Thematic Development

Thematic Development

English 3

Objectives

• We will analyze relationships among thematic development, characterization, point of view, significance of setting, and plot.

• We will evaluate the use of literary devices such as paradox, satire, and allegory to achieve specific purposes.

• We will evaluate how the author's diction and syntax contribute to the mood, voice, and tone. We will make connections between texts.

Vocabulary

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

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

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

Checklist for Theme

In order to analyze how themes are developed through characterization, point of view, setting, and plot, note the following:

Checklist for Theme Continued

• descriptions of characters, including those that reveal characters’ thoughts, feelings and motivations

• the point of view, or the perspective from which the story is told, such as first person or third person

• the setting, or the time and place of the story

• the plot, or the events that happen in a story

Analyze how theme is developed...

using the following questions as a guide:

Ask yourself these questions when analyzing theme development in a story

• How do the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and actions help to develop the theme, or general message about life, suggested by the story?

• How does the point of view of the story help to develop the theme? For instance, how does knowing or not knowing a certain character’s inner thoughts and feelings influence the reader’s understanding of the theme

Analyzing theme questions continued

• How does the significance of the setting help to develop the theme? For example, does the setting represent certain values or ideas or create conflicts related to the theme?

• How does the plot, or the events of the story, help to develop the theme?

Vocabulary Review

Answer the multiple choice questions on the next slide.

Multiple Choice

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

• Infer

• Topic

• Theme

Multiple Choice

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

• Infer

• Theme

• Topic

Multiple Choice

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

• Infer

• Theme

• Topic

Your Turn

On the next slide you will see directions on where to go to read an excerpt from a short story.

After you read the short story, you will answer questions on the thematic development.

How to access short story

Go to Google Classroom and open the posting with the following title:

READING - Excerpt from "2BRO2B"

Once you complete the reading, answer the questions on the next few slides.

Multiple Choice

Which line provides the best example of the painter’s point of view or perspective of his work?

• The mural he was working on depicted a very neat garden. Men and women in white, doctors and nurses, turned the soil, planted seedlings, sprayed bugs, spread fertilizer.

• The painter's face curdled with scorn. "You think I'm proud of this daub?" he said. "You think this is my idea of what life really looks like?"

Multiple Choice

Based on the interactions between characters, what theme can be inferred from this passage?

• A positive attitude makes all the difference.

• Things aren’t always what they seem.

Multiple Choice

Which text evidence best suggests the theme inferred from the previous question?

• “Never, never, never--not even in medieval Holland nor old Japan--had a garden been more formal, been better tended.”

• "You're a gloomy old duck, aren't you?" said the orderly.

Multiple Choice

Why is the story’s point of view important to thematic development?

• A. The third person point of view allows the reader to know all of the characters’ inner thoughts and feelings.

• The first person point of view allows the reader to really understand the painter’s thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Thematic Development Lesson Conclusion

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.

 

Thematic Development Lesson Conclusion Continued

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. 

Thursday, January 14th Class

• Will will continue to practice theme development

• Will will go over your argumentative essay outlines before you have to submit them

• We will look at specific literary devices