1. Let’s review Theme!

2. What is a Theme? Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work. In other words… Theme is what the story teaches readers.

3. Theme A theme is not a word, it is a sentence. You don’t have to agree with the theme to identify it. Examples -Money can’t buy happiness. -Don’t judge people based on the surface. -It is better to die free than live under tyranny.

4. How to Identify Theme abstraCT NOUN (topic) + author opinion Ask yourself— “What is this story about?” THEN “What is the author saying about that?” Themes are not explicit (clearly stated). Themes are implied. Themes are bigger than the story.

5. Abstract Nouns (topics) Examp les: Truth Friends hip Good/ev il karma relationshi ps wealth

6. Abstract Nouns (topics) + author opinion on that topic topic: Good/evil Topic: wealth +opinion= good will conquer evil +opinion= wealth does not equal happiness.

7. Example Tim hated his old baseball glove. He wanted to play with a new glove, but he didn’t have any money, so he decided to steal it. But when Tim got caught stealing the glove, his parents said he couldn’t play baseball all summer. **What is the theme?

8. Themes are about the big picture. Not “Tim shouldn’t steal.” Think BIGGER. Find “Real” World advice. Big World of the Theme. Applies to the “Real World. Small World of the Story

9. Let’s use our formula! Possible topics/abstract nouns: Greed, want, consequences Topic: consequences What is the author saying about consequences?

10. Jenny Puchovier was so excited. She had a pack of Starburst in her lunch and she had been looking forward to eating them all morning. Lunch finally came and Jenny sat down to eat her Starbursts when her friend Trudy sat next to her. “Let me get the pink ones,” asked Trudy. Jenny liked the pink ones best, but she thought Trudy was funny and Jenny wanted Trudy to like her, so Jenny gave Trudy all of her pink Starbursts. Before Jenny was done giving Trudy the pink ones, Carrie sat on the other side of Jenny. “Let me get the red and the orange ones, Jenny. Remember when I gave you that Snickers?” Jenny didn’t remember that, though she did remember when Carrie ate a whole Snickers in front of her, but Jenny thought Carrie was cool, so she gave her the red and the orange Starbursts. Now that she only had the yellow ones, Jenny wasn’t so excited about eating Starbursts anymore.

11. Let’s begin. Rarely does a film state its theme, however… http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/mean-girls/math- championship

12. Examples in Film http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/how-the-grinch- stole-christmas/merry-christmas http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/how-the-grinch- stole-christmas/merry-christmas http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/mean- girls/anything-to-apologize-for http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/mean- girls/anything-to-apologize-for http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/the-pursuit-of- happyness/happiness http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/the-pursuit-of- happyness/happiness http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/back-to-the- future/your-destiny http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/back-to-the- future/your-destiny http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/forrest-gump/i- gotta-find-bubba http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/forrest-gump/i- gotta-find-bubba

13. Review 1.Theme is what we can learn from a story. 2.Themes must be inferred. 3.Theme= Abstract Noun/Topic + Author Opinion