What is the Topic?
She sobbed for hours trying to think of a way out of having to tell her father she wrecked her new car. After stewing over it for quite some time, she called her father on his cell phone. “Thank you,” he said.
“You can do it!” shouted her father, as he pushed Chloe and let go. She was going on her own, but suddenly fell. She cried, but said, “Again, Daddy.” This time, she went farther falling into the ditch. A few moments later, she was riding down the street, smiling from ear to ear.
Never give up.
What is a theme?
A theme is the message or moral of a story.
Stories with characters that are able to overcome a situation that is fearful, dangerous, or difficult.
bravery or courage
What is the theme of this movie quote. “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” – The Lion King
Learn from your mistakes
The three-year-old peered down from the diving board and looked back at his mother behind him. His knees began to buckle as he took another step forward. “Splash!”
courage
Kim had gone through her closet with her mom over the weekend. She remembered a new girl at school who always seemed to wear the same pants over and over. Kim wondered what she could do with those clothes. She handed the new girl a bag as she passed her in the hallway.
It is good to help others when you can.
If you are having trouble coming up with a theme for a story, what is it best to start with?
a topic
Stories with characters that trust one another and remain loyal to each other.
friendship
One day, a cat was sitting in the grass. A dog walked by and happened to see the cat. The dog walked over, thinking the cat wanted to play. The cat got mad, because the dog interrupted its nap, so the cat bit the dog's tail!
Even though you have good intentions, others may not.
My best friend was having a party Friday night, but I also had a baseball game. This was going to be a tough decision. If I do not go to the game, I will let my team down.
loyalty
There was a ragged old woman following behind me as I walked down each isle. She had a strange look on her face, as her missing teeth distorted her smile. I rushed to try to avoid her, as I was a little nervous about what she might do. Come to find out, I dropped some money and she was trying to return it to me.
Don't judge people without getting to know them.
What kind of theme is not directly stated in a story?
Stories with characters who look out for and help those who are suffering.
compassion or kindness
Growing up, Cynthia was always in the shadow of her older sister Maria. Maria always got better grades, was better at sports, and was popular at school. Cynthia spent a lot of time in the family's garden feeling sorry for herself. Then one day Maria needed help on a science project about plants. Due to all of her time in the garden, Cynthia knew a lot about plants and was able help Maria with the project. Cynthia was shocked that she was better at something than her sister.
Accept yourself for who you are.
The phone rang. She dropped the phone and tears began to drop onto her cheek. Her lip quivered as she pictured the scene that was described to her. “No!” she wailed.
loss or grief
Mrs. Smith was doing a unit on eating healthy foods. One day, her students saw her at the mall eating junk foods, which was exactly what she told them not to do. Sally was going to get a salad, until she saw her teaching eating junk food. Then, she decided to get the same thing her teacher had gotten.
Actions speak louder than words.
Can you state a theme with one word?
Explain.
No. If it is one word it is a topic. A theme is stated in a sentence.
Stories with characters characters who keep trying and never give up, no matter how many times they have to try.
perseverance
One winter, a monkey found a snake stiff and frozen. The monkey felt sorry for the snake and so he picked the snake up and held it to his chest to try to warm it. The snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and because of its instincts, bit the monkey with all its might.
Be careful who you trust.
Ben knew his friend was about to receive a check for not being prepared for class. This would have been the third day in a row he would have to stand out. Ben gave the pencil to Tim. Later, Ben received a check and had to stand out.
sacrifice
Julia wanted to become a doctor for as long as she could remember. Anytime her friends were hanging out at the mall, she was always at home studying. When Julia graduated, she graduated with high honors and was offered a job not long after graduating.
Which subgenre usually has an explicit theme?
fable
Stories with characters that use the things around them and find ways to solve problems
resourcefulness
A toddler put his hand into the jar of cookies. He grasped as many as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull his hand, he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the cookie jar. Unwilling to lose the cookies, and yet unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears and cried bitterly.
If you are greedy, you may end up with nothing.