Main Idea, Mood, and Theme

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Poetry

Main idea, mood, and theme are all important elements of poetry. They help to give meaning to a poem. Today, we will look at each of these important elements in poetry and discover how to convey and identify them…

Main Idea

Main Idea

The main idea in a poem is the thing that the poem is about. You can look at the title, subject, and actions in a poem to determine the poem’s main idea.

Ways to Convey your Main Idea

You can make the main idea of your poem the title as well.

You can make all of the supporting details in your poem point back to the main idea.

You can use words in your poem that associate with your main idea.

Ways to Convey your Main Idea

You can make the main idea of your poem the title as well.

Title your poem as the Main Idea

Making your poem’s main idea the title of that poem is a great way to make sure that you’re effectively communicating your main idea. For example, if your poem is about rain, titling the poem “Rain” can be a signal as to the main idea of your poem.

Title your poem as the Main Idea

However, this method is totally optional. In fact, not clearly titling your poem as the main idea can help to focus the reader on the words in your poem, not the title, to determine what that poem is about. Use this method if you wish.

Ways to Convey your Main Idea

You can make the main idea of your poem the title as well.

You can make all of the supporting details in your poem point back to the main idea.

You can use words in your poem that associate with your main idea.

Ways to Convey your Main Idea

You can make the main idea of your poem the title as well.You can make all of the

supporting details in your poem point back to the main idea.

You can use words in your poem that associate with your main idea.

Keep the Train on the Tracks

To emphasize your poem’s main idea, you should strive to keep that poem on topic. If I wanted my poem’s main idea to be rain, then I shouldn’t start writing about wind or write about both rain and wind. Make sure that your poem doesn’t stray too far from the main idea, or else your readers may not know even what you’re writing about!

How to do this

Read the poem. Is the main idea clearly distinguished and is it easy to find?

Have somebody else read the poem. This is a good idea, because you already know what your poem is about; your reader does not. See if they can clearly pinpoint the main idea in your poem.

Ways to Convey your Main Idea

You can make the main idea of your poem the title as well.

You can make all of the supporting details in your poem point back to the main idea.

You can use words in your poem that associate with your main idea.

Ways to Convey your Main Idea

You can make the main idea of your poem the title as well.

You can make all of the supporting details in your poem point back to the main idea.You can use words in your poem

that associate with your main idea.

Associate with your Main Idea

The words in your poem make a huge impact on how people view and read your poem. Make sure to use them wisely. This is similar to the previous point: use words that associate with your main idea.

How do I do this?

Think about your main idea. What words instantly come to mind? You associate those words with your main idea. Try putting some of those words into your poem. As mentioned before, those details can point back to your main idea.

Conclusion

The main idea is a HUGE part of your poem. It is important that your main idea is clearly identifiable and that all of your supporting details point back to that main idea.

Mood

Mood

The mood of the poem is how the poem makes you feel. The mood doesn’t just have to be how a certain poem is read, but rather, the words and phrases that the poet uses throughout the poem.

How to set the Mood

The words you use set the mood of the poem.

How the poem is read can set the mood of the poem (if you’re judging it based on how it’s read.)

How to set the Mood

The words you use set the mood of the poem.

Words to Set Moods

You may not even realize it, but the words in a poem can be used to create a certain feeling throughout the poem. Since the mood is a key element in determining the theme of the poem, it is important to use precise words to help to set the mood of your poems.

What words set which moods?

Certain words provoke certain feelings within us, so it is important that poets use precise language to get their moods across effectively.

What words set which moods?

When you hear these words, what feeling(s) come to mind?

“It was a dark and stormy night…”

Possible answers: sinister, scary, spooky, etc.

What words set which moods?

When you hear these words, what feeling(s) come to mind?

“The birds were chirping and the sun was shining… There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.”

Possible answers: peaceful, happy, joyful, relaxing, calm, etc.

What words set which moods?

When you hear these words, what feeling(s) come to mind?

“She sat on the bench, crying in the rain.”

Possible answers: sad, somber, etc.

What words set which moods?

As you can see, different words spark different feelings within us. As a poet, it is important to know this so that you can effectively communicate the mood of a poem.

How to set the Mood

The words you use set the mood of the poem.

How the poem is read can set the mood of the poem (if you’re judging it based on how it’s read.)

How to set the Mood

The words you use set the mood of the poem.How the poem is read can set

the mood of the poem (if you’re judging it based on how it’s read.)

Mood by Reading

When reading poems, people interpret them in many different ways. Their tone of voice can help to set a certain mood throughout the poem.

Mood by Reading

It is important to pay attention to the words that poets use more than how those words are being read when trying to decipher the theme of a poem. People can read just one poem in many different ways, but the words of that poem will remain the same, so focus on those more than how the reader reads and the tone of voice he/she uses.

Conclusion to Mood

The mood of the poem is how the poem makes you feel. Mood can be communicated by the words/ phrases that a poet uses and also by how the poem is read. Remember to focus more on the words when trying to decipher the mood of a poem rather than how it is being read!

Theme

Theme

The theme of a poem is the lesson or message conveyed in the poem both by the main ideas used in the poem and the mood that is created in the poem. If you identify the main idea and the mood that is being conveyed in a poem, it will be easier to decipher the theme of that poem as well.

Types of Themes

Sometimes, a poem’s theme might be a life lesson, similar to a moral of a story.

Identifying Theme

To find the theme of the poem, we need to look at the main idea and the mood of that particular poem. When we analyze them together, we can find the theme of a poem.

Themes

The theme of a poem may be simple or hard to find. Just remember to look in the right places and analyze the main idea and the mood, and that will help you figure it out!

Creating a Theme

You can create a theme with your main idea and mood that you put into the poem. If you want to have a certain theme for your poem, then build your main idea and mood around it to fit your theme!

Conclusion to Theme

Remember that the theme of a poem is the lesson or message conveyed in the poem both by the main ideas used in the poem and the mood that is created in the poem. If you identify the main idea and the mood that is being conveyed in a poem, it will be easier to decipher the theme of that poem as well.

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