1. Literary Terms: Theme!

2. Literary Terms Review First let’s review the literary terms we have learned so far… Setting (consists of two things) 1) Time 2) Place

3. Literary Terms Review Irony (3 types) 1) Situational: what happens is the opposite of what’s expected Ex: A vegetarian works in a meat-packing plant. 2) Verbal: what is said is the opposite of what is meant; sarcasm Ex: “Wow, you’re so funny.” 3) Dramatic: the audience knows something the characters do not Ex: Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, horror movies where we see the killer, a man we see is going to slip on a banana peel, the “Maury Show” where we know the man is not here for a makeover

4. Literary Terms Review Plot (consists of four elements) 1) Rising Action: builds tension 2) Climax: turning point of the story 3) Falling Action: shows the effect of the climax on the story 4) Denouement: resolution; loose ends are tied up

5. And now introducing… Theme! –The life lesson or main message of a text 5 rules when identifying theme: 1) It’s not a single word (“friendship,” “love,” “greed”), but a whole complex sentence or thought (What is the author saying about friendship, love, or greed?) 2) Avoid clichés (those overused sayings that lack real complexity or meaning) 3) It is rarely directly stated; we often must imply it (figure it out) 4) There can be more than one theme, and usually is. 5) Does not include character names or plot points related to the specific text since it’s supposed to apply to life!

6. Practice Identifying Theme Let’s practice! Identify the theme within “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”: Remember, it CANNOT simply be “lying” or “truth,” and avoid clichés! Examples: –If you constantly lie, no one will believe you when you are being truthful. –If people consider you a liar, they will never believe you are honest.

7. Practice Identifying Theme Identify possible themes within “Cinderella”: Examples: –If you are a kind, patient person, you will ultimately be rewarded for that. –Good people eventually are recipients of good things.

8. Practice Identifying Theme Now continue your worksheet on your own attempting to identify themes while obeying the rules!

9. The End! …or is it?