1. TOPIC: Language
Arts/Literature
EQ: What Is Theme?

2. An Introduction to Theme!
Theme is a key element of all literature
—fiction, nonfiction, poetry,
and
drama.
The theme is what a story
is really about: the author’s
insight about life.
The theme reveals a
basic truth about our
lives and human
experience.

3. What do Themes focus on?
Themes focus on the “big” topics in
everyone’s life:
Friendship
Responsibility
Love
Ambition
Loss

4. How Does An Author State Theme?
A writer doesn’t usually state the
theme directly. You probably wouldn’t
want to read a story that begins this
way:
“This is a story that shows that friendship is
more valuable than any object.”
Theme is what the
writer wants you to
discover for yourself as
you share the
characters’ experiences.

5. NOTE: Subject Isn’t Theme
Theme is not the same
thing as the subject, or
topic, of a work.
The subject is what the work is
about.
The subject can usually be
expressed in a word or two:
EX: This is a story about
popularity and friendship.

6. A theme is best expressed in a complete
sentence: (DO NOT COPY CHART!)
The chart below shows the difference between
some subjects and themes.
Subject
Theme
Bravery
The courage to be unpopular can be one of the
highest forms of bravery.
Loneliness
We can lose our sense of self when we are
isolated from other people.
Family
A family’s love is most important during difficult
times.
Please use a complete sentence to state
the theme of “Monsters Are Due On
Maple Street.”

8. Analyze Theme
Quick Check
3. What
makes Ant
work so
hard?
“True, but the air is chilly, Grasshopper. I’ve
got to get ready for winter.” Ant trudged on.
“Time enough for that!” Grasshopper called
after. He leaned back, humming again.
4. Why does
By and by, the chill became a freeze. Ant
Grasshopper
and his family were cozy in their anthill as snow
visit Ant ?
fell. One night, Ant heard tapping at the door.
There stood Grasshopper, slapping his
skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old
5. Why does Ant
buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.”
hesitate to
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper.
help
You’re pretty big for this house, and you
Grasshopper?
probably eat more than all of us put together.”

9. Analyze Theme
Quick Check
“True, but the air is chilly, Grasshopper. I’ve
got to get ready for winter.” Ant trudged on.
“Time enough for that!” Grasshopper called
after. He leaned back, humming again.
By and by, the chill became a freeze. Ant
and his family were cozy in their anthill as snow
fell. One night, Ant heard tapping at the door.
There stood Grasshopper, slapping his
skinny legs to keep warm. “Let me in, Ant, old
buddy. It’s cold out here, and I’m so hungry.”
“I don’t know about that, Grasshopper.
You’re pretty big for this house, and you
probably eat more than all of us put together.”
6. Without
knowing the
end of the
story, what
do you think
is a possible
theme for
the story?

10. Analyze Theme
Your Turn
1. Think of a story that you know well. Identify the
story’s theme and what it means to you.
2. Identify a favorite saying or quote that you think
would make a good theme for a story. Explain
why it has the qualities of a theme and what it
conveys about life.

11. Analyze Theme
Your Turn
3. The chart below lists three very general subjects
for a story. In the right column of the chart, make
up a theme for each. Try to choose a recurring
theme—a theme that is important enough to have
occurred again and again in literature.
Subject
Money
Animals
Death
Recurring Theme