1. Themes in Literature

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. What is the THEME in literature?
For example, think about the Topic and Theme of the classic story Cinderella.
If you are describing the TOPIC, you might say it is a story about a poor girl who marries a prince.
But if you are describing the THEME, it could be described as an example of karma or good things happening to good people.
What is Theme in Literature?

4. 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.

5. Themes are bigger than the story.
Identifying Themes
Themes are not explicit (clearly stated).
Themes are implied.
Themes are bigger than the story.

6. The theme is not the same thing as the subject.
The subject is simply the topic. It can be stated in a single word, such as loyalty.
The theme makes some revelation about the subject and should be expressed in a sentence: “Loyalty to a leader is not always noble.”

7. Stories The Little Red Hen Beauty and the Beast The Three Little Pigs
Match these familiar stories to the appropriate universal theme.
Stories
The Little Red Hen
Beauty and the Beast
The Three Little Pigs
The Ugly Duckling
The Frog Prince
It pays to work hard and plan ahead.
Appearances can be deceiving.

8. The most often overlooked tool to improve reading, as well as learning from text is, writing.