1. Theme
The Search for Meaning

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 the general, underlying truth of a text.

3. Themes
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.

4. Identifying Themes
Themes are not explicit (clearly stated). Themes are implied. Themes develop over the course of a story, play, and poem. Themes are bigger than the text.
Big World of the Theme.
Applies to the “Real” World.
Small
World
of the
Text

5. Got it—themes are about the big picture
Got it—themes are about the big picture. How do I move from the small world of the story to the big picture to construct and analyze a relevant statement of theme, though?

6. Step 1: Start by identifying thematic topics a text explores.
Let’s think back to “My Papa’s Waltz”
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy
We romped until the pans
Slid from the kitchen shelf;
My mother’s countenance
Could not unfrown itself.
The hand that held my wrist
Was battered on one knuckle;
At every step you missed
My right ear scraped a buckle.
You beat time on my head
With a palm caked hard by dirt,
Then waltzed me off to bed
Still clinging to your shirt.
Thematic Topics:
Dominance / Abuse / Love / Pain / Resilience / Etc…

7. Step 2: Ask yourself, what universal truth does the text convey about this thematic topic? The complete-sentence answer to that question leads you to theme.
Example:
Thematic topic: Pain
Question: What universal truth does “My Papa’s Waltz” convey about Pain?
Answer (THEME!): Pain can come from the people who are supposed to protect you.
Theme check:
Does this statement of theme make a point about life, written in a complete sentence?
Do I need to make inferences about “My Papa’s Waltz” as a whole to arrive at this theme?
Does this theme focus on the BIG picture?

8. Dominance/ Abuse / Love / Pain / Resilience…
Step 1 & 2: Now you try.
Dominance/ Abuse / Love / Pain / Resilience…
In your groups, choose a different thematic topic for “My Papa’s Waltz” and write down a theme. We will share and workshop our thematic statements in 10 minutes.
Remember the following:
Thematic topic:
Question: What universal truth does “My Papa’s Waltz” convey about this idea?
Answer (THEME!):
Theme check (answer each question for your statement of theme):
Does this statement of theme make a point about life, written in a complete sentence? Why?
Do I need to make inferences about “My Papa’s Waltz”as a whole to arrive at this theme? How?
Does this theme focus on the BIG picture? Why?