Transcript Themes in Literature - Welcome to Westford Academy

Universal Themes in Literature
Relating the screenplay and story of
Star Wars
to other novels we have read.
What is a Theme?
A theme is a central message revealed
through a literary work.
 It is a lesson that the selection teaches or a
major point that the selection as a whole is
about.
 It is a generalization about people or about
life that is communicated through the
literary work.
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The Theme can be
Directly Stated or Implied
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When a theme is directly stated, the reader
is told what the theme of the selection is.
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When a theme of a work is implied, readers
think about what the work seems to say
about nature of people or about life.
Important things to note
about Theme
There is usually no single correct statement
of a work’s theme, though there can be
incorrect ones.
 A long work, like a novel, full-length play
or screen play may have several themes.
 Not all literary works have themes - a work
meant only to entertain may have no theme
at at.

Understanding the difference
between Main Idea, Subject,
Topic and Theme:
Main Idea
The Main Idea is any idea that is
particularly important or central in a
written work.
Quic kTime™ and a
TIFF ( Unc ompres s ed) dec ompr ess or
are needed to s ee this pic ture.
Subject = Topic
The Subject or Topic is what the
selection as a whole is about.
And remember the Theme is the
message or lesson that the author is
trying to communicate.
Main Idea
MAIN IDEA
Qu i c k T i m e ™ a n d a
Gra p h i c s d e c o m p re s s o r
a re n e e d e d to s e e th i s p i c t u re .
Subject/T opic
What the selection as a whole
is about
Theme
The lesson or message the
author is trying to make
The Subject/Topic and Theme
fall under the umbrella
of the Main Idea.
When we learn about literature
we often ask many questions:

What is genre?
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Why read?
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Why do authors write?
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Do people read and write for the same
reasons?
What is Genre?
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A genre is a category or type of story
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There are 3 major genres:
Poetry, Prose, Drama
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Each major genre is divided into smaller
genres

Genre is essentially the kind of story
3 Major Genres
Poetry
Prose
Drama

Lyric poetry, Concrete Poetry,
Dramatic Poetry

Fiction (novels and short stories)
Nonfiction (Biography,
autobiography, letters, essays)
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Serious Drama/Tragedy, Comic
drama, Melodrama, Farce
Why Read?
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To gain knowledge, get facts/ideas
Entertainment/pleasure
To forget something
To transport yourself to your own fantasyland
To be alone
To relax
We have to
To learn about life
Why Write?
To share stories/ideas
 To keep history alive
 Express our feelings
 To say what we know
 To entertain others
 To communicate
 To tell about yourself
 To express yourself
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Novels We Have Read:
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Brain’s Winter
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The lord of the Flies
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Son of the Mob
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Night
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To Kill a Mockingbird
The Secret Life of
Bees
Much Ado About
Nothing
Catcher in the Rye
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Common Themes in Literature
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The only person you can truly trust
is yourself
It is important to follow your
instincts
Man is inherently evil
Man is inherently good
Its not always good to listen to
society
Its important to never give up
Human beings are products of their
society
It’s a crime to kill innocence
The innocent aren’t always treated
fairly
It is important to stand up for what
you believe in
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Working as a team or group is more
powerful than working alone
Be careful who you date
Be careful who your friends are
Trust your instincts
Do what you must to survive
Follow your imagination
There are times when you should
get revenge on your enemies
Life doesn’t always have happy
endings
The force is a metaphor for
spirituality
The force is the energy that binds
all life together