Theme Lesson

Theme

A theme is the big idea in a story. It's the message about people or the world that the author is trying to get across. Themes are universal, which means they are true in all times and all places. They apply to many different types of people.

Multiple Choice

The theme of a story is...

• a main character

• a lesson or moral about life that the author expresses

• a sequence of events

• a short summary of what the story is about

Multiple Choice

What is a main idea?

• the main character in a story

• the message about life that an author expresses

• the sequence of events in a story

• a description of what the story is mostly about

Multiple Choice

Which of the following could be the theme of a story?

• Fear is more dangerous than any beast.

• A brave young girl pretends to be a man and takes her father's place in the army.

• a fear of heights

• "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too."

Multiple Choice

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• a 35-year-old woman named Essie and her brother

• a small apartment in Marfa, Texas

• Telling the truth may cause pain, but in the end, it's better than lying.

• Essie lied to her brother about her identity for two years, but she finally decided to tell him the truth.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• Your past does not define you.

• returning home after a long time

• A man sees a group of people he used to work with a long time ago.

• Friendship

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence:

A toad and a lizard learn to get along while on a journey through the wilderness.

The sentence above is an example of a

• plot.

• character.

• theme.

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence:

Friendship helps people get through hard times.

The sentence above is an example of a

• plot.

• character.

• main idea.

• theme.

Multiple Choice

Read the following sentence:

A woman risks her life to spy for the Union during the Civil War.

The sentence above is an example of a

• character.

• main idea.

• theme.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is most likely a theme of the story?

As Tai strummed the guitar, Charlesa looked at her with pride. For so long, Tai's fingers had clumsily tripped over the strings, but now she played the song with ease. Getting to this point hadn't been easy for Charlesa, either. She sighed, trying to bury the memories of all the screaming tantrums Tai had thrown. Once, she nearly threw her guitar against a wall. But now when Tai smiled, and the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama" floated out of the instrument, Charlesa smiled, too. It had been worth it.

• Playing a musical instrument is too much work.

• Hard work can bring great rewards.

• Friends shouldn't try to teach each other new things.

• It's OK to give up on yourself.