UNDERSTANDING

THEME

TEXT ANALYSIS WORKSHOP

ACTIVITY 1- THEME WARM-UP

Click on the link to solve the warm-up

https://quizizz.com/join?gc=19655472
activity about what a theme is.
ACTIVITY 2- Theme
vs. Topic
Theme is the central message of a literary work.

Agree Disagree
The theme is the idea the author wishes to convey about that topic.

Agree Disagree
It is expressed in a word or two maximum.

Agree Disagree
A literary work can have more than one theme.

Agree Disagree
Themes are always directly stated or implied.

Agree Disagree
You can find the theme without using evidence from the literary work

Agree Disagree
Independence is necessary to grow up, though it can be scary at times.

Topic Theme
Courage

Theme Topic
Love, if taken to extremes, can be negative rather than positive.

Theme Topic
Reflect on today’s activities:

What did you like? What didn’t you like?

What was easy? What was hard?

OBJECTIVES

Cite several pieces of textual

evidence to support analysis of Determine a theme and analyze
what the text says explicitly as its development over the course
well as inferences drawn from of the text.
the text.

Be able to use the information/

Use context clues to guess
skills acquired through literature
meanings of new words .( refer
workshop to write personal
to context clues ppt- Language-
narratives through out language
week 1)
sessions.
VIDEO
TIME
VIDEO LINK Click the following link to review ways to identify a theme.

(IDENTIFYING
THEMES) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_Bb9wGObY
READ ME:

• Read through slides 22 to 33

• Make sure you understand all concepts.

 Brainstorm 3 different theme statements related to the following topics. Be
prepared to share your answers with your classmates during the session.
THEMES IN LITERATURE ( WARM- 1) Friendship
UP ACTIVITY)
2) Death
WHAT IS A THEME?
A theme is a message about life or human nature that a writer wants you to
understand.

Examples of possible themes:

• Good always triumphs over evil.

• Love is a powerful force that inspires people to sacrifice themselves for others.
• Perseverance and courage in the face of adversity are the only means to success.

Notes: 1) A theme should be a complete statement.

2) A literary work could have multiple themes.
 WHAT IS A RECURRING
THEME?

Recurring themes are popular themes, such

as those about loyalty and friendship, that
appear in many different stories.
What is the common theme in the
following movies ?
Harry Potter
The Hunger Games
Avengers Endgame
Possible answer: Good always triumphs
over evil.
 It’s easy to confuse a story’s theme with its
topic. Here’s a way to tell the difference:
A topic can be summed up in a word or two,
such as “ taking risks”.
THEMES AND TOPICS A theme, however, is a writer’s message about
the topic. It usually takes at least one complete
sentence to express a theme .
For example : “ Life’s biggest rewards come
from taking risks.
 PRACTICE : IDENTIFY THE THEME AND TOPIC

Read the following plot summaries to identify their themes and topics.
1) Thank You M’am
Plot Summary: Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones catches Roger trying to steal
her purse. She drags him to her home, makes him wash up, and feeds him. Then
she gives him the ten dollars he was trying to steal.
Topic: Second Chances
Possible Themes:
2) Everyone deserves a second chance.
3) An act of kindness can make a difference in a person’s life.
Casey at the Bat
Plot Summary: When the hometown baseball hero Casey comes to bat, there are two
outs and two men on base. Instead of winning the game with a home run, Casey
strikes out, and his team loses.
Topic: Baseball

Possible Themes:

1) Even a hero can fail.

2) Overconfidence can lead to failure.

 Fables often convey themes about human nature through the actions of animal characters.
What lessons can readers learn from this fable?

The Lion and the Mouse

Fable by Aesop

A lion was idling in the sun, pretending to sleep, when he felt

a tickle on his nose. He opened one eye and, with a swipe of his huge paw, caught a small
mouse trying to run away. The lion roared angrily and tossed the mouse into the air. The
MODEL 1: THEME IN A STORY mouse cried, “Please don’t hurt me! If only you will spare my life, I promise I will repay
you.” Surprised and amused by the little creature’s earnest promise, the lion laughed and let
the mouse go.

Time passed, and then one day the lion became ensnared in a trap. As he struggled to
free himself, the ropes tightened around him until 10 he couldn’t move. The little mouse was
close by and heard the lion’s roars. She came and set the lion free by gnawing through the
ropes. “When you kindly spared my life,” said the mouse, “you laughed at the idea that one
day I would repay you.”
1) What does the lion decide to do after capturing the mouse? Explain how the
mouse repays the lion.
2) What lessons can readers learn from the way the lion and the mouse treat each
other?
Possible answers:
1) Amused by the mouse’s plea, the lion decides to free the mouse. Later, when the
lion is caught in a trap with ropes, the mouse gnaws through the ropes to free the
lion.
2) People should treat others in the same way that they want to be treated. Also,
people never really know in advance who may prove to be a great friend.
 In this poem, the writer presents a strong message about family.

Little Sister

Poem by Nikki Grimes

little sister
holds on tight.
MODEL 2: THEME IN A POEM My hands hurt
from all that squeezing,

but I don’t mind.

She thinks no one will bother her when I’m around,
and they won’t
if I can help it.

And even when I can’t

I try

‘cause she believes in me

1) How does the little sister rely on the speaker of the poem?
Explain how the speaker feels about his or her sister.
2) Reread the underlined part. Which statement best expresses the
theme?
a) When family members believe in you, it makes you stronger.
b) Families should spend more time together.
Answer Key:
1) The little sister relies on the speaker for protection and support;
she believes that the speaker can keep her safe from people who
“bother her”. The speaker seems to like being looked up to. The
speaker wants to help his or her sister because the sister
“believes in me.”
2) “When family members believe in you, it makes you stronger.”

CLUES TO THEME
Characters
Sometimes the theme of a story is stated
directly by the narrator or a character.
Most often, though, a theme is implied,
hinted at but not stated directly. In such a
case, you need to infer the theme by
finding clues in the text.
Title The title may reflect a story’s topic, its
theme, or both. Ask:
- What does each word in the title mean?
- What ideas does the title emphasize?
Plot A story’s plot often revolves around a conflict
that is important to the theme. Ask:
-What conflicts do the characters face?
- How are the conflicts resolved?
What characters do and learn can reflect a
theme. Ask:
- What are the main characters like?
(Analyze their speech, thoughts, and actions.)
- How do the characters respond to the
conflicts?
- How do the characters change?
- What lessons do the characters learn?
Setting A setting ( place and time) can suggest theme
through its effects on the characters and on
the events in the story. Ask:
- How does the setting influence the
characters?
- How does the setting affect the conflicts?
- What might the setting represent? (For
example, a historical setting, such as London
in the mid-1800s when many people lived in
poverty, may suggest a theme related to
generosity or greed.)
Warm-Up Exercise
ACTIVITY 1- THEME
OR TOPIC

Click on the link to do the activity

https://quizizz.com/join?gc=40889136
 Differentiated Activity - Centers

1- You are going to be split into groups of fours/fives.

(each group will be given a different activity to finish and then groups will rotate.)
Group 1:
- You will be given a list of themes and 16 short excerpts
- You will sort the paragraphs under the given themes
Group 2:
4- You will be given 8 different excerpts.
You need to find a topic and theme for each
Group 3:
-You will be given a Kahoot link for an activity about themes
https://kahoot.it/challenge/06322001?challenge-id=ef2dff7f-4c1a-4aa5-a410-535482159746_1601807026694
 1- Your teacher will spin the wheel of
Movie/Story titles.
2- Each person is going to be assigned a title that
they need to find the topic and theme for.
Wrap Up
ACTIVITY - 3- Remember that you need to have at least two
FIND THE pieces of evidence to support your conclusion.
THEME OF THE 4- Write this information in the form of a
STORY paragraph constituting of at least four full,
meaningful sentences. You are then going to
share your paragraph with your Class.
https://wheelofnames.com/mwp-9hy
 Go to your Google
Go to Google Classroom and
Classroomm and solve reading
NOW YOU solve the practice comprehension
practice.
ARE READY
FOR THE
Individually write
FINAL STEPS your literature
journal