1. An Idea About Life…

2. Meaning – The general idea about life that is revealed in the text. The lesson to be learned A theme of a love story might be: love can conquer any obstacle. A theme of a story about suffering might be: hard work pays off.

3. The subject is just the topic (which can be stated in a single word, such as love). The theme is the ____________ about the subject. A theme should be expressed in a _______________.

4. Does the main character ___________? Does the main character realize something that he did not know before? Example How does Ebenezer Scrooge change in A Christmas Carol?

5. The way a conflict is ___________ often gives hints or clues about the theme. Example How is the conflict resolved in The Tortoise and the Hare?

6. Is there a clue in the title of the story? Example: What is a possible theme in The Boy Who Cried Wolf?

7. Does your statement of the theme apply to the whole work and ____________________part of it?

8. Different people often express the same theme in different words. People might have different opinions about the main theme. The best literary works often have more than one theme.