Theme
A message or lesson that applies across cultures and time periods.
What is a universal theme?
The author's attitude toward a topic or subject
What is tone?
Identify the device: “He drowned in a sea of grief.”
What is a metaphor?
What rhetorical appeal uses logic and reasoning?
What is logos?
What is the difference between a stanza and a line?
A line is a single row of words; a stanza is a group of lines forming a unit.
A protagonist overcomes self-doubt through hardship. What central theme is most evident?
What is personal growth through adversity?
The reader's attitude or feeling about the text.
What is mood?
Identify the figurative language: “The wind whispered through the trees.”
What is personification?
What is the purpose of a rhetorical question?
To provoke thought or emphasize a point without expecting an answer.
Identify the sound device: “The soft silver snow slipped silently.”
What is alliteration?
If a story repeatedly shows injustice against a group of people, what theme might be present?
What is social inequality or the need for justice?
A passage describes a garden in vivid decay. What mood is likely created?
What is eerie or somber?
Analyze this simile: “Like a kicked dog, he slunk away.”
It evokes pity and implies shame.
Which rhetorical appeal is being used when a speaker shares a personal story to gain sympathy?
What is pathos (emotional appeal)?
Language that appeals to the five senses to create vivid pictures or emotions.
What is imagery?
How does a recurring symbol—such as a broken clock—contribute to theme?
It reinforces ideas like the passage of time, regret, or the inevitability of change.
What tone is created by words like “sorrowful,” “mournful,” or “gloomy”?
A melancholic or somber tone.
How does the simile "The thunder cracked like a gunshot" enhance the setting?
To show how bad the weather was.
Identify the rhetorical device: “If not now, when? If not us, who?”
What is parallelism or repetition for emphasis?
How does repetition impact the meaning of a poem?
It emphasizes key ideas or feelings, helping the reader focus on the theme or tone.
How does a character’s conflict help develop theme?
The way a character responds to conflict reveals values and lessons that relate to the theme.
How does diction influence tone?
Word choice reveals the speaker’s or narrator’s attitude—formal, sarcastic, hopeful, etc.
What does the hyperbole “I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!” communicate?
That the person is frustrated and wants the person to clean their room.
How can diction be used to strengthen a speaker’s ethos?
Formal, precise language can establish credibility and professionalism.
How can analyzing a poem’s structure help interpret its message?
The structure (such as stanza breaks, line length, or punctuation) can reflect shifts in tone or highlight important themes.