1. Theme: Truths About Our Lives
Feature Menu
What Is Theme?
How Can I Find the Theme?
Recurring Themes
Practice

2. What Is Theme?
Some stories have an effect on us that goes beyond the suspense of following characters and events.
These stories offer a deeper meaning that we can apply to our own lives.

3. What Is Theme?
The deeper meaning that a reader takes away from a story is called the story’s theme.
It lurks beneath the surface of the story
and sometimes isn’t revealed until the end.

4. What Is Theme?
The meaning, or theme, of a story comes from both the writer and the individual reader.
meaning

5. What Is Theme?
Most writers say they don’t know their theme when they begin to write.
Instead, the theme emerges or develops as the story or poem is written.

6. What Is Theme? The theme becomes clear to the reader in a similar way—
gradually, as the reader makes his or her way through the story.

7. What Is Theme?
A story’s theme usually grows out of what its writer believes about life.
Frightening experiences leave emotional scars.
Frightening experiences make you tough.

8. What Is Theme?
Readers may differ on what they see as a story’s theme. The two students below have both read a story about a family hiding from the Nazis.
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9. How Can I Find the Theme?
Look at these elements to find a story’s theme. Remember that your interpretation of a story’s theme may be different from someone else’s.
TITLE: Authors often use titles to hint at a story’s theme.
You Can’t Go Home Again
Possible theme: You can’t stop places and people from changing.

10. How Can I Find the Theme?
Look at these elements to find a story’s theme. Remember that your interpretation of a story’s theme may be different from someone else’s.
CHARACTERS: How do the main characters change? What do they discover?
An irresponsible boy tells a lie that sends a man to prison; then the boy tells the truth.
Possible theme: A person’s highest duty is to his own conscience.

11. How Can I Find the Theme?
Look at these elements to find a story’s theme. Remember that your interpretation of a story’s theme may be different from someone else’s.
BIG MOMENTS: Which scenes or passages seem most important?
Sadie realizes she’s having the same argument with her best friend as she did with her parents.
Possible theme: You can’t escape yourself.

12. How Can I Find the Theme?
Look at these elements to find a story’s theme. Remember that your interpretation of a story’s theme may be different from someone else’s.
THE RESOLUTION: How are conflicts or problems in the story settled?
After ten years of being out of touch, Mike shows up at his father’s birthday party.
Possible theme: Love is stronger than pride.
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13. Recurring Themes
People all over the world share the same dreams and fears. It’s not surprising that stories from all over the world share the same themes.
We call these recurring themes: themes that appear over and over.

14. Recurring Themes
Can you identify the recurring themes in these two passages?
One day a man came to our house and offered my mother twice her yearly wages to buy our land.
The government told us they needed to build a ski lodge right where our cabin sat. They said they needed to bring in tourists.
RECURRING THEMES: Devotion to one’s land and heritage is more important than financial gain.
The longer a family lives in an area, the more ownership it feels over the land.
Land ownership can provide a strong sense of stability.
My mother told him our family had lived next to this bay for six generations, and his money couldn’t move us.
I told them no tourist was going to ski through the room where I was born without hitting a wall first.
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15. Practice
Let’s Try It
In Response to Executive Order 9066: All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers
Dear Sirs:
Of course I’ll come. I’ve packed my galoshes
and three packets of tomato seeds. Denise calls them
“love apples.” My father says where we’re going
they won’t grow.
1. What does the title of this poem suggest about its theme?

16. Practice
Let’s Try It
In Response to Executive Order 9066: All Americans of Japanese Descent Must Report to Relocation Centers
Dear Sirs:
Of course I’ll come. I’ve packed my galoshes
and three packets of tomato seeds. Denise calls them
“love apples.” My father says where we’re going
they won’t grow.
1. What does the title of this poem suggest about its theme?
The poem is a response to a government order that sounds unjust. The theme may be related to injustice.

17. Practice
Let’s Try It
I am a fourteen-year-old girl with bad spelling
and a messy room. If it helps any, I will tell you
I have always felt funny using chopsticks
and my favorite food is hot dogs.
My best friend is a white girl named Denise—
we look at boys together. She sat in front of me
all through grade school because of our names:
O’Connor, Ozawa. I know the back of Denise’s head very well.
I tell her she’s going bald. She tells me I copy on tests.
We’re best friends.
2. What has the speaker of this poem discovered regarding Executive Order 9066?

18. Practice
Let’s Try It
I am a fourteen-year-old girl with bad spelling
and a messy room. If it helps any, I will tell you
I have always felt funny using chopsticks
and my favorite food is hot dogs.
My best friend is a white girl named Denise—
we look at boys together. She sat in front of me
all through grade school because of our names:
O’Connor, Ozawa. I know the back of Denise’s head very well.
I tell her she’s going bald. She tells me I copy on tests.
We’re best friends.
2. What has the speaker of this poem discovered regarding Executive Order 9066?
The government doesn’t trust her—even though she feels and acts American.

19. Practice I saw Denise today in Geography class.
Let’s Try It
I saw Denise today in Geography class.
She was sitting on the other side of the room.
“You’re trying to start a war,” she said, “giving secrets away
to the Enemy. Why can’t you keep your big mouth shut?”
I didn’t know what to say.
3. What big moment happens on this page? How does it tie in to a possible theme?

20. Practice I saw Denise today in Geography class.
Let’s Try It
I saw Denise today in Geography class.
She was sitting on the other side of the room.
“You’re trying to start a war,” she said, “giving secrets away
to the Enemy. Why can’t you keep your big mouth shut?”
I didn’t know what to say.
3. What big moment happens on this page? How does it tie in to a possible theme?
Denise accuses the main character of being a spy. Her accusation is unjust.

21. Practice I gave her a packet of tomato seeds
Let’s Try It
I gave her a packet of tomato seeds
and asked her to plant them for me, told her
when the first tomato ripened
she’d miss me.
4. How is the situation resolved?
5. What do you think is the poem’s theme?

22. Practice I gave her a packet of tomato seeds
Let’s Try It
I gave her a packet of tomato seeds
and asked her to plant them for me, told her
when the first tomato ripened
she’d miss me.
4. How is the situation resolved?
The main character insists on being remembered as a friend.

23. Practice I gave her a packet of tomato seeds
Let’s Try It
I gave her a packet of tomato seeds
and asked her to plant them for me, told her
when the first tomato ripened
she’d miss me.
5. What do you think is the poem’s theme?
Fear can make even your best friend turn against you unjustly.

24. Practice
On Your Own
To begin your exploration of recurring themes, look again at the two themes below:
Even in extraordinary circumstances, people still do ordinary things, like fight, make up, and fall in love.
The human spirit can triumph over evil.
Think of novels, stories, poems, and plays you have studied or read on your own. Think also of movies, plays, and TV shows you have seen. With a group of classmates, list titles of works that reflect these two themes.
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25. Theme: Truths About Our Lives
The End