Theme and Summary Review

Your past does not determine the person you can become in the future.

This sentence is most likely an example of:

• main idea

• summary

• theme

• topic

Israel caught the pass and ran towards the end zone like his life depended on it. He dodged and jumped over the opposing players who were coming towards him like heat guided missiles. Israel was 5 yards from the end zone and could see someone coming at him from the side. As the opponent dove towards him, Israel did a front flip into the end zone. He turned towards the score board and what he saw made his heart jump for joy. 21-18. They did it! Not only were they undefeated, they are now state champions. Israel triumphantly lifted the ball above his head. Despite the numerous obstacles he had last season, he had broken all of his school's rushing yards this year. Israel unconsciously rubbed his knee and thought back to the preseason game last year when he blew out his knee, had surgery, and spent months in rehab wondering if he would ever take the field again. He could almost feel the pain he had experienced. There were times he was close to giving up, but he pushed through by visualizing a moment just like this one. His teammates finally made it to the end zone to celebrate with him. As they lifted him up on their shoulders, he smiled out at the crowd cheering for them and held the football up in victory. Which of the following is most likely a theme of the passage?

• You need the support of your family to overcome the challenges.

• You should stay humble and avoid bragging about your accomplishments.

• Through determination and hard work, you can overcome challenges in order to achieve a goal

• Some dreams are unrealistic and should be kept to yourself if you want them to come true at some point in your life.

he island Yvonn lives on forbids anyone from venturing past the reef because of the great danger that lays beyond the self imposed boundary. Stories of these dangers have been past down from generation to generation causing the people of the island to stay in fear of what lays beyond the reef. However, disease is now spreading around the island affecting the crops and resources of her home. Even though she was forbidden by her father, the chief, to go beyond the reef to seek answers and possible solutions to their problems, Yvonn decides to take matters into her own hands. Defying ancient stories, traditions, and her family, Yvonn goes beyond the reef and is able to find the answers needed to save her island. Which of the following is most likely the theme of this passage?

• Family knows best.

• Some boundaries are meant to be broken.

• Living near the ocean can be dangerous for various of reasons

• A girl defies her dad's orders in order to find a solution for her island.

Mom! Mom! Mom! Lola yelled with excitement as she burst through the front door. "I got the part! I am the lead in our school's rendition of High school Musical! I can't believe I beat out Makenzie. She has been the lead in every play since 4th grade." Lola could just see herself on stage, under the lights, singing for the packed auditorium. This was her dream come true. "That's great, honey!" Her mom exclaimed as she hugged her tight. Her stepdad, David, gave her a fist bump. Lola handed off all of the information and blathered on about practices, costumes, and cast parties. She noticed her mom no longer had the same energy as before. "Aren't you excited for me, mom?" Lola asked. "Yes, of course. But this paper says the performance is Friday, May 6th," mom commented. "Yeah. So," Lola replied. Her mom sighed, "Honey. That's your dad's wedding. You can't miss it." "What?!" Lola grabbed the paper and then sat down dejectedly on the couch. She knew her mom was right, but she was so disappointed she had to pass up this opportunity. "Fine," Lola replied. "I will let Mrs. Atkins know on Monday. I guess Makenzie will once again be the lead of something." When Lola arrived to school on Monday morning, everyone was congratulating her on the role. It felt good to have all of the attention on her. She decided to at least go to the first practice and see what it felt like to be the lead of something. Well, one practice turned to two, which turned into a week, which led to a month. Lola told her mom she was helping out backstage so she could still be involved, but in actuality, she was continuing with her role as if she would be the one on stage. Lola felt guilty as the weeks ticked by, but she didn't know how to stop this snowball from rolling. Finally, the week before dress rehearsals, Lola pulled Mrs. Atkins aside and told her the truth. To say she was disappointed in how Lola handled the situation was an understatement. "Don't think I will forget this when it is time for auditions next year," Mrs. Adkins said as she walked away. At that moment, Lola knew she threw away any opportunity she had at landing the lead role again.

• Even though it's hard, honesty is the best route to take.

• Family will always be there to support you so they should comes first.

• School plays are a great after school activity for students to be involved in.

• Lola landed her dream role and was afraid to tell everyone she could not accept it since she had to be in her dad's wedding.

Which of these things is not related to the "theme" in a story?

• how a character is feeling

• a "life lesson" the main character learns

• a big idea that people from any culture or any place can understand

• the moral of the story

When determining a theme, the reader should first consider...

• the illustrations

• the subject or topic

• the title

• the length of the story 

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

A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow bridge, he looked down and saw his reflection in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a foolish Dog he had been.
What is the theme?

• Be honest.

• Don't be greedy.

• Always share your things with others.

• Be respectful to others.

Choose the BEST answer: A story's main theme might be difficult to figure out because...

• Authors rarely want the reader to figure it out.

• Only complicated, adult stories have themes.

• It has little to do with plot, characters, and other story elements.

• It is rarely stated explicitly.

What is the theme of this story?

• Slowly but surely wins the race.

• We are stronger together than we are apart.

• Don't be lazy.

• If you try to go on your own, you will get eaten by a big fish.