1. Hang up signs around the room with various themes and ask students what they think they are.
Theme, Mood, and Tone

2. THE MEssage
Definition: The message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work.
Usually must be inferred.
You, the reader, may agree or disagree with the author’s theme.
There may be more than one theme in a text.

3. Discovering the Theme
A writer doesn’t usually state the theme directly.
You probably wouldn’t want to read a story that begins this way:
“This is a story that shows character matters more than size.”
The writer usually wants you to discover the theme for yourself.

4. Discovering the Theme
One way to discover theme is by analyzing the characters in a story.
How does the main character change during the story?
What does this change say about life or about people in general?

5. Discovering the Theme
There are also other ways to discover theme—other questions you can ask.
Which scenes or passages seem to be most important? What ideas about life do they suggest?
Look at the story’s title. What hints does it give you about the story’s meaning?

6. Purpose of Evaluating the Theme
Why bother to figure out a story’s theme?
When we can identify a theme, we can learn from the experiences of others! We can chose to apply these lessons to our own lives.
Not only do themes help us understand the story, they may help us be happier and wiser individuals!

7. Evaluating the Theme You don’t have to like the way a story ends.
Sometimes the hero dies?
Why didn’t they get back together?
You don’t have to agree with a theme, either.
You can look at the theme closely and decide if it fits with what you know about life.

8. “Big” Ideas Themes focus on the “big” topics in everyone’s life:
Friendship
Responsibility
Love
Ambition
Loss
Remember, a theme is not just one word.
The author makes a statement about these common topics.

9. “Big” Ideas Themes focus on the “big” topics in everyone’s life:
Friendships can grow and change over time
Helping others can lead to personal fulfillment
Falling in love can be painful
Being too ambitious can lead to unhappiness
Death is a difficult but important part of life
Remember, a theme is not just a word.
The author makes a statement about these common topics.

10. How can we tell the difference?
Moral Vs. Theme:
How can we tell the difference?
Moral
Theme
The lesson or principle contained in or taught by the story.
A concisely expressed guideline.
Moral is often stated outright.
Morals often appear at the end of a fable.
A moral is a piece of practical advice that can be applied to our own lives.
Like the kind of advice a mom would give: “Slow and steady wins the race!”
Theme refers to the main idea or underlying meaning of a literary work.
What the author wants the reader to understand from of the text.
Theme usually needs to be inferred.
Theme is a universal truth about life.
A theme is more complex than a moral
From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl: A reader could infer the theme that “Selflessness brings the greatest reward.”

11. How can we tell the difference?
Theme Vs. Subject:
How can we tell the difference?
Subject
Theme
The who or what
Can be one word
Example Subject: Puppy Mills
The underlying meaning of a literary work.
The message (more than one word)
Example Theme: All animals should be treated humanely.

12. Practice
Let’s Try It
On a beautiful summer afternoon, Grasshopper lay on his back on a leaf, gazing at clouds and humming a little grasshopper song. This was Grasshopper’s favorite thing to do—all day, every day.
By and by, Grasshopper’s good friend Ant came by, struggling under a heavy load.
“Are you crazy?” Grasshopper sneered at the ant. “It’s way too beautiful outside to work!”
“You said that yesterday, Grasshopper,” Ant replied. “And the day before, and the day before, and the day before ”
“That’s right, Ant. It’s always too beautiful to work! That’s what I say!”
1. What does each character want?

13. Practice 1. What does each character want? Let’s Try It
On a beautiful summer afternoon, Grasshopper lay on his back on a leaf, gazing at clouds and humming a little grasshopper song. This was Grasshopper’s favorite thing to do—all day, every day.
By and by, Grasshopper’s good friend Ant came by, struggling under a heavy load.
“Are you crazy?” Grasshopper sneered at the ant. “It’s way too beautiful outside to work!”
“You said that yesterday, Grasshopper,” Ant replied. “And the day before, and the day before, and the day before ”
“That’s right, Ant. It’s always too beautiful to work! That’s what I say!”
Grasshopper wants to lie around all day.
Ant wants to get some work done.

14. Practice Let’s Try It 2. Why does Ant want to work?
“True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.”
“Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on.
By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door.
There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”
2. Why does Ant want to work?
3. What happens when winter comes?
4. Why is Ant hesitant about helping Grass-hopper?

15. Practice 2. Why does Ant want to work? Let’s Try It
Ant agrees it’s a beautiful day, but he needs to get ready for winter.
“True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.”
“Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on.
By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door.
There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”
3. What happens when winter comes?
Grasshopper wants Ant to feed him and give him a warm place to stay.
4. Why is Ant hesitant about helping Grasshopper?
Ant is afraid there won’t be enough for Grasshopper and Ant’s family.

16. Practice
Let’s Try It
“True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.”
“Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on.
By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door.
There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”
5. Without knowing the end of the story, what do you think is a possible theme for the story?

17. Practice Possible themes: Plan for the future.
Without knowing the end of the story, what do you think is a possible theme for the story?
Let’s Try It
“True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.”
“Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on.
By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door.
There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”
Possible themes:
Plan for the future.
You get back what you put in.

18. Practice Here’s one resolution for the story.
Let’s Try It
Here’s one resolution for the story.
Ant shut the door in Grasshopper’s face. He’d worked hard all summer while that lazy Grasshopper sat around humming. Too bad for him, Ant thought, and went back to warm his hands at the fireplace.
6. Does this ending change the theme?
7. Does this ending introduce another theme?

19. Practice 7. Does this ending change the theme?
Let’s Try It
Ant shut the door in Grasshopper’s face. He’d worked hard all summer while that lazy Grasshopper sat around humming. Too bad for him, Ant thought, and went back to warm his hands at the fireplace.
No. There is still a theme about the consequences of playing all the time and not planning for the future.
8. Does this ending introduce another theme?
Yes.
You can’t always count on friends to rescue you from your mistakes.

20. Practice Here is a different ending…
9. Does this ending change the theme?
Practice
Let’s Try It
“Please, please, Ant! Just until the snow stops falling. I’ll do anything—and I’ll never be lazy again!”
“Oh, all right,” said the kindhearted Ant. “I could use your help in the spring anyway.”
10. Does this ending introduce another theme?

21. Practice 9. Does this ending change the theme?
Let’s Try It
“Please, please, Ant! Just until the snow stops falling. I’ll do anything—and I’ll never be lazy again!”
“Oh, all right,” said the kindhearted Ant. “I could use your help in the spring anyway.”
Maybe, maybe not. The work theme doesn’t seem quite as strong because Grasshopper doesn’t suffer consequences.
10. Does this ending introduce another theme?
Yes.
Friendship is more important than being “right.”

22. Mood
Definition: the feelings that the reader experiences as they read a story.
Mood = Me (the reader)
Mood is how I feel while I read.
The setting, dialogue, and descriptive details help to create the mood.
Nice job. I love the Mood-me trick to remember the difference.

23. Tone
Definition: the attitude and emotion that the author wants to express in the story.
Tone = Them (the author)
They can’t use the tone of their voice, so they have to use words to show how they feel.
The tone will be one of the following:
Positive
Negative
Neutral

24. POSITIVE TONE A positive tone might be:
Cheerful, humorous, hopeful, joyful, romantic, lighthearted, excited, proud
EXAMPLE:
Sammy Sosa, although he had a few downfalls, is a courageous young man who, with his homerun streak turned baseball around for the better.
Highlight the positive words.

25. NEGATIVE TONE A negative tone might be: EXAMPLE:
Sorrowful, shameful, fearful, bored, angry, sarcastic, hesitant
EXAMPLE:
Sammy Sosa was a liar who corked his bat and cheated, ruining the sport of baseball.
Highlight the negative words.

26. NEUTRAL TONE
A neutral tone doesn’t show strong feelings one way or another.
Strictly Factual
EXAMPLE:
Sammy Sosa hit 56 homeruns this year while on the Chicago Cubs.
Highlight any facts.

27. If the TONE is: Serious The MOOD could be: Sad Scared Ashamed Nervous
Awesome way to show how they can be different!!!!!! One suggestion would be to have them practice using a short passage and have then identify the mood and tone (ideally the mood and tone would be different). However, maybe it is better to keep it short due to time.

28. If the TONE is: Sarcastic
The MOOD could be:
Amused
Offended
Entertained

29. If the TONE is: Cheerful
The MOOD could be:

30. What is the difference between tone and mood?
Tone is the attitude/emotions of the author.
Mood is the attitude/emotions of the reader.