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Cia Techniques For Discovering Theme
Cia Techniques For Discovering Theme
What is Theme?
A theme expresses a writers perspective on some aspect of the human experience. This theme can usually be expressed effectively in one or two sentences and it is NEVER value-neutral. It is meant to be true of life and people outside the story. Typically, it is different from the moral of the story, in that it does not tell us what life should be but rather what life is.
Its about how poor they are and the terrible things that happen to them.
Poverty Poverty destroys the life of an individual.
When you have figured out what groups he or she belongs to, then make a statement about this character as though it were true of everyone in that particular situation.
Example One
E.R.
The main character is a young, attractive doctor who helps kids in the emergency ward for very little money or prestige. Possible Theme: Doctors are kind, loving, extremely good looking people whose first concern is helping the innocent
Example Two
The X-Files
The main character is an honest, extremely intelligent, hard-working truth-seeker who is blocked by secret government agencies whenever he nears the truth. Possible Theme: Honest hard-working, intelligent truth-seekers have little chance of succeeding, but their effort is heroic.
Example Three
Practically any romance made or written in America
The main character is a young, beautiful woman who wants a man to love her. Possible Theme: Every woman wants and needs a man to complete her life.
Example
The X-Files
Governments are amoral, repressive entities whose purpose is to keep you ignorant and thus under control.
He feels weak and unimportant He does this for his love He wants greater respect
Ideologies Ignorance Majorities Poverty Nature Men/Women Idealism Racism Evil Fate
Discovery The Discovery is that point when the main character learns something important about her goal. This discovery may be expressed in a speech at the turning point or climax of the story. Reversal Sometimes, as a result of this important discovery, the main character will change goals.
These words are usually stated toward the end of the story but not always in the last lines of the story In a long book, you may find the last statement of theme in the chapter before the last. The last word is usually a direct or symbolic statement of theme.
Examples
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. The Great Gatsby
Whatever our struggles and triumphs, however we may suffer them, all too soon they bleed into a wash, just like watery ink on paper. Memoirs of a Geisha
Symbol
Direct Statement Main Character
Lord of the Flies Mankind is savage at heart. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Natural man can free himself
from dehumanizing institutional oppression. The Color Purple The lives of African American women are wrought with emotional suffering and physical pain. The Poisonwood Bible Acts of love can often be lost in translation if one is not especially careful in communicating.
Apart.
Prejudice.
Step One
In the story The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde the conflict is between Dorian and himself as controlled by Sir Henry Wootens clever manipulations.
Step Two
Dorian
His Image
Unemotional
Disdainful Unmoved
Step Three
At the climax of the novel, Dorian sees the picture as an ungodly representation of the man he has become and attempts to destroy the painting, thus sealing his own doom.
Step Four
So, the theme could be stated:
Progression
A change in intensity or severity of an element.
Contrast
One element is placed in direct opposition to another for emphasis. The farther apart the two things are, the more recognition there is.
Repetition
The same element is repeated over and over with minor variations to hide the repetition.
Parallelism
Parallel relationships exist within certain elements that can run in identical or opposite directions.
What is Theme?
A theme expresses a writers perspective on some aspect of the human experience. This theme can usually be expressed effectively in one or two sentences and it is NEVER value-neutral. It is meant to be true of life and people outside the story. Typically, it is different from the moral of the story, in that it does not tell us what life should be but rather what life is.