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THEME

Ashley Campion

Created on October 8, 2023

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Presentation

THEME

Lesson Standards

9.6(A)

9.5 (G)

9.1 (A)

9.6 (A)

9.1 (D)

9.6 (C)

9.4 (F)

9.5 (A)

9.5 (E)

Learning Objectives

I will understand the concept of theme in literature.
I will be able to identify and analyze themes in a text.
I will apply their understanding of theme to analyze excerpts from various texts.

LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE

I will use academic language to discuss and write about the theme, including terms such as "central idea," "universal theme," and "evidence from the text.

Learning Intention

Today, we will explore the concept of theme in literature. Theme is like the message or lesson that the author wants us to take away from a story. By the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify themes in literature and explain how they contribute to our understanding of the text. We will also practice using evidence from the text to support our analysis of themes.

Success Criteria

I can define the concept of theme in literature.
I can identify and analyze themes in a text.
I can explain how themes contribute to the overall understanding of a story.
I can use evidence from the text to support my analysis of themes.

Introduction

The topic of a literary work is the subject of the work. It is usually expressed as a noun. The theme is the central idea or message of a work of literature. It is often expressed as a general statement about life. For example, the topic of a literary work might be love. The theme would be what the writer suggests about love: that it is wonderful or painful or both. A literary work may have more than one theme. Sometimes a writer states a theme directly. More often though, the theme is revealed gradually. In short stories, novels, and dramas, the theme is revealed through elements such as characterization and plot. When theme is not stated directly, a reader will have to infer the theme. To infer means to determine something by using reasoning and text evidence. *Watch Study Sync Video

VOCABULARY

topic

theme

infer

the subject of a text, usually expressed as a single word or phrase in the form of a noun

the central idea or message of a work of literature, often expressed as a general statement about life

to determine something not stated directly by using reasoning and evidence from the text

Watch StudySync Skills TV

ViDEO

Checklist for Theme

Directions: Review the Checklist for Theme below. Then read the Skill Model to examine how one student used the checklist to analyze theme in “Volar.” As you read, identify the question from the checklist the student used for each annotation. In order to analyze how themes are developed in a variety of literary texts, note the following:

the text’s topics
literary elements that reveal theme, such as characterization and plot
genre characteristics and craft
In narratives and dramas, themes are often revealed through the resolution of the conflict.

Checklist for Theme

Analyze how themes are developed through characterization and plot in a variety of literary texts, using the following questions as a guide:

What are the topics dealt with in this literary text?
For narratives and dramas, consider questions such as the following:

What challenges does the plot present to the characters?
What lessons do the characters learn?
How do the characters change by the end of the story or play?
What does the resolution suggest about life in general?

Using reasoning and text evidence, what can I infer are the themes in this literary work? .

Skill Model

At 12, the narrator’s dreams transformed her into Supergirl and enabled her to transcend her identity as a Latina child in a barrio. This suggests a theme of how fantasy can offer an escape from the limitations of reality.

The reader pays close attention to details about the narrator as a child. First, she highlights that the narrator was “an avid consumer of comic books” and that Supergirl was her favorite. The reader then goes on to highlight the description of the narrator’s recurring dream that she “had long blond hair and could fly.” In this dream, the narrator transformed to become tall, strong, sleek, golden-haired, and aerodynamic—all the things she is not in actuality. From these details, the reader infers that the story’s theme is related to how fantasy offers an escape from the limitations of reality, including one’s own identity. The reader continues examining “Volar,” taking a closer look at the challenges and conflicts the narrator faces to help her confirm that a theme in the story is about the desire for escape through fantasy—and whether or not this is possible.

Skill Model

The narrator feels powerful in her dreams—she can spy on her obsessions. But she awakes still curly-haired and skinny. A theme in the story may be that fantasy involves powerful possibilities but also has disappointing limitations.