Grade 8 English Language Arts

The Giver Novel and Film Response

Instructions:
Read the novel and watch the film once from beginning to end.

Analyzing Theme

Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may
be stated directly or indirectly (Literarydevices.net)

● It is HOW we, as human beings, connect to a literary text - whether it is a short

story, novel, poem or film.

Look at the themes listed in the chart below:

Individual vs. Freedom/Choice Memory Rules and The Value of

Society Laws Life

1. Choose the theme that is represented in The Giver.

2. Write it below:
●

3. Write a theme statement

(e.g. In The Giver, the theme of ______________________ is presented.

● THEME STATEMENT:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

4. Record 3-4 specific examples of the theme:

E.g. In the film, The Hunger Games, the protagonist Katniss Everdeen
demonstrates bravery when she volunteers to take her sister, Primrose’s, place
during the reaping (selection) for the hunger games.
a.

b.

c.

5. Write a complete paragraph (minimum 5 sentences), that explains how the

theme is developed.
 Paragraph format:
Topic sentence - define/explain what the theme word means.
Elaboration - In The Giver, the theme of ______________ is developed.
Middle - provide the three examples from the film (question #3) and explain how
they, together, develop your understanding of the theme.
Concluding sentence - Overall, The Giver allows us to develop our
understanding of _______________ further.

TYPE YOUR PARAGRAPH BELOW:

Grade 8 Film Response – Scoring Guide

Content 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3

● You consider the audience and purpose of your writing.
● You include specific examples.
● Your writing stays on topic.

0 1 2 3 4 5 x2 = ______________ /5

Organization 3.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.3

● Paragraph has a topic sentence, middle, and a closing sentence.
● Ideas work together.

0 1 2 3 4 5 x2 = ______________ /5

Sentence Structure, Vocabulary, Conventions 4.1, 4.2

● Your sentences make sense.

● You use different sentence lengths.
● Words are used correctly in the sentence.
● Spelling
● Punctuation (period, comma, exclamation, or question marks)
● Capitalization (beginning of sentences and people, places, or things).
● Indent for each new paragraph.

0 1 2 3 4 5 x1 = ______________ /5

TOTAL: /15