RL 6.2: DETERMINING THEME

Tina was not in the mood to be helping her Mom paint her bedroom. However, her mom told her that if she wanted hot pink bedroom walls, she would have to help. The main problem was that Tina’s mom was such a perfectionist that it would take forever! Tina asked if they could split the room in half, with each of them painting two walls. To her surprise, her Mom agreed!

Tina didn’t waste any time with her two walls. Except for a couple of mistakes where her roller of paint hit the ceiling, she was pleased with how nice her two walls of wet paint looked. Her mom, who was just finishing her first wall, told her she could go to a movie with her friend as promised.

After the movie, Tina invited her friend to see her new hot pink colored room. When she walked in, she couldn’t believe what she saw. In front of her were two walls that looked just as she had imagined they would; those were the two walls her mom had painted. The two walls she had painted, though, didn’t look so hot. Instead of being a bright solid pink, she saw a lot of areas where she did not use enough paint, so bits of the previous white wall color showed through. Tina couldn’t deny the fact that she would have to apply another coat of paint to the walls she had done.

• a. Splitting the room in half can be a good way to tackle a painting job.

• b. It’s better to do things right the first time.

• c. If you have a good suggestion, adults will agree with it.

• d. Painting a room can be a time-consuming task.

Kristen’s fifth grade class had a well-known group of popular girls, and everyone knew that you were either in the group or not in the group. Every once in a while, the popular girls would invite a classmate from outside their clique to join their group. Kristen and her friend Maria longed to be asked to join the elite group.

One day, as she was walking out of the building after school, a few girls from that group walked up to her and invited her to hang out with them the next day at recess. Kristen could hardly contain her excitement… until she thought of her friend, Maria. She asked if Maria could join them at recess.

“No, we only want you,” one stated matter-of-factly.

“I’m going to have to pass, then,” Kristen replied. As the group of girls walked away, she muttered to herself, “I don’t want to be part of a group like that, anyway.”

• a. There are more important things in life than being popular

• b. Popularity will make you inconsiderate of others’ feelings.

• c. Cliques shouldn’t be allowed.

• d. Friends can sometimes let one another down.

Josie was upset with herself. When she started the test, she was nervous that everything she had studied would slip from her mind. Therefore, she had only skimmed the directions. Because she did not read the directions

thoroughly, she missed the fact that there was a second step to be completed for every question. When Mr. Baxter returned the test, Josie was shocked to

see that she had earned a failing grade on it. She answered every single question correctly, but had simply failed to do the second task! This was the first time she had ever failed a test. Before Josie knew it, she was in tears.

Josie’s teacher pulled her into the hall to console her. “Josie, don’t beat yourself up about this. It’s good that you care, but you need to remember that

it’s just one test. You’re not going to fail the class because of your grade on this one test. Besides, I figure everyone has a bad day every now and then, so I always drop each student’s lowest score when figuring grades.”

Josie brightened a bit. “Well, I guess I should be glad it happened in your class then. This will make me read the directions carefully from now on.”

What is a theme of this text?

• a. Crying is a sign of weakness.

• b. Mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them.

• c. A failing grade is not worth crying over.

• d. It’s important to console others when they are upset.

Lucky

Chelsea couldn't believe her luck. Her teacher had assigned a class project and she was paired with Susie. At school, Susie was always a studious student who was very helpful to others. Chelsea knew that she could always count on Susie to help anyone in the class if they were trying to learn something new. It gave her great joy and comfort to be her partner on this project.

A few days later, both girls met at Susie’s house. The project was a presentation about their state, and students were asked to give as many facts about the state as possible. It turned out that Susie had moved only a year ago to their state so she was the one who needed help this time. Chelsea had always loved social studies, and she knew lots of facts already. She was able to contribute more to the conversation than Susie and that was very helpful to Susie. Susie also helped Chelsea find ways to locate the rest of the information they did not know.

That day, Chelsea and Susie learned a lot about each other and became good friends. Chelsea felt that she had the chance to get to know Susie more personally out of school. It turns out that Susie also thought that Chelsea was very helpful at school and she admired her very much. This rapport helped the girls deliver an excellent presentation that the rest of the students and the teacher enjoyed.

Which sentence from the passage best supports the theme of "appearances can be deceiving"?

• Her teacher had assigned a class project and she was paired with Susie.

• Chelsea knew that she could always count on Susie to help anyone in the class if they were trying to learn something new.

• It turned out that Susie had moved only a year ago to their state so she was the one who needed help this time.

• This rapport helped the girls deliver an excellent presentation that the rest of the students and the teacher enjoyed.

The Princess and the Cowherd

A Chinese Legend

Long ago in China, there lived a princess named Vega and a cowherd named Altair. One day, Vega and Altair met and fell in love, and Altair went to the king to ask if he could marry his beautiful daughter. The king could see they were very much in love, and he said they could marry straightaway.

Vega and Altair were very happy and spent every minute of the day together. Vega no longer sat at her loom weaving every day, and Altair no longer went to the fields. This made the king very angry because all of Altair's cows wandered away and the people no longer received milk, and Vega's loom remained unused and people did not receive warm clothes. So, he sent Altair to live on the far side of the Milky Way. Then, he made the rule that the two may see each other only once a year.

Vega sat at her loom each day, waiting for the time to come when she could see Altair. When the day finally came, she hurried to find a way across the Milky Way, but no matter how hard she tried she could not find a way across. She began to weep bitter tears at the loss of one more day without her true love.

A flock of magpies saw how sad she was and spread their wings to make a bridge across the Milky Way. Vega ran lightly over their wings and into the arms of the waiting Altair. The magpies promised to be there on the same day each year. This is how the stars, Vega and Altair, are now able to meet on the seventh day of the seventh month every year.

What is the theme of the passage?

• A. It is important to obey the orders of one’s elders.

• B. True love will find a way through difficulties.

• C. It is foolish to choose love over one's duties.

• D. Love grows between those who do not meet often.

Passage 1

Once upon a time a wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily. He saw some sheep standing in a field. I wish I could eat one for dinner, he thought to himself, but how can I get close to them? Then he had an idea. He found an old sheepskin and covered himself with it. Encased in the skin of the sheep, he pastured with the flock deceiving the shepherd with his costume. The wolf thought that he would wait until the night to eat one of the sheep. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure.

But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught the wolf instead of a sheep. It was a bad idea for the wolf to look like a sheep.

adapted from "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" by Aesop

Passage 2

"My child," said a crab to her son, "why do you walk so awkwardly? If you wish to make a good appearance, you should go straight forward and not in that one-sided manner."

"I do wish to make a good appearance, Mamma," said the young crab. "If you will show me how, I will try to walk straight forward."

"Why, this is the way, of course," said the mother, as she started off to the right. "No, this is the way," said she, as she made another attempt, to the left. The mother crab tried and tried but found that she could only walk sideways. All crabs walk sideways! After that, the mother crab stopped complaining about her son and they were even happier.

adapted from "The Crab and His Mother" by Aesop

Which theme do these two stories share?

• A. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

• B. Crabs cannot walk forward.

• C. Greediness doesn't pay off in the end.

• D. It is important to just be yourself.

My Mother's Amulet

It wasn't just the way she left a kiss

On my forehead —the tiny smack,

and the cherry lipstick,

and how she pushed my hair,

but gently held my face.

She watched how long I waited

before I wiped the color from my skin,

if I even dared.

She wanted all the evil eyes in the world

to know how I was guarded by a spell—

One mixed with love and strength

And the cherry red.

What is the best way to describe the theme of the poem?

• A. Cherry lipstick can scare away evil beings.

• B. A mother's love can protect you from evil.

• C. You are sometimes your own worst enemy.

• D. Friends and family are important in life.

excerpt from Sympathy

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;

When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,

And the river flows like a stream of glass;

⁵ When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,

And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—

I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;

¹⁰ For he must fly back to his perch and cling

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

Which line best illustrates the theme of the poem?

• A. When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,

• B. When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,

• C. When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

• D. And they pulse again with a keener sting

The Dropout

by c. safos

Every day, when Darnell came home from school, he worked on his science project. He quit playing pick-up basketball games with his friends. He quit the Macoon Art Club at school. He didn't have time for his afternoon television shows, and he barely spoke to his sister, except at dinner.

Darnell was consumed with the school's annual science fair. He had won two years in a row, and now, this year, the grand prize was $1,000. Darnell was focused on making sure he would win for a third year. He thought about having a huge party and inviting all his friends. He would hire a D.J. He would cater food. He would have dancing. He had it in mind that he would win first prize again, and he and his friends and family could celebrate.

As the fall changed into winter, Darnell was getting closer and closer to completion. He had drawn up blueprints for a robot that talked. It was his best invention yet. He could just imagine the trophy and all his friends and family cheering for him as he was presented with the check.

The days seemed to fly by, and many people in Darnell's life began to miss him. Then, many became sad because he had ignored them while he worked at his science project. Slowly, his friends stopped calling his house to see if he wanted to go see a movie or play a game of basketball. His sister stopped going to Darnell to show him her newest piece she had made in the Macoon Art Club. The sad thing was that Darnell didn't even notice any of these changes.

The day of the science fair arrived. As the judges made their selections for the best of the competition, Darnell couldn't contain himself. They awarded third place to Martin Freeman for his invention. Second place went to Sophie Romo for her turbine engine. Finally, the judges awarded first place—Darnell won! As he became excited, he realized none of his friends were there to cheer for him. Not even his sister was there to congratulate him. He looked around the room to see Martin Freeman surrounded by his friends cheering him on. Sophie Romo had her family there taking pictures.

Then, Darnell remembered the fall. He thought about the phone calls he missed. He thought about the times he ignored his sister and her accomplishments. Suddenly, his check for $1,000 didn't seem like quite enough. Suddenly, he found himself wanting to cash it in to have the fall back again.

How do Darnell's actions contribute to the theme?

• A. He isolates himself and turns his friends and family against him.

• B. He forgets how to play basketball, and his friends desert him.

• C. He wins the big prize, and everyone around him gets jealous.

• D. He makes his sister quit making art at the Macoon Art Club

Yagar and the Dragon

A long time ago, several ferocious dragons plagued the peaceful village called Harmony. After many years of dragon attacks, the village warriors finally destroyed the dragons. However, Yagar, a young man in the village, discovered a dragon egg in the nearby underground caverns. Many of the villagers wanted to destroy the egg. The village elders decided that the dragon should be tamed and used to defend the village. According to legend, the first person to touch a newly hatched dragon would become its master. If no one touched the dragon within an hour after it hatched, it would become wild and harm any human it met. The village elders chose Yagar to be the dragon master. He would spend the rest of his life training and caring for the dragon. This important duty would bring great honor to Yagar’s family. No one knew when the dragon would hatch. Only Yagar was allowed to be near the egg because the elders wanted to make sure that no one else became the dragon master. Yagar lived in the underground cave for months. He only went above ground for a few minutes a day. Yagar was lonely and bored.

One day, while Yagar was outside gathering some roots and berries to eat, the dragon egg cracked open. Yagar was enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. He took his time gathering the food. Meanwhile, the baby dragon emerged, stretched its legs and wings, and wobbled to the cavern’s opening. It looked around, flapped its wings, and flew away. Yagar returned to the cave and found the broken pieces of eggshell. He searched for the dragon in all of the underground tunnels. Then Yagar looked for the dragon outside. He couldn’t find a trace of it anywhere. Yagar ran to his village and reported that the dragon had hatched and disappeared. Everyone searched for the dragon.

A young girl named Bazille spotted the dragon in a tree. The dragon was covered in brilliant red scales with rows of blue spikes on its back and tail. Bazille quickly climbed the tree and petted the beautiful dragon. The baby dragon immediately bonded with the girl. Bazille became the dragon master. The village threw a grand celebration to honor Bazille. The elders gave Bazille and her family a large house and an endless supply of food.

Yagar was greatly ashamed that he had failed to become the dragon master. He left the village and lived by himself in the underground caverns. Many years passed. Yagar became an old, hunchbacked man filled with regret.

One day as Yagar sat and stared at the old broken pieces of eggshell, he heard a strange noise. He followed the sound to a room at the end of a tunnel. To Yagar’s amazement, he saw a bright red dragon with blue spikes lying next to an egg. The dragon was tame. Yagar realized it was the same dragon that had hatched in the underground caverns so many years ago. After all this time, Yagar had another chance to become a dragon master. He was filled with new hope.

Select all of the correct answers.

Which of the following themes are found in this passage?

• Holding onto past mistakes prevents one from moving forward in life.

• People all have the same needs whether they are rich or poor.

• A person will only have friends if he or she is a friend to others.

• If someone truly loves someone, he or she will let that person go.

• No matter where a person is in life, he or she can make a new start.