1. Theme
What is a theme?

2. Musical Theme

3. Musical Theme

4. What is a theme?
A common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work, usually involving some insight into human existence
Themes are often related to the author’s purpose in writing the literary work.
Theme differs from the subject or topic of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the topic

5. What is theme in literature?
Theme is the main idea or message about mankind or life conveyed by a piece of literary work.
A theme should be expressed by a complete sentence, thought, or idea rather than just one word.
Not every piece of literature has a theme.
A theme can be the “moral” of a story, or lesson, but it does not have to be.

6. How does a reader identify theme?
The theme may be stated clearly in the story or implied through the story’s plot.
The theme might be presented by the actions, thoughts and feelings of the main characters.
The theme might be deep or difficult to understand.

7. How does a reader identify theme?
The reader may slowly come to realize the theme of a story as she processes the text and reads the story in its entirety, all the way through to the end.

8. How does a reader identify theme?
Many popular children’s stories rely heavily on theme.
Stories remain timeless because theme is timeless.
Theme is often a moral.

9. Let’s practice!
Charlotte’s Web:
Theme:
Friendship

10. What is the theme?

11. What is the theme?

12. Practice – what is the theme?

13. Practice – what is the theme?

14. Examples of theme
The need to take care of one’s own behavior now, for it affects one’s condition in the afterlife (Dante’s Inferno)
The struggle of young girls turning into women (Little Women)
Inhumanity of racism (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)

15. Questions to help locate a theme
Does the text examine some common life experience or problem?
Does the text offer any solutions or answers to common problems?
How do the other elements in the story work together? What ideas or observations about life do they reveal?

16. How is theme presented?
Often, stories suggest a theme through the details of:
Characters
Plot
Setting
Point of view
Themes of most literature have to do with emotions and experiences that make us human—fear, courage, loss, love, etc.