Chapter 3: Theme

What is theme? (page 116-117)

The truth of the storyUsually reveals message

about lifeGives the story powerA lesson the character learns

How to find the theme?

Be a detective

Read between the lines.

You must INFER!

Look for word clues/ language

“The Boy Who Cried Wolf” “ The Tortoise and the Hare”

Ask yourself the following questions:

1) Is the writer (author) trying to tell you a specific point of view

2) What does the title signify?3) Is the title a clue to the theme?4) How does the main character change in

the story?5) What do the word choices and imagery

reveal about the theme?

How are themes conveyed?

Through a character’s thoughts and ideas

A character’s actions Details and images

Don’t Be Fooled!

The theme of a story can often be confused with the story’s subject

There can be more than one theme in a story

A story from a long time ago can show that people have the same ideas about life as we do now.

Universal Themes

Relate to the human conditionExamples: love, fear, jealousy,

friendship, loyalty, responsibility, truthfulness, happiness, sadness, ego, hope, bravery, peace, childhood, fairness, anger, integrity, respect, etc.

Read King Midas