1. I can . . . determine theme or central idea (ELACC7RI3)
How can understanding theme or central idea help me be a better reader?

2. Theme A Writer’s Message Making Decisions Over coming challenges
Pain of lost love
A Writer’s Message
Good vs. Evil
How to Trust
Importance of Family

3. Hey! What’s the BIG IDEA!!! Themes are usually about BIG IDEAS.
For example:
Freedom
Trust
Friendship
Family
Good vs. Evil
And much, much more.

4. So, what is theme? Theme is the message from the author.
The theme of a fable is its moral.
Themes can be found everywhere:
Literature
Art
Movies
Life – duh
So What? - Memoir
The theme of a piece of literature is its view about life and how people behave.

5. This is Theme….. Theme is the underlying meaning of the story.
It is a universal Truth.
It is a significant statement the story is making about society, human nature or the human condition.

6. Get to the POINT Theme is not the topic
Theme is the point being made about the topic
It is a statement about life
A good theme teaches a valuable lesson about life

7. Theme & Idea
The theme of a literary work is its underlying central idea or the generalization it communicates about life.

8. You and Theme
An understanding of theme is dependent upon one’s previous experience of life and literature. At the same time, theme in literature can enlarge one’s understanding of life.
I read the Ant and Grasshoppers to class and had them come up with the theme. They came up with themes like have to work hard to get what you want. Then I reread the part about Grasshopper thinking he really did something this summer. I asked them why they thought grasshopper felt he was so busy and ant didn’t. We came up with a new theme: listen to others point of view. I discussed how this relates to home a lot…parents versus kids. We them talked about the theme helping them understand life.

9. The Reader’s Job
Part of your job as a reader is to understand what the writer is trying to say. Writers seldom come right out and tell you, “Hey, reader, this is what I want you to know”. You need to make inferences and draw conclusions about what the writer is trying to express.

10. Finding a Theme There are several ways to find a theme. Look at:
The main characters feelings
Thoughts and conversations of the characters
What does the main character learn in the story
Actions or events in the story that repeat

11. Main Characters feelings
Themes are expressed and emphasized by the way the author makes us feel. By sharing feelings of the main character you can figure out what they are learning. (Aha! that=theme)

12. Thoughts and conversations of the characters
Themes are presented in thoughts and conversations. Authors put words in their character’s mouths only for good reasons. One of these reasons is to develop a story’s themes. The things a person says lead us to the theme. Look for thoughts that are repeated throughout the story.

13. What does the main character learns in the story
Themes are suggested through the characters. The main character usually illustrates the most important theme of the story. A good way to get at this theme is to ask yourself the question, what does the main character learn in the course of the story?

14. Actions or events in the story that repeat
The actions or events in the story are used to suggest theme. People naturally express ideas and feelings through their actions. One thing authors think about is what an action will "say". In other words, how will the action express an idea or theme?

15. Review
1. Theme is the……..
underlying meaning of the story. A message from the author.
2. How do you find the story’s theme?
From:
feelings of the main character
thoughts and conversations of the characters
thoughts that are repeated in the story
actions or events in the story

16. Theme Ideas! Conformity Individuality Secrets Death
Proving oneself to parents
Facing one’s fears
Responsibility
Empowerment
Magical journeys
Acceptance and respect
Forgiveness
Being different
Hard Journeys
Growing up the hard way
Taking on adult responsibilities
Sticking by a friend
Befriending the enemy
Caught between cultures
Seeing world from different point of view

17. Work Period Work on Theme worksheets Be ready to review
This is your first grade of the 9 weeks! Do your best!

18. What I thought you taught about: Theme/Central Idea
Theme is usually about what kind of ideas?
Theme is the ________ from the author.
The theme of a piece of literature is its view _________ and how ______________.
True or False An understanding of theme is dependent upon one’s previous experience of life and literature.
Themes are presented in ______ and _______.
A good way to understand theme is to ask yourself what question?

19. CRCT QOTD
Raise the Driving Age to Eighteen! After reading Mr. J. Brown's letter, dated August 15, I feel compelled to write and let your readers know how I feel about raising the driving age from 16 to 18. Teenagers should not be allowed to drive until they are 18. Only high school graduates should be given a driver's license, and only after successfully completing a driver's education class during high school. Right now, 15 year-olds can get a practice permit and try for their license at 16. Eighteen is a better age. At 18, people are more mature and better able to make mature decisions. Not all 18 year-olds are mature, but the majority of them are. At least we are more mature than 15 year-olds.
What is the main purpose of this passage?
A)to warn young drivers to be careful when they drive
B)to convince readers to support raising the driving age
C)to persuade teens to take driver's ed before getting a license.
D)to support insurance claims against teens who get into accidents