Theme Demystified

What is the theme? How will you know when you see it?
A theme is not something that is stated outright; it is the lesson or message that the read understands by reading between the lines.

5 Requirements of a Theme 1) It must the central and unifying concept of the story. It is the lesson the reader or the characters learn from the story. 2) It must be stated in a complete sentence (it cannot be 1 word) 3) It should be stated as a generalization about life. 4) You cannot make a theme larger than what is justified by the story (Do not use words like: always, never, all, etc.) 5) Avoid clich statements (ex. Dont judge a book by its cover).

2 Steps to Finding a Theme 1) Sum up the story in 1 word (this is the topic). Ex. Little Red Riding Hood could be deception. 2) Stretch the topic into a sentence. What did you learn about the topic? Ex. Innocence can lead to deception.