Elements of Stories: Theme

Elements of Stories: Theme

What is theme?

Theme: a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature

The theme in a story is its underlying message, or 'big idea. ' In other words, what critical belief about life is the author trying to convey in the writing of a novel, play, short story or poem? This belief, or idea, transcends cultural barriers. It is usually universal in nature.

A story can have more than one theme.

More than one theme can be correct.

How to find theme:

Ask 2 Questions:

Was what happened in the story good or bad? Why was it good or bad?

Then answer in two statements:

The main character learned that he/ she should ______________________. So, we should ______________________.

Let's Practice: The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Once there was a little boy who lived in a small village. This little boy loved to mess with people, so one day he ran up to a sheep herder and shouted, “WOLF! WOLF! A wolf is attacking the town!” The sheep herder grabbed his staff and ran to defend the town, but realized he had been fooled when the boy started pointing and laughing at him.

“Ha ha! I made you run,” said the boy. Then the boy ran up to a farmer and shouted, “WOLF! WOLF! A wolf is attacking the town!” The farmer grabbed his pitchfork and ran to defend the town, but when the boy started pointing and laughing at him, he realized he had been tricked.

As the boy went back to his family’s farm laughing about the funny trick he played, he saw a real wolf in his father’s chicken coop! As the wolf ate all of his father’s chickens, the boy screamed over and over again, “WOLF! WOLF! Please help us!” But nobody came to help him.

How to find theme:

Ask 2 Questions:

Was what happened in the story good or bad? Why was it good or bad?

Then answer in two statements:

The main character learned that he/ she should ______________________. So, we should ______________________.

Multiple Choice

Was what happened in the story good or bad?

• good

• bad

Multiple Choice

Why was it bad?

• He lied.

• He made fun of people.

• He couldn’t get help when he really needed it.

• His chickens got killed.

• All of the above!

Multiple Select

The main character learned that he should . . . (choose two)

• be honest so that he can get help when he needs it.

• not make fun of people because he may need their help.

• not yell because it scares people.

• keep his chickens in a better coop.

Multiple Choice

So, we should . . .

• build better chicken coops.

• not tell lies, but be honest to earn trust.

• not yell.

• not live in places with wolves.

The theme of the story is

• Do not tell lies, but be honest to earn trust.

• OR . . . ? It is possible to find more than one theme in a story!

Let's do another:

Jenny hated reading class. She didn’t understand point of view or figurative language, and not knowing how to do the work frustrated her. She asked the teacher for help, but he spoke so fast and used such big words that she still couldn’t understand. The teacher asked if she understood, and she nodded her head, but she didn’t.

Jenny’s friend 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 Jenny was happy that she finally learned how to do the work. Later in the week, Katie was having trouble in math class. 

She didn’t understand coordinates and was really frustrated. Seeing that Katie was having problems, Jenny, who understood math very well, taught Katie coordinates. Both girls made honor roll that quarter.

How to find theme:

Ask 2 Questions:

Was what happened in the story good or bad? Why was it good or bad?

Then answer in two statements:

The main character learned that he/ she should ______________________. So, we should ______________________.

Multiple Choice

Was what happened in the story good or bad?

• good

• bad

Multiple Choice

Why was it good?

• Jenny learned better with her friend.

• Jenny felt less frustrated.

• Jenny helped her friend with math.

• Both girls made the Honor Roll.

• All of the above!

Multiple Choice

The main character learned that she should . . .

• work with someone to share the workload to make things better for everyone.

• not listen to the teacher.

• not ask for help

• help others to earn money.

Multiple Choice

So, we should . . .

• pay attention in class.

• ask for help.

• cooperate with and help others to make things better for everyone.

• talk to the teacher.

The theme of the story is

• Cooperation and helping others make things better for everyone.

• OR . . .? It is possible to find more than one theme in a story!

One more:

Angie loved to draw. She made colorful designs of people’s names with bright hearts & flowers, but she lost her own markers, so she borrowed her teacher’s. The school day was ending, but Angie wanted to keep coloring, so she took the teacher’s markers home and lost them in her messy room. She came back to school the next day and wanted to color again, so she asked the teacher for more markers. 

The teacher replied, “Sure, Angie, but this is my last pack.” Angie said she would be careful, but by the end of the day the markers were scattered all over the floor and the custodian swept them up and disposed of them. When Angie came in the next day, she asked the teacher for more markers, but she was disappointed to find that there weren’t any more.

“I don’t know where all of my markers went,” said the teacher, “but I don’t have any more.” Angie had to draw her pictures with drab pencils.

How to find theme:

Ask 2 Questions:

Was what happened in the story good or bad? Why was it good or bad?

Then answer in two statements:

The main character learned that he/ she should ______________________. So, we should ______________________.

Multiple Choice

Was what happened in the story good or bad?

• good

• bad

Multiple Choice

Why was it bad?

• Angie lost her own markers.

• Angie lost her teacher’s markers.

• There weren’t any more markers, so Angie couldn’t make her drawings how she wanted.

• All of the above!

Multiple Choice

The main character learned that she should . . .

• buy more markers.

• not borrow things from the teacher.

• not lie about losing the markers.

• take care of the things she borrows or there won’t be anything for anyone.

Multiple Choice

So, we should . . .

• pay attention in class.

• take care of the things we borrow so we can all have what we need.

• cooperate with and help others to make things better for everyone.

• lie to the teacher.

Exit Ticket:

Now do some on your own!

When Katie Clean invited Messy Missy to her house to work on their biology project, she had no idea what a visit from Messy Missy entailed. First of all, it was raining and Messy Missy neither bothered to take her boots off nor thoroughly wiped them on the doormat. Then Messy Missy ate a bag of hot chips on Katie Clean’s white bedspread without asking. Messy Missy is a sloppy eater too, so hot chip powder got all over the bedspread.

 Katie Clean tried to be polite and ignore Messy Missy’s sloppy behavior. But then Messy Missy threw her chip wrapper on the floor. Offended, Katie Clean pretended that she was sick and asked Messy Missy to leave. The next day Katie Clean asked the teacher if she could work by herself. After Katie explained the situation, the teacher allowed Katie to work alone.

Messy Missy almost finished the assignment alone, but she spilled grape soda all over it and quit. 

 

Multiple Choice

Was what happened in the story good or bad?

• good

• bad

Multiple Choice

Why was it bad?

• Missy did not respect Katie's property.

• Missy got a bad grade.

• Both girls ended up working alone.

• All of the above!

Multiple Choice

The main characters learned that they should . . .

• choose partners carefully.

• respect other people's property

• not make messes you can't clean up.

• be a good partner to do better on the assignment.

• All of the above!

Open Ended

Now, write what you think is the theme of the story in a complete sentence: