Theme

A novel can have more than one theme.

• TRUE
• FALSE

A theme should be a statement, not just one word. 

• TRUE
• FALSE

One way you could figure out the theme is to...

• Skim through the story
• Just read the beginning of the story
• Think about what the character has learned
• Read the ending of the story

What is the theme of this story?  

• Eat your vegetables.
• Don't brag. Be modest. 
• Don't talk to strangers. 
• Necessity is the mother of invention.

What is the theme of this story? 

• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• Don't steal.
• Respect your elders.
• Slowly but surely wins the race.

What is the theme of this story? 

• Don't be greedy.
• Work together.
• Respect your elders. 
• Don't steal.

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower; 
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay. 
What is the central theme of this poem?

• Nature and man must get along
• Wonderful and beautiful things only last a short while
• Sunsets and sunrises are beautiful
• Nature and beauty are permanent.

In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he would die of thirst. Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.
What is the theme?

• be persistent
• be honest
• always share with others
• respect your family

During a baseball game, Tanner tried to tag a player leaving first base. When the umpire called the player out, Tanner immediately informed the umpire that he in fact did not tag the runner. Two weeks later, the very same umpire was at another one of Tanner’s baseball games. Tanner was playing short stop and tagged a runner as they approached third base. When the umpire called the player safe, Tanner didn’t say a word, but the umpire noticed the surprised look on Tanner’s face. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked Tanner. When Tanner told her that he did tag the runner, the umpire changed her decision and called the player out. The coaches and parents were furious, but the umpire stood by her decision.
What is the theme?

• You should cheat to win.
• Always work hard.
• It pays to be honest.
• Teamwork is best.

All Cameron wanted to do with his life was be a singer. He didn't pay attention in school and he spent all of this time at home watching music videos online and impersonating his idols. His mother tried to teach him the value of getting an education and having a backup plan, but Cameron would respond the same way every time, "Mom, I won't need to know any of that boring old stuff when I'm famous, You'll see." But there was one major problem with Cameron's plan; wasn't any good at singing. Cameron wanted to be a singer so badly, that he didn't notice the pained look on the faces of those who endured his singing. Because he wanted to be a singer to badly, when honest people told him to find something else to do with his life, he accused them of being "jealous haters" and ignored their advice. After Cameron dropped out of high school to focus on his music career, the years passed and the doors never opened.  

• No matter what your dream or goal in life is, always get an education because you never know what might happen.
• Always listen to what people say about you
• Never give up on your dreams
• You don't necessarily need an education to get ahead in life.