Theme Application

What is the definition of theme?

• A universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express.

• Events that occur within the story

• Author's reason for writing the story

• Location of the stories

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 in this story?

• Don't steal

• Look both ways before crossing the street. 

• Necessity is the mother of invention. 

• One good turn deserves another.

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.

"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.

One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart. He saw an Ant passing by working hard to store food for the winter. “Come and sing with me instead of working so hard,” said the Grasshopper “Let’s have fun together.” “I must store food for the winter,” said the Ant,“ and I advise you to do the same.” “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away,” said the Grasshopper, laughing at him. But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued to work. When winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat. “If you had listened to my advice in the summer you would not now be in need,” said the Ant. “I’m afraid you will have to go without supper,” and he closed the door.

What is the theme?

• Nature and man must get along

• Work before you play

• Sunsets and sunrises are beautiful

• Nature and beauty are permanent.

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?

• Nature and man must get along

• It pays to be honest.

• Cheat to win

• Nature and beauty are permanent.