.
Themes are not limited to the story’s specific plot details: themes are about the BIG world, where you wander daily.
A story can contain more than one specific theme.

17. Review
Themes are what we can learn from a story. They are not explicit, therefore:
Themes must often be inferred.
Themes are not limited to the story’s specific plot details: themes are about the BIG world, where you wander daily.
A story can contain more than one specific theme.
A thematic statement must be expressed in a sentence format.