American Literature Theme vs. Main Idea Flashcard

Front

Theme: underlying meaning of a literary work, stated directly or indirectly by the author.

Back

A theme is an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may be stated directly or indirectly by the author.

Front

What is a topic?

Back

A topic is a specific issue or idea that serves as the subject of a paragraph, essay, report, or speech, often expressed as a topic sentence or thesis statement.

Front

Central idea of a text?

Back

The central idea is the point the author wants you to remember most; it may be stated directly or implied.

Front

Concept of a text:

Back

A concept is based on a main idea or theme, the generalized idea that holds a text together, e.g., a collection of satirical poetry.

Front

Thesis in literature:

Back

A thesis is a statement in a non-fiction or fiction work that a writer intends to support and prove, providing clear indicators of the writer's direction.