What Is Theme? “Big” Ideas Plot Isn’t Theme Where Does It Say That? Evaluating the Theme Practice Theme: What’s the Big Idea? Feature Menu

The theme is what the story is really about. The theme reveals a basic truth about our lives and human experience. What Is Theme? The writer rarely tells you the theme directly. Usually, you have to discover the theme yourself.

Near the end of the story, one friend betrays the other. What Is Theme? Suppose you read a story about two friends. If the story is well written, we feel that betrayal.

we realize that that the story is about more than what happens. What Is Theme? As we share the characters’ experiences, The story is really about how betrayal can destroy the bond between friends. This is the theme of the story. [End of Section]

Themes focus on the “big” topics in everyone’s life: “Big” Ideas Love Loss Responsibility Ambition Friendship

Are these sayings familiar? They have been used (and overused) by writers for centuries. Themes occur over and over again because some truths about human experience are universal. “Big” Ideas What goes up, must come down. Love conquers all. All that glitters is not gold. Time waits for no man. [End of Section]

1.Is this event important in the story? Why? 2.What does this event mean? 3.Do the characters understand the meaning of the event? Plot is what a story is about—what happens in the story. Plot Isn’t Theme Theme is what a story is really about—what the story reveals about life. After you identify key events in a story, ask yourself some questions:

A writer doesn’t usually state the theme directly. You probably wouldn’t want to read a story that begins this way: Where Does It Say That? Theme is what the writer wants you to discover for yourself. “This is a story that shows character matters more than size.”

One way to discover theme is by analyzing the characters in a story. Where Does It Say That? How does the main character change during the story? What does this change say about life or about people in general?

Which scenes or passages seem to be most important? What ideas about life do they suggest? Where Does It Say That? Look at the story’s title. What hints does it give you about the story’s meaning? [End of Section] There are also other ways to discover theme—other questions you can ask.

Practice 1. What does each character want? Let’s Try It On a beautiful summer afternoon, Grasshopper lay on his back on a leaf, gazing at clouds and humming a little grasshopper song. This was Grasshopper’s favorite thing to do — all day, every day. By and by, Grasshopper’s good friend Ant came by, struggling under a heavy load. “Are you crazy?” Grasshopper sneered at the ant. “It’s way too beautiful outside to work!” “You said that yesterday, Grasshopper,” Ant replied. “And the day before, and the day before, and the day before....” “That’s right, Ant. It’s always too beautiful to work! That’s what I say!” 2. What else does Grasshopper want?

1. What does each character want? Practice Grasshopper wants to lie around all day. Ant wants to get some work done. Let’s Try It On a beautiful summer afternoon, Grasshopper lay on his back on a leaf, gazing at clouds and humming a little grasshopper song. This was Grasshopper’s favorite thing to do — all day, every day. By and by, Grasshopper’s good friend Ant came by, struggling under a heavy load. “Are you crazy?” Grasshopper sneered at the ant. “It’s way too beautiful outside to work!” “You said that yesterday, Grasshopper,” Ant replied. “And the day before, and the day before, and the day before....” “That’s right, Ant. It’s always too beautiful to work! That’s what I say!”

Practice 2. What else does Grasshopper want? Grasshopper wants Ant to stop working. Let’s Try It On a beautiful summer afternoon, Grasshopper lay on his back on a leaf, gazing at clouds and humming a little grasshopper song. This was Grasshopper’s favorite thing to do — all day, every day. By and by, Grasshopper’s good friend Ant came by, struggling under a heavy load. “Are you crazy?” Grasshopper sneered at the ant. “It’s way too beautiful outside to work!” “You said that yesterday, Grasshopper,” Ant replied. “And the day before, and the day before, and the day before....” “That’s right, Ant. It’s always too beautiful to work! That’s what I say!”

Practice Let’s Try It 3. Why does Ant want to work? 4. What happens when winter comes? 5. Why is Ant hesitant about helping Grass- hopper? “True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” “Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on. By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door. There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.” “I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”

3. Why does Ant want to work? Practice Ant agrees it’s a beautiful day, but he needs to get ready for winter. Let’s Try It “True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” “Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on. By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door. There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.” “I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”

Practice 4. What happens when winter comes? Grasshopper wants Ant to feed him and give him a warm place to stay. Let’s Try It “True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” “Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on. By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door. There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.” “I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”

Practice 5. Why is Ant hesitant about helping Grass- hopper? Ant is afraid there won’t be enough for Grasshopper and Ant’s family. Let’s Try It “True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” “Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on. By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door. There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.” “I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”

6. Without knowing the end of the story, what do you think is a possible theme for the story? Practice Let’s Try It “True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” “Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on. By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door. There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.” “I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”

6. Without knowing the end of the story, what do you think is a possible theme for the story? Practice Plan for the future. You get back what you put in. Let’s Try It “True, but there’s a little chill in the air, Grasshopper. I’ve got to get ready for winter.” “Time enough for that, Ant. Maybe tomorrow.” Grasshopper leaned back and started humming again. Ant trudged on. By and by, the little chill became a freeze. Ant and his family were cozy and warm in their anthill as the snow began falling. One night, Ant heard a little tapping and went to the door. There stood Grasshopper, shivering and slapping his skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.” “I don’t know about that, Grasshopper. You’re pretty big for this house, and you probably eat more than all of us put together.”

Here’s one resolution for the story. Practice 8. Does this ending introduce another theme? Let’s Try It Ant shut the door in Grasshopper’s face. He’d worked hard all summer while that lazy Grasshopper sat around humming. Too bad for him, Ant thought, and went back to warm his hands at the fireplace. 7. Does this ending change the theme?

Practice No. There is still a theme about the consequences of playing all the time and not planning for the future. Let’s Try It Ant shut the door in Grasshopper’s face. He’d worked hard all summer while that lazy Grasshopper sat around humming. Too bad for him, Ant thought, and went back to warm his hands at the fireplace.

8. Does this ending introduce another theme? Practice Yes. You can’t always count on friends to rescue you from your mistakes. Let’s Try It Ant shut the door in Grasshopper’s face. He’d worked hard all summer while that lazy Grasshopper sat around humming. Too bad for him, Ant thought, and went back to warm his hands at the fireplace.

Practice Here’s another, different ending. 9. Does this ending change the theme? Let’s Try It “Please, please, Ant! Just until the snow stops falling. I’ll do anything—and I’ll never be lazy again!” “Oh, all right,” said the kindhearted Ant. “I could use your help in the spring anyway.” 10. Does this ending introduce another theme?

Practice Let’s Try It 9. Does this ending change the theme? “Please, please, Ant! Just until the snow stops falling. I’ll do anything—and I’ll never be lazy again!” “Oh, all right,” said the kindhearted Ant. “I could use your help in the spring anyway.” Maybe, maybe not. The work theme doesn’t seem quite as strong because Grasshopper doesn’t suffer consequences.

Practice Let’s Try It “Please, please, Ant! Just until the snow stops falling. I’ll do anything—and I’ll never be lazy again!” “Oh, all right,” said the kindhearted Ant. “I could use your help in the spring anyway.” 10. Does this ending introduce another theme? Yes. Friendship is more important than being “right.”

The End Theme: What’s the Big Idea?