And the Theme Is

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

A theme within a book, short story, or poetry is the message readers can take away after they have finished reading.

It is not the main idea of the story, but the big idea that connects the work to the reader. This big idea can exist outside of the story.

• A theme can be a universal truth or a generalization about life.
• There is often more than one theme in a story.
• A theme can recur in many different texts.
• In a story such as a fable or a fairy tale, the moral of the story is often its theme.
• It is not one word; that is usually the subject of the story.
• It is not specific to the characters or plot; that is the main idea.

A few common examples of themes are:

• overcoming adversity to find success
• the importance of family
• death is a part of the life cycle

Take a few minutes to think about books you have read or movies you have seen (because movies have themes, too).

• Can you think of one that might use one of the themes mentioned here?

*Spoiler Alert* The Lion King includes all three of these themes:

• Simba learns death is a part of the life cycle when his father dies.
• He learns the importance of family when Timon and Pumbaa take him in.
• He learns about overcoming adversity to find success when he must challenge Scar and face his past in order to become the rightful King.

As you continue to discover different themes, use the Finding Themes in Movies and Writing T-Chart, found under Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar, to create a list. 

Think of movies or books you know that demonstrate these themes. Watch the following videos to learn more about how to find themes in literature.

Themes in Literature from Mometrix Academy:

How To Find A Theme from D4Darious (section only):

After you have finished your T-Chart, share it with someone else, and explain to them how to discover the theme in a work!