THEME & CENTRAL IDEA
This is the difference between a topic and a theme.
What is: a topic is a subject, while a theme is a universal message or insight?
A character who undergoes significant internal change is called this.
What is: a dynamic character?
The author’s attitude toward a subject is known as this.
What is: tone?
A comparison using “like” or “as” is called this.
What is: a simile?
Using context clues means using these to determine meaning.
What are: surrounding words and sentences?
Identify the theme:
A character sacrifices personal success to protect their family’s dignity.
What is: loyalty or the importance of family over ambition?
What type of characterization is shown through a character’s actions?
What is: indirect characterization?
What is the effect of imagery on a reader?
What is: it appeals to the senses to create vivid mental pictures?
What is the difference between connotation and denotation?
What is: denotation is literal meaning; connotation is emotional or implied meaning?
What does ambiguous most nearly mean?
What is: unclear or open to more than one interpretation?
Which detail best supports a theme of loss of innocence?
What is: a character recognizing the world is unjust after a traumatic experience?
How does a foil character help develop the protagonist?
What is: by highlighting contrasting traits and choices?
Why might an author choose first-person point of view?
What is: to create intimacy and limit the reader’s knowledge?
Identify the device: “The wind whispered secrets.”
What is: personification?
Why do authors use domain-specific vocabulary?
What is: to add precision and credibility to informational texts?
Explain how conflict helps develop theme in a text
What is: conflict reveals characters’ values and forces choices that communicate the author’s message?
What inference can be made when a character’s dialogue contradicts their actions?
What is: the character may be deceptive, conflicted, or unreliable?
How does symbolism deepen meaning in a text?
What is: symbols represent abstract ideas and reinforce theme?
How does metaphor contribute to a poem’s theme?
What is: it connects abstract ideas to concrete images for deeper understanding?
How does word choice influence tone?
What is: words with positive or negative connotations shape attitude?
How can multiple themes exist in the same text without contradicting each other?
What is: themes can reflect different but related truths about human experience?
Explain how character motivation can drive plot development.
What is: motivations influence decisions that create conflict and advance events?
Analyze how sentence structure can affect pacing and mood.
What is: short sentences increase tension, while longer ones slow pacing and add reflection?
Explain how sound devices (alliteration, assonance) affect meaning.
What is: they emphasize ideas and create rhythm and mood?
Determine the meaning of a word when it contradicts its usual connotation.
What is: irony or a shift in meaning based on context?