Theme

Recurring Themes

Your Turn

What Are Recurring Themes?

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Theme

Think of a movie or book that had a strong impact on you.

Truths About Life

Theme

When you walked out of the theater or closed the book, you may have found yourself thinking about the story’s message about life.

Life

Theme

If so, you were thinking about the theme of that movie or book—its message about life.

Theme

Maybe the theme made you look at yourself in a new way.

Or, perhaps the theme helped you understand a friend in a way you hadn’t before.

Writers do not always have a theme in mind when they begin writing. Often, a writer begins with an idea about a character or a situation.

Theme

What’s your theme going to be? ?

Theme

Eventually, a theme begins to emerge from the developing story and from the writer’s beliefs about life.

I think I see a theme

emerging!

Theme

Theme is at the heart of every story, whether it is traditional or contemporary.

Traditional or Contemporary?

• Traditional works are myths, folk tales, stories, and poems passed on by word of mouth, often over many centuries.

• Contemporary works are works written in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.(Some scholars say that contemporary works are those written after 1960.)

Plot answers the question, “What happens?”

Theme: What Does It Mean?

Theme answers the question, “What does it mean?”

Theme

Cinderella is a kind girl who is mistreated by her ugly stepsisters. She attends the royal ball and becomes a princess in the end.

Good people are rewarded with good fortune.

To understand the difference between theme and plot, think of the fairy tale “Cinderella.”

Plot

Theme

Theme

A. Friendship

B. Kelly and Maria were closer than sisters, but Kelly could never understand why Maria barely talked to her at school. One day, Kelly overheard some students gossiping about her with Maria. Maria was afraid that if she stuck up for Kelly she’d become the next target for the gossip.

C. Sometimes, your best friends can be your worst enemies.

Quick CheckWhich of these passages is an example of a plot?

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Which passage is an example of a theme?

Theme

A subject can often be described using a single word or phrase, such as

A theme needs a full sentence to describe it: Sometimes feelings of grief help bring about needed change.

• grief,

• competition, or

• betrayal.

Theme

Theme: What you learn about the subject

Theme: Sometimes the most ordinary moments are filled

with the most love.

The theme states what you learn about the subject from reading the story.

SubjectSubject:

Love

Theme

Quick CheckWhat is the subject of the story?

What is a theme of the story?

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Juan loved soccer. He couldn’t remember a time when he was not kicking a ball around on the grass, down the street, or even in the house. His mom hated it when he played ball in the house.

It was raining—and had been for four days straight. Juan was itching to play soccer, and his mom wasn’t home. He decided it wouldn’t hurt to kick the ball a little, using the fireplace as a goal. Unfortunately, he missed the fireplace and hit the new lamp.

Theme

Everyone has different experiences in life. These experiences influence how you view a movie, TV show, piece of art, poem, or story.

Theme

Look closely at the following painting.

What do you think the painting means?

Theme

Discuss the painting’s meaning with another student.

In what ways are your interpretations similar? In what ways are they different?

Theme

Just as two people will probably see the same painting in different ways, two readers will often understand a story differently.

I think “Little Red Riding

Hood” is about listening to your

parents and taking their

advice.

I think it’s about standing up to

bullies.

Theme

Because two readers may have different views of the same story, each reader may discover two or more different themes within the story.

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Theme

When Sam visited his grandfather’s restaurant, Gramps told him a story about a young boy. His brothers teased the boy because he hated to go fishing. Instead, he loved to help his mom cook the fish they brought home.

The boy didn’t let their comments bother him; he kept right on cooking. Before long, his family was begging the boy to cook his special dish.

Quick Check What is a theme, or message about life, of the grandfather’s story?

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Theme

People around the world share many of the same dreams . . . and fears.

Recurring Themes

Some stories appear in many different countries and cultures.

Recurring Themes

Recurring Themes

Characters and settings may be different, but . . .

the same themes will reappear again and again.

True love endures and thrives.

Friendship is golden.

Don’t give up on your dreams.

Recurring Themes

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These themes are called universal themes, or recurring themes.

Never give up on a friend. Unlimited money and power corrupt.

A good attitude leads to success.

• Things may not always be what they seem.

• Wishes can have surprising consequences.

• You should treasure the good in your life.

• The gift of love can change a person.

Analyze Recurring Themes

Your Turn

How many times have you read a story or seen a show with these themes?

Your Turn

To begin your exploration of recurring themes, look again at the list of themes. Then, think of traditional and contemporary works you have studied or read on your own. Think also of movies, plays, and TV shows you have seen.

Analyze Recurring Themes

• Things may not always be what they seem.

• Wishes can have surprising consequences.

• You should treasure the good in your life.

• The gift of love can change a person.

Your Turn

With a group of classmates, brainstorm titles of works that reflect those themes. Record your titles in a chart like this one.

Theme Titles

Things may not always be what they seem.

“Inn of Lost Time”

“The Princess and the Frog”

Analyze Recurring Themes

Wishes can have surprising consequences.

“Those Three Wishes”

“Flowers for Algernon”

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The End