What Is a Story’s Theme?

Theme

What a Theme Is Not

Different Readers, Different Themes

Recurring Themes

Your Turn

What Is a Story’s Theme?

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Theme

Think of a movie or book that had a strong impact on you.

Theme

When you walked out of the theater or closed the book, you may have found yourself thinking about the story’s message about life.

Life

Theme

If so, you were thinking about the theme of that movie or book—its message about life.

Theme

Maybe the theme made you look at yourself in a new way.

Or, perhaps the theme helped you understand a friend in a way you hadn’t before.

Writers do not always have a theme in mind when they begin writing. Often, a writer begins with an idea about a character or a situation.

Theme

What’s your theme going to be? ?

Theme

Eventually, a theme begins to emerge from the developing story and from the writer’s beliefs about life.

I think I see a theme

emerging!

When Sam visited his grandfather’s restaurant, Gramps told him a story about a young boy. His brothers teased the boy because he hated to go fishing. Instead, he loved to help his mom cook the fish they brought home.

The boy didn’t let their comments bother him; he kept right on cooking. Before long, his family was begging the boy to cook his special dish.

Quick Check What is a theme, or message about life, of the grandfather’s story?

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Theme

What a Theme Is Not

• the subject of a story,

• the plot of a story, or

A theme is not

• a summary of a story.

What a Theme Is Not: A Theme Is Not the Subject of a Story

The subject is the overall idea of what a story is about. Subjects can fit neatly into categories.

A theme is not the subject.


A subject can often be described using a single word or phrase, such as

A theme needs a full sentence to describe it: Sometimes feelings of grief help bring about needed change.

• grief,

• competition, or

• betrayal.



Theme: What you learn about the subject

Theme: Sometimes the most ordinary moments are filled

with the most love.

The theme states what you learn about the subject from reading the story.

SubjectSubject:

Love


Quick CheckWhat is the subject of the story?

What is a theme of the story?

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Juan loved soccer. He couldn’t remember a time when he was not kicking a ball around on the grass, down the street, or even in the house. His mom hated it when he played ball in the house.

It was raining—and had been for four days straight. Juan was itching to play soccer, and his mom wasn’t home. He decided it wouldn’t hurt to kick the ball a little, using the fireplace as a goal. Unfortunately, he missed the fireplace and hit the new lamp.

A plot is a series of related events that occur in a story.

When you tell your friends what happened in a movie you saw, you are telling them the plot.

What a Theme Is Not: A Theme Is Not the Plot of a Story

A theme is not the plot.


Cinderella is a kind girl who is mistreated by her ugly stepsisters. She attends the royal ball and becomes a princess in the end.

Good people are rewarded with good fortune.

To understand the difference between theme and plot, think of the fairy tale “Cinderella.”

A theme is not the plot.

Plot

Theme

A. Friendship

B. Kelly and Maria were closer than sisters, but Kelly could never understand why Maria barely talked to her at school. One day, Kelly overheard some students gossiping about her with Maria. Maria was afraid that if she stuck up for Kelly she’d become the next target for the gossip.

C. Sometimes, your best friends can be your worst enemies.

Quick CheckWhich of these passages is an example of a plot?

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Which passage is an example of a theme?


What a Theme Is Not: A Theme Is Not a Summary of a Story

A summary states the most important events in a story.

It should be much shorter in length than the original text.

I don’t have time to read the whole book. Can you summarize it for me?

This is the book I was telling you

about.

A theme is not a summary.

1.

Summarizing a story can help you figure out its theme. Follow these steps:

What a Theme Is Not:

A Theme Is Not a Summary of a Story

After you have read a story or seen a movie, write down the most important parts.

Then, ask yourself, “What message or truth about life have I understood from this story?”

Your answer is the theme. Keep in mind that a story may have more than one theme.

2.

3.



A man decides he wants more out of life, so he quits his job and sells all his belongings. He uses the money to travel all over the world. He meets new people and discovers new cultures. Three months later, he realizes that he finally feels good about himself.

What truth about life does

this story suggest?

Here is a summary of a story:

I know! If a person is not happy with life, he or she can

always try to change it.


A. Little Red Riding Hood met a big bad wolf.

B. Stay on the path and don’t trust strangers.

C. Little Red Riding Hood went to visit her grandmother. The visit proved to be an even bigger adventure than she had planned. In the end, the wolf was caught and she and her grandmother were safe.

Quick CheckWhich of these passages is a summary of “Little Red Riding Hood?”

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Which passage states its theme?



Everyone has different experiences in life. These experiences influence how you view a movie, TV show, piece of art, poem, or story.


Look closely at the following painting.

What do you think the painting means?


Discuss the painting’s meaning with another student.

In what ways are your interpretations similar? In what ways are they different?

Just as two people will probably see the same painting in different ways, two readers will often understand a story differently.


I think “Little Red Riding

Hood” is about listening to your

parents and taking their

advice.

I think it’s about standing up to

bullies.

Because two readers may have different views of the same story, each reader may discover two or more different themes within the story.


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People around the world share many of the same dreams . . . and fears.

Recurring Themes

Some stories appear in many different countries and cultures.

Recurring Themes

Recurring Themes

Characters and settings may be different, but . . .

the same themes will reappear again and again.

True love endures and thrives.

Friendship is golden.

Don’t give up on your dreams.

Recurring Themes

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Here are some examples of recurring themes:

Never give up on a friend.

Unlimited money and power corrupt.

A good attitude leads to success.

• Things may not always be what they seem.

• Wishes can have surprising consequences.

• You should treasure what is good in your life.

• People can have a strong influence over others.

Analyze Theme

Your Turn

How many times have you read a story or seen a show with these themes?

• Things may not always be what they seem.• Wishes can have surprising consequences.• You should treasure what is good in your life.• People can have a strong influence over others.

Analyze Theme

Your Turn

To begin your exploration of themes and recurring themes, look again at the list of themes. Then, think of novels, stories, poems, and plays you have studied or read on your own. Think also of movies, plays, and TV shows you have seen.

Analyze Theme

Your Turn

With a group of classmates, brainstorm titles of works that reflect those themes. Record your titles in a chart like this one.

Theme Titles

Things may not always be what they seem.

“Inn of Lost Time”

“The Princess and the Frog”

The End

What Is a Story’s Theme?

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