1. Theme, Message and Symbolism in Pay it Forward
Learning Objectives
To be able to:
To identify theme, message and symbolism in Pay it Forward
To understand how to construct a film review using religious interpretations

2. Symbols: what do the following mean to us?

3. Key Words – In pairs, try to come up with definitions for the following key words:
Theme
Message
Symbol and symbolism
Allegory

4. Key Words Theme: main ideas in a piece of fiction or a talk
Message: an important moral or political idea that a film maker or author is trying to communicate to his audience
Symbol and symbolism: images or objects that represent something that is often abstract or intangible

5. Allegory = Story with an underlying meaning
What are the allegories in the following books/films?
Can you think of any other films/books which are allegories?
The Chronicles of Narnia

6. The Jesus Allegory
Allegory = the symbolic expression of deeper meaning through a story or scene acted out by a human, animal or mystical character

7. Pay it Forward
Continue watching the film from scene 1hour (Scene 20) until the end of scene 29 (1 hour 33 mins). As you watch and listen, think about and discuss:
Themes
Christian teachings
The music and lyrics
The images and symbols
Camera techniques