Theme
This is a single word, or very short phrase, that names the big idea that the text addresses. (Examples include: love, friendship, hatred, etc.)
What is a theme topic?
"Although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract tonight."
Being with you makes me happy, but the promises you are making tonight do not make me happy.
This is the part of the paragraph where you clearly state the argument that you are going to prove.
What is a claim statement?
"Surprised," "sad," and "angry" are not character traits because they are _________________.
What are emotions?
This is a complete sentence that states what the text teaches us about a theme topic. (For example, "Love is more powerful than any other force.")
What is a theme statement?
"It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say 'It lightens.'"
It is too soon and moving too quickly; it is too much like lightening, which is gone before you can say, "There is lightening."
To write a complete paragraph response, you should include at least this many pieces of evidence from the text.
What is two?
We make these by combining observations with our own background knowledge to reach a conclusion.
What are inferences?
This text that we read this year develops a theme about violence by showing that experiencing a lot of violence can cause people to become more comfortable with being violent.
What is "The Most Dangerous Game"?
"I am afeard,
Being in night, all this is but a dream,
Too flattering-sweet to be substantial."
I am afraid that, since it is currently nighttime, all of this was actually a dream, too good to be true.
You should write one of these after every piece of evidence to connect your evidence to your claim statement.
What is an explanation?
This is what the "mood" is in literature.
What is the feeling that the writing creates in the reader?
In The Odyssey, Odysseus does some very unheroic things, like lying to his crewmates and cheating on his wife with multiple other women; however, the story still ends with him successfully reuniting with his wife and taking back his kingdom, showing this theme about heroism.
Answers will vary, but should be close to: "What is, 'People can still be considered heroic even if they are flawed and imperfect, as long as they are successful when it counts.'"
"If that thy bent of love be honorable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite"
If your intentions are honorable, and you are saying all of this because you want to marry me, then tell the person that I send to you tomorrow the time and place that we will get married.
To make sure your evidence is as specific as possible, you should use these, which take the words directly from the text.
What are quotations/quotes?
This is when the author uses descriptive and figurative language to appeal to any of the reader's senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell).
What is imagery?
In Romeo and Juliet, the text develops this theme about love through the deaths of the main characters.
Answers will vary, but must be a complete theme statement about love.
"This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flow’r when next we meet."
Our love for each other, which has just started to grow, could be fully formed and matured the next time we see each other.
These are the 6 sentences, in order, that go into a complete paragraph response.
What are the claim statement, evidence, explanation, evidence, explanation, and concluding sentence?
On the same night as the party where they met, Romeo and Juliet decide to do this the next afternoon.
What is getting married?