1. Understanding Theme

2. What exactly is this thing called theme? The theme is a message or lesson revealed by the story. This message is usually about life, society, or human nature.

3. In fiction, the theme We must figure out the theme ourselves. is usually not stated.

4. Theme may be discovered by examining : changes to the protagonist what the protagonist learned the story conflicts and their outcomes how all of the story elements work together

5. A theme should… be stated as a generalization about life, society, or human nature.

6. Theme is not: …the SUBJECT or TOPIC of the story. themes should NOT be a single word! Begin with the a common theme, and the ADD your point of view to make it a SENTENCE.

7. Common Themes in Literature Friendship Power/Weakness Survival Poverty/Wealth Family Prejudice Love/Hate Laws/Justice Life/Death Honesty Freedom Belonging

8. For example: Charlotte’s Web Topic: A talking spider helps a pig Theme: True friends make sacrifices for each other. Perseverance will pay off in the end.

9. What is the theme of Finding Nemo? A.Fish make excellent friends. B.A young fish gets lost but is eventually reunited with his father. C.Never trust a deep sea diver. D.If you believe in yourself and your cause, you can accomplish anything.

10. Create this chart in your notebook: theme categoryLifeSocietyHuman nature examples Growing olderEffects of fameDealing with anger

11. Summarize Tell a neighbor the answer to the EQ: What is theme?

12. Now tell your neighbor this answer… How is theme different from plot?