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

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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.