Theme of a Short Story

There was a ragged old woman following behind me as I walked down each aisle.  She had a strange look on her face, as her missing teeth distorted her smile.  I rushed to try to avoid her, as I was a little nervous about what she might do.  Come to find out, I dropped some money and she was trying to return it to me.

• Old people are always mean

• don't judge a book by its cover

• you should be aware of others

• it takes courage to stand up to bullies

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What is the theme of a story?

• The series of events in a story

• The author's point of view

• The major life lesson or message

• The character's personality traits

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A story which one can read in one sitting but which contains the important elements.

• short story

• novel

• epic

• poem

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(1) In the summer, Jenna went to the town pool with her brother Jake nearly every day. (2) The pool was open to all town residents. (3) Nevertheless, very few adults went in the pool. (4) Mrs. Dillard was an exception. (5) A middle-aged woman, she came to the pool almost daily–always alone. (6) Jenna did not like Mrs. Dillard. (7) She complained when Jenna and her friends splashed too much as they dove off the diving board, and she complained when Jake and his younger friends made too much noise playing Marco Polo. (8) Jenna thought someone with so many complaints had no business hanging around a pool full of kids. (9) When the old woman swam by, Jenna stuck her tongue out behind her back, making all her friends laugh. (10) Then, one day as he sat by the pool, Jake let out a terrible scream. (11) Jenna ran over to see what was wrong and realized that a wasp had stung him. (12) Neither she nor the lifeguards knew what to do. (13) But Mrs. Dillard came over with a special medicine that she put on the sting, and soon Jake was back to his old self. (14) After that, Jenna knew that she would never again make fun of Mrs. Dillard.

• Jenna's struggle to take care of her brother

• Jenna's struggle with her attitude toward Mrs. Dillard

• Mrs. Dillard learning to swim

• Mrs. Dillard saving Jake

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What is the primary theme of a short story?

• A) The sequence of events

• B) The setting and time period

• C) The central message or lesson

• D) The main character's journey

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Which of the following best describes a theme in literature?

• A) A detailed description of the setting

• B) A recurring idea or message

• C) A list of characters

• D) A summary of the plot

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In a short story, the theme is often revealed through:

• A) The dialogue between characters

• B) The author's biography

• C) The book's cover design

• D) The number of pages

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What is a common theme in many short stories?

• A) The importance of wealth

• B) The power of friendship

• C) The details of a battle

• D) The description of a landscape

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How can a reader identify the theme of a short story?

• A) By counting the number of pages

• B) By analyzing the characters' actions and outcomes

• C) By looking at the publication date

• D) By reading the author's other works

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Which element is least likely to convey the theme of a short story?

• A) The main character's actions

• B) The setting description

• C) The plot's resolution

• D) The author's name

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