TOPIC: Language Arts/Literature

EQ: What Is Theme?

Theme is a key element of all literature—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

The theme reveals a basic truth about our lives and human experience.

An Introduction to Theme!

The theme is what a story is really about: the author’s insight about life.

Love

Themes focus on the “big” topics in everyone’s life:

What do Themes focus on?

LossAmbition

FriendshipResponsibility

A writer doesn’t usually state the theme directly. You probably wouldn’t want to read a story that begins this way:

Theme is what the writer wants you to discover for yourself as you share the characters’ experiences.

“This is a story that shows that friendship is more valuable than any object.”

How Does An Author State Theme?

The subject can usually be expressed in a word or two:

NOTE: Subject Isn’t Theme

Theme is not the same thing as the subject, or topic, of a work.

EX: This is a story about popularity and friendship.

The subject is what the work is about.

The chart below shows the difference between some subjects and themes.

A theme is best expressed in a complete sentence: (DO NOT COPY CHART!)

Subject Theme

Bravery The courage to be unpopular can be one of the highest forms of bravery.

Loneliness We can lose our sense of self when we are isolated from other people.

Family A family’s love is most important during difficult times.

Please use a complete sentence to state the theme of “Monsters Are Due On Maple Street.”

Quick Check 3. What makes Ant work so hard?

4. Why does Grasshopper visit Ant ?

5. Why does Ant hesitate to help Grasshopper?

“True, but the air is chilly, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” Ant trudged on. “Time enough for that!” Grasshopper called after. He leaned back, humming again. By and by, the chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy in their anthill as snow fell. One night, Ant heard tapping at the door. There stood Grasshopper, 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.”

Analyze Theme

Quick Check

6. Without knowing the end of the story, what do you think is a possible theme for the story?

Analyze Theme

“True, but the air is chilly, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” Ant trudged on. “Time enough for that!” Grasshopper called after. He leaned back, humming again. By and by, the chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy in their anthill as snow fell. One night, Ant heard tapping at the door. There stood Grasshopper, 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.”

Your Turn

Analyze Theme

1. Think of a story that you know well. Identify the story’s theme and what it means to you.

2. Identify a favorite saying or quote that you think would make a good theme for a story. Explain why it has the qualities of a theme and what it conveys about life.

Your Turn

Analyze Theme

3. The chart below lists three very general subjects for a story. In the right column of the chart, make up a theme for each. Try to choose a recurring theme—a theme that is important enough to have occurred again and again in literature.

Subject Recurring Theme

Money

Animals

Death