2.  view about life and/or how people behave  --in a work of fiction or a personal essay  View the author reveals  Controlling idea  Central insight

3.  Main idea  Theme  Thesis  Big idea  Universal message

4. ThemeMain Idea Fiction /personal essayInformational Text Not directly stated (often)Can be directly stated or implied Universal messageSpecific to text

5.  ____Chum Salmon have a long and difficult journey.  ____ Survival is not easy.  ____ Barack Obama is the best candidate for president.  ____ People tend to follow strong leaders.

6.  NOT intended to teach or preach  NOT presented directly at all  NOT A moral or a lesson  NOT a word or phrase (that is the topic)  NOT plot  NOT about the characters or events in the book

7.  Alicia has a vivid imagination.  Why or why not?

8.  Esperanza doesn’t want to grow up too fast.  Why or why not?

9.  Children often want to grow up quickly.  Why or why not.

10.  Don’t judge other’s by how they look.  Why or why not?

11.  Racism exists and will continue.  Why or why not?

12.  You must figure out the theme yourself. It isn’t stated directly in the text.

13.  There is no single way to discover theme.  Ask: What insights into life or human nature are revealed by the story.  Examine: changes to the protagonist (cc); what the protagonist learned (aha) ; or the nature of the conflicts (t?).  Finish the sentence: People tend to…  complete sentences  Make general statement vs. reference to specific characters or plot

14. 1. The Individual in Nature  a. Nature is at war with each of us and proves our vulnerability.  b. People are out of place in Nature and need technology to survive.  c. People are destroying nature and themselves with uncontrolled technology.  Can you think of examples of fiction that have any of these themes?

15. The Individual in Society a. Society and a person's inner nature are always at war. b. Social influences determine a person's final destiny. c. Social influences can only complete inclinations formed by Nature. d. A person's identity is determined by place in society. e. In spite of the pressure to be among people, and individual is essentially alone and frightened.

16.  a. The god(s) are benevolent and will reward human beings for overcoming evil and temptation.  b. The gods mock the individual and torture him or her for presuming to be great.  c. The gods are jealous of and constantly thwarts human aspiration to power and knowledge.  d. The gods are indifferent toward human beings and let them run their undetermined course.  e. There are no gods in whom people can place their faith or yearning for meaning in the universe.

17. Time a. Enjoy life now, for the present moment, because we all die too soon. b. By the time we understand life, there is too little left to live.

18. a. A boy and a girl must go through a special trial or series of trials before maturing. b. Manhood or womanhood is often established by an abrupt, random crisis, sometimes at an unusually early age. c. Aspects of childhood are retained in all of us, sometimes hindering growth, sometimes providing the only joy in later life. d. A person grows only in so far as he or she must face a crisis of confidence or identity.

19. a. Death is part of living, giving life its final meaning. b. Death is the ultimate absurd joke on life. c. There is no death, only a different plane or mode of life without physical decay. d. Without love, death often appears to be the only alternative to life.

20. a. An individual is isolated from fellow human beings and foolishly tries to bridge the gaps. b. Through alienation comes self-knowledge. c. Modern culture is defective because it doesn't provide group ties which in primitive cultures makes alienation virtually impossible.

21.  Themes in interpretive fiction often challenge our beliefs and provide rather somber truths. A reader need not accept a theme that is contrary to his or her personal beliefs. However, any theme is worthy of consideration in that it is someone's view.  http://members.fortunecity.com/nadabs/literature-theme.html

22.  Which is the best theme statement for Lord of the Flies:  A. Jack and his followers become evil.  B. Human Nature  C. Human Nature is defective.  D. People like to kill pigs.

23.  What is the best theme statement below for the story of Romeo and Juliet?  A. A person matures quickly when faced with crisis situation  B. Romeo and Juliet face many difficult decisions  C. Loss of innocence  D. You should not go against your parents’ wishes.

24.  1. A theme is a life lesson  2. A theme is a plot retell  3. A theme names characters and setting from the work being read  4. Theme is a universal statement about life or society  5. Theme is applicable beyond the immediate material  6. Theme can be found in every piece of fiction  7. There can be more than one theme in a story  8. Theme should be a complete sentence, not just a phrase.

25.  In your small group, uncover a theme from the story.  Write the topic at the center of the paper – leave room for your theme statement.  Find evidence from the text. Start at the beginning, move to the end. You may use quotes with page numbers or paraphrase with page numbers.  Evaluate: Ask yourself what the author’s message about life/people might be based on how characters think, change, how plot develops, what the conflicts are and how they are resolved.  Write a theme statement in the center next to the topic.

26.  Is it:  intended to teach or preach  presented directly at all  A moral or a lesson  a word or phrase (that is the topic)  plot  about the characters or events in the book  If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is not a theme  Compare your theme statement to your evidence, do they compliment each other?