They work hand-in-hand. Character and Theme They work hand-in-hand.

Learning Goal Understanding the characters actions, thoughts, and feelings in a story will help me identify the theme.

Introduction Characters are the people who do things or have things done to them. Themes are the interwoven ideas that hold a story or novel together.

All About Characters Characters often determine why and how you read a story. Your ability to “read a character” in a piece of writing affects a lot: Your view of the plot Your opinions of the other characters Your understanding of the theme

Clues About Characters Physical appearance and personality Speech, thoughts, feelings, actions, and desires Interactions with other characters Direct comments by the author about the character Personal history or other background information

A Character’s Affect Characters make the plot happen. Characters’ comments about and reactions to other characters provide important insights. Characters act out a story’s theme.

All About Theme The themes of a novel are more abstract ideas that comment on the subject of the novel. Some stories have obvious themes, but other stories can be more complex. An author might develop a theme but never come right out and say what the theme is.

Plan for Understanding Theme Identify the “big ideas” or central topics. Themes appear as ideas throughout the story and are expressed through what different characters do, think, or say. Themes are often introduced through a story’s title. You can identify a central topic by noting the chief conflicts in a work or by concentrating on what characters do, say, and want. Look for recurring topics.

Common Topics for Themes Ambition Change Choices Courage Culture Differences Family Freedom Future Growing up Hope Identity Justice Loss Love Loyalty Money Power Prejudice Relationships Secrets Success Trust Truth Jot down a few words that could be considered as the topic for the theme of our novel.

Plan for Understanding Theme Find out what the characters do or say that relates to the central topics. See what the author says about it and how the characters’ actions relate to the idea. If you chose a good topic to investigate, you will find examples and details relating to this topic throughout a story. Clues about the theme: Repeated words, ideas, or symbols Images and metaphors Important plot events or dialogue Changes in characters’ actions, beliefs, or values

Plan for Understanding Theme State what the author says about life that relates to the central topics. Use a topic and theme organizer. List the big idea or main topic. Tell the details of what the characters say or do that relates to that topic. Write what is important to learn about this topic.

Characters and Theme The themes of a story will typically mirror the themes running through the main character’s life. Characters’ actions, feelings, or thoughts about life. Be on the lookout for what the characters say about life in general or for what they reveal about their actions or feelings. A change in character. Characters change as they experience new things and learn from those experiences.

Tips for Making Theme Statements State your idea. Use precise words. Avoid using characters’ names. A good theme statement will not limit you to talking only about the main character. Try not to summarize the story. Vague words make it hard to get your point across. (good, important, bad, etc.) Good theme statements are about the whole story and its ideas, not just one particular character.

Theme and You Different readers will have different interpretations of a work. Readers bring their own experiences and ideas to a text, and these influence their interpretation. So long as you or another reader can provide evidence that supports your interpretation, you are reading well.