1. English II
January 24, 2018
As you come in, take a warm-up sheet from the table. Read the poems and then answer the questions IN YOUR JOURNALS….DO NOT WRITE ON THE PAPER!!! Be sure to explain your answers.

2. Announcements Membean test on tomorrow.
You will have a benchmark test on January 29th. This will be a full-scale STAAR EOC test and will be conducted with all of the same procedures.

3. Discovering theme in poetry
What is theme? Theme is the central topic of a work of literature. The theme could be the subject of a work of literature, or it could be a larger message present by the story. Themes often (but not always) deal with morals and/or ethics, and convey those messages to the reader. Theme can be thought of as the larger purpose of the story.

4. Discovering theme in poetry
Examples of Themes in Literature… The theme, or moral, of Aesop's story "The Tortoise and the Hare" is "slow and steady wins the race" or "consistency and perseverance is of more value than flash and speed." George Orwell's anti-utopian novel "Animal Farm" has several themes, among them are "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and "knowledge is power." The themes of the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley are "It is wrong for human beings to attempt to usurp the powers that should be God's alone" or, more simply, "pride goes before a fall."

5. Discovering theme in poetry
Think of some books that you have read. What would the theme of those books be?

6. Discovering theme in poetry
Here are a few steps that will help you find theme in poetry:
Examine the title. Titles can point you in the right direction when you’re trying to understand the meaning of a text.
Read slowly and read aloud. Rushing through a poem to get the meaning is one of the worst ways to read poetry. Meaning in poetry is often contained in word choice. Reading slowly, line by line, and reading aloud will help you understand the poem better.
Identify the speaker. One of the most important keys to understanding poetry is identifying the speaker.
Determine the subjects. Read through the poem once and determine your first reaction. What seems to be the primary subject matter of the poem?
Find figurative language. Language is EVERYTHING in poetry. Find the figurative language and determine to what the speaker is referring and what the deeper meaning is.

7. Discovering theme in poetry
Now think about theme….
Once you have gone through all of those steps, now you can think about the theme of the poem. To do this, you need to synthesize (combine) your analysis of the various parts of the poem into one main idea. Ask yourself the following questions:
What is the poet trying to say?
How forcefully does he/she say it, and with what feeling?
Which lines bring out the meaning of the poem?
Does the poet gradually lead up to the meaning of the poem, or does he/she state it from the beginning?
The last lines of a poem are usually important as they emphasize or change the meaning of a poem. Is this the case in the poem you are reading and analyzing?

8. Discovering theme in poetry
Let’s practice one poem together…

9. Homework
Finish the remaining three poems in your packet tonight. Be sure to answer each question. You may answer them on the page if there is enough room, or on a separate sheet of paper. But, please write NEATLY.