Identifying the Theme

What is theme?

• the message about life that the author expresses

• the time and location of a story- the setting

• sequence of events- beginning, middle, end of a story

• the main events summarized

If the topic is kindness, which of the following is a good theme statement?

• Don't cry over spilled milk.

• Treat others the way you want to be treated.

• When fear is present, wisdom cannot be.

• Face your fears.

Which of the following is NOT part of theme?

• Can be one word

• Life lesson, meaning, moral, or message about life that is communicated by a literary work

• There must be a message included in the theme about the topic/subject

• There must be a topic or subject

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• Your past does not define you.

• Returning home after a long time.

• A man sees a group of people he used to work with a long time ago.

• An old man who used to be a farmer.

Read the following sentence: A toad and a lizard learn to get along while on a journey through the wilderness. The sentence is an example of a

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

Which of the following statements about theme is TRUE?

• Authors NEVER use the same theme twice

• Themes only repeat in short stories

• All poems have the same theme

• The same themes can occur in different stories/different authors

Theme should not... (select two)

• be universal.

• be just one word.

• contain anything from the plot.

• be subjective/your opinion.

• Cheating can have negative consequences. 
• Follow directions given by a coach.
• Cross-country is a difficult sport for some kids.
• Don't let others influence you into making bad choices.

• Crying is a sign of weakness.
• Mistakes are okay as long as you learn from them.
• A failing grade is not worth crying over.
• It's important to console others when they are upset.

• Bragging is not an attractive trait to have.
• Don't put up with braggers.
• Be kind to everyone, even if they brag too much.
• Listen to advice from adults.