Theme in Literature (Hatchet)

The theme of a story is the ______________?

• main character

• message about life that the author expresses

• sequence of events

• short summary of what the story is about

What is a main idea?

• main character

• message about life that the author expresses

• sequence of events

• short summary of what the story is about

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

• Fear is more dangerous than any beast.

• A brave young girl pretend 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!"

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.

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

• Your past does not define who you are.

• returning home after a long time

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

• an old man who used to be a farmer

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

• main idea

• theme

Read the following sentence:

Friendship helps people get through tough times.

The sentence above is an example of a _________________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

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 _________________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

Read the following passage from a 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 the 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.

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

• 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.

Read the following passage from a story:

"Alex is so excited to see you," he heard his mother shout into the phone to his aunt. She always spoke louder on long-distance calls, as if raising her voice would help it travel across the Atlantic Ocean. "Aren't you, Alex?" she demanded.

Alex slumped in his chair, pushing wrinkled peas around his plate. His suitcases stood at attention in the hallway, holding eight weeks worth of shirts, pants and socks. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded.

"Patches!" his mother shrieked.

In the hallway, Patches the cat stood next to an overturned suitcase and the remains of a shattered vase. As Alex's mother rushed to assess the damage, Patches sidled up to Alex, rubbing his face against Alex's leg. Alex reached down to pet him, and Patches looked up, blinking his green eyes. He stared at Alex with his knowing look -- a look that seemed to offer so much and ask for so little in return. Alex could feel how much his cat adored him and would miss him while he was gone.

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

• Friendship is worth more than material goods.

• You must confront your past.

• Pets are more trouble than they're worth.

• The love of a pet is unlike any other.