1. TPCASTTheme an analysis for poetry
A Psalm of Life
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
What the Heart of the Young Man Said to the Psalmist

2. TPCASTT: Theme
What does the poem say about the human experience, motivation, or condition?
What idea does the poet want you take away with you concerning the human experience?

3. TPCASTT: Theme
The following are the six traits of a well written theme:
It should be expressed in a statement with a subject and a predicate (a complete sentence)
It should be stated as a generalization about the human experience: specific characters, locations, and dates are unnecessary
Avoid making a generalizations larger than what is justified by the terms of the story
A theme is the central and unifying concept of a piece, thereby it must account for all major details in the poem and cannot be contradicted by any details in the poem (nor can it rely upon supposed facts)
There is no one way to state a theme: one theme may be phrased in a variety of ways

4. TPCASTT: Theme
Avoid reducing a theme to a familiar saying or cliché that has been heard by many, such as “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” or “You must walk in another man’s shoes in order to fully understand him”

5. TPCASTT: Theme
You need to cite specific details from the poem to support your theme.
Theme statement:
Cited details that support the theme:

6. Theme: “A Psalm of Life”
Theme statement:
The theme of “A Psalm of Life” is that even though life is difficult and often times depressing, we are to act with courage and determination persevering through unfavorable and inevitable events so that we may live noble, awesome, inspiring lives which in turn may encourage and inspire others.

7. Supporting Evidence: “A Psalm of Life”
Cited details that support the theme:
The depressing language and unfavorable, inevitable events of life (fate) listed in Connotation is the backdrop of the poem and of life.
There is a call to action: act is used 3x in poem coupled with “Let us, then, be up and doing”
Emphasis on courage and determination, characteristics associated with the heart: used 4x along with brave and hero

8. Supporting Evidence: “A Psalm of Life”
Cited details that support the theme:
“We can make our lives sublime” – Sublime is a word with a very elevated meaning: noble, impressive, inspiring, awesome
Our lives can encourage or inspire others
“perhaps another… seeing, shall take heart again.”
The poem ends with “learn to labor and to wait” which is a call to persevere “fate” which appears two lines earlier.

9. TPCASTT: Theme Review What are we looking for when we deal with theme?
What does the poem say about the human experience, motivation, or condition?
What idea does the poet want you take away with you concerning the human experience?

10. TPCASTT: Theme Review
What are the two things you need to finish the THEME of TPCASTT?
Thesis Statement
Textual Evidence (Cite details that support your theme)

11. TPCASTT: Theme Review How should the Thesis Statement be written?
In a complete sentence
As a generalization about the human experience
Avoid making a generalizations larger than what is justified by the terms of the story
It must account for all major details in the poem and cannot be contradicted by any details in the poem
The theme may be phrased in a variety of ways