1. Developing theme through topics
Theme Statements
Developing theme through topics

2. Warm-up activity (no…not the PE kind)
Look at the two questions for homework last night. Share with your partner the theme you have.
Are your themes similar? How are they similar or how are they different? Be prepare to share your responses.

3. Topic vs. Theme Theme statements come from topic words, such as love
acceptance
betrayal
envy
friendship

4. Topic
Topics may be the same for different stories, but the authors’ messages about the topic word may be different
For example, compare the topic of cruelty in “Most Dangerous Game” and in “The Cask of Amontillado.”
How is cruelty different in these two stories?
What is each of the author trying to say about cruelty in the stories?

5. Theme Statements
Therefore, theme statements cannot be just one word, but a complete sentence.
Theme = the author’s central idea or message of a work.

6. Simply… Think of topics as the “what.” Themes are the “so what.”
What are the big ideas in the story?
Themes are the “so what.”
So what about the topic word?
So what is the author trying to say?

7. Let’s practice!

8. Take out your agenda Homework for tonight:
Read “The Sniper” on page 211
Come up with 5 topic words
Choose 1 topic word and come up with a theme based on that topic word.
Write the 5 topic words and theme in the writing section (pg 66+) in your notebook.