themeWarriors Don’t Cry

What is theme?Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, ormessage about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work.

Theme is what our story means. How it relates to reality and life in general. What is says about life and the infinite roster of issues, facets, challenges and experiences it presents. Theme can be a broad topical arena, or it can be a specific stance on anything human beings experience in life.

In other words…Theme is what the story teaches readers. Theme is the relevance of the story to your life.

Themes

A theme is not a word, it is a sentence.You don’t have to agree with the theme toidentify it. (The sentence will always include one of our universal theme words.)ExamplesMoney can’t buy happiness.Don’t judge people based on the surface.It is better to die free than live under tyranny.

Identifying Themes

Themes are not explicit or literal (clearly stated).Themes are implied (interpretive/evaluative).Themes are bigger than the story.

Themes are about the big picture.

NOT “The red sweater is ugly”NOT “Melba didn’t like the white school because the people were mean.”Think BIGGER.Find “Real” World advice – UNIVERSAL advice.

Review

1.Theme is what we can learn from astory that relates to the real world – your world.2.Themes must be inferred.3.Themes are about the BIG world.

Practice

1.We’ll read each story.2.Write what you think the theme is.3.Write another sentence explaining whathappens in the story that leads you tobelieve this.

How does the small world of the storyconnect to the big world theme?

Once there was a mean little boy who lived in asmall village. This mean little boy loved to messwith people, so one day he ran up to a sheepherder and shouted, “WOLF! WOLF! A wolf isattacking the town!” The sheep herder grabbed hisstaff and ran to defend the town, but realized hehad been fooled when the boy started pointing andlaughing at him. “Ha ha! I made you jump,” saidthe boy. Then the boy ran up to a farmer andshouted, “WOLF! WOLF! A wolf is attacking thetown!” The farmer grabbed his pitchfork and ran todefend the town, but when the boy started pointingand laughing at him, he realized he had beentricked. As the boy went back to his family’s farmlaughing about the funny trick he played, he saw areal wolf in his father’s chicken coop. As the wolfate all of his father’s chickens, the boy screamedover and over again, “WOLF! WOLF! Please helpus!” But nobody came to help him.

Jenny hated reading class. She didn’tunderstand point of view or figurative language, andnot knowing how to do the work frustrated her. Sheasked the teacher for help, but he spoke so fast andused such big words that she still couldn’tunderstand. The teacher asked if she understood,and she nodded her head, but she didn’t. Jenny’sfriend Katie knew that Jenny was having trouble,and, rather than just giving Jenny all of the answers,Katie explained to Jenny how to solve the problems.Katie spoke clearly and at Jenny’s level, and Jennywas happy that she finally learned how to do thework. Later in the week, Katie was having trouble inmath class. She didn’t understand coordinates andwas really frustrated. Seeing that Katie was havingproblems, Jenny, who understood math very well,taught Katie coordinates. Both girls made honor rollthat quarter.