Theme
What is a theme topic?
The general topic or subject matter that a text is about. A theme topic is akin to a main idea.
She is as light as a feather.
Simile
We provided as much detail about how it had happened as we could, but our parents were still incredulous, and kept asking, did we really solve the crime?
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
Incredulous: unwilling or unable to believe something.
What does ACE stand for?
Answer
Cite
Explain
Is the below sentence a theme statement?
He realized that friendships can become stronger than familial bonds.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY
No, a theme statement should not include any plot or character specific details.
Corrected: Friendships can become stronger than familial bonds.
What is a theme statement?
A theme statement is a message that can be found in a story. It can be a life lesson or moral, but it can also be any message in any form.
The towers of the city smiled down at him.
Personification
When Janet’s parents said she couldn’t go to the party, she got all melodramatic, began to cry and accusing her parents of wanting her to be a social failure.
Melodramatic: characteristic of melodrama, especially in being exaggerated, sensationalized, or overemotional.
What is wrong with the ACE response below?
Salva is a courageous adolescent who braves harsh climates. I know this because the book says that he almost died in a crocodile-infested river. This shows that he faced incredibly dangerous obstacles in his path for survival.
The C (cite) is not pulling evidence directly from the text. It is paraphrasing evidence.
Are the characters mostly being compared or contrasted below?
Kenney was carrying crates weighing 120 pounds in a meat packing company called Monfort Slaughterhouse. His job was to carry heavy weights of meat.
Gary was digging tunnels for a company.
Both of their jobs required hard hours of labor. Of course such kinds of working opportunities were paying little with much to be done. Both Kenney and Gary were striving to have better lives for their families.
Compared
Note: Their jobs are being contrasted, but the working conditions and goals are being compared, so it is mainly a comparison with the addendum of one slight contrast.
Create a theme statement that can be found in A Long Walk to Water. Explain how you got this theme statement.
Teacher's Judgement
Boom! Bang! Pow!
The cat meowed.
Onomatopoeia
Allen so often made jokes about things, and failed to take things seriously, that at first it was hard for the others to believe that this time he was being earnest.
Earnest: resulting from or showing sincere and intense conviction.
What is wrong with the in-text citation below?
The author states, "Salva punctured his toe." (47).
There should not be a period after 'toe'
Corrected: The author states, "Salva punctured his toe" (47).
What figurative language term is being used below:
He is as brave as a lion.
Simile
You must get both correct, or your team will lose out on points for this question.
Is the below sentence a theme statement?
1. Salva worked hard to survive.
Is the below sentence a theme statement?
2. The motivation to survive can come from the most unexpected places.
1. No
2. Yes
I broke into a million pieces, and I can't go back. But now I see the beauty in the broken glass.
Metaphor
Note: Since this is for 400 points, I will require an exact word from one of the dictionary definitions to consider it a correct answer. If your team guesses three times and does not match one of the words, the other team gets to guess.
The team rallied around their star player, even though now that his leg was broken, the team’s chances of winning the championship were dismal.
Dismal: Depressing, dreary, pitiful, disgracefully bad, gloomy, bleak, devoid of cheer and comfort, etc.
What is wrong with the in-text citation below?
The author states, "Salva was so hungry!" (98 A Long Walk to Water).
Do not include the book title after the page number in an in-text citation.
The author states, "Salva was so hungry!" (98).
Individual vs. Society, Man vs. Self, Love, Friendship, Good vs. Evil, and War are all examples of...
Theme topics