1. Gaining Meaning from Literature
Author’s Purpose and Theme

2. Purpose vs. Theme Purpose: Theme:
What does the writer want you to understand/take away about the subject of the book?
What is his/her motive for writing?
Specific to the book
Theme:
General observation about life or human behavior
May apply to many different situations
Beyond the book

3. Author’s Purpose to explain to entertain to persuade
What is it and how does it work?
to entertain
what happened?
to persuade
What should I feel or do about it?

4. Themes: describe the general meaning of the literature
reflect values of entire literature, not one specific part
do not include references to specific characters, events, and contexts

5. Theme examples:
Although they are difficult, getting through struggles makes people stronger.
Losing the things or people we love causes us to appreciate what we have.
We don’t always get acceptance from other people, but what matters most is that we accept ourselves.

6. Places to look for theme:
Beginning/end
Character changes/understandings
Reflections/narration
Symbols
Transforming events

7. Talking about author’s purpose
Reasons authors write:
To tell a story
To explain how to do something
To persuade someone to believe as they do
To describe an object, process or place
To express feelings

8. Talking about theme … Not book specific
Needs to be more than a one or two word phrase, and is not plot or subject of the book
Think beyond the book
Human trait or tendency
Observation of life in general or human nature/inclinations

9. Literary Circle Activity
Author’s purpose? What do they want readers to take away from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas?
What is the theme? Is there more than 1?
Complete the Thematic Analysis Activity and discuss findings