What is theme?
What is the definition of "theme"?
The life lesson, author's message, or moral of a story.
Mrs. Padval was doing a unit on healthy living with her students. All week she taught her students about eating the correct foods like fruits and vegetables. Over the weekend, some of Mrs. Padval's students were at the mall and saw her eating pizza, a milkshake, and candy. Mrs. Padval's student, Hayley, was going to order a salad, but now decided to order junk food too. What is the theme?
A) Actions speak louder than words
B) Never eat pizza at the mall
C) Vegetables are good for you
A) Actions speak louder than words
From the movie, "The Lion King" lyrics to the song, "Hakuna Matata".
Hakuna Matata!
What a wonderful phrase
Hakuna Matata!
Ain't no passing craze
It means no worries
For the rest of your days
It's our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!
What is the theme?
A) Just sing Hakuna Matata and all your problems will be solved
B) Meerkats and warthogs are needed for harmonizing in a song
C) Just let the little things go and don't let past mistakes shape your whole life
C) Just let the little things go and don't let past mistakes shape your whole life
In the movie Frozen, Elsa constantly hides her powers. She even runs away from everyone who cares about her to protect them. She ends up accidently hurting her sister. In the end, her sister is saved and Elsa learns to control her powers only when she no longer hides her powers. What is the theme?
A) Elsa is a witch
B) Magic makes life easier
C) It's important to just be who you truly are
C) It's important to just be who you truly are
True
Lizbeth wanted to become a doctor for as long as she could remember. In college, when her friends were out at the mall or going out with friends, Lizbeth spent all of her time studying. At graduation, Lizbeth graduated with high honors and was offered a job shortly after. What is the theme?
A) Studying makes you lose time with your friends
B) The only way to be successful in life is to go to college
C) Hard work pays off
C) Hard work pays off
From the song, "Can't Stop the Feelin!" by Justin Timberlake.
I got this feeling inside my bones
It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on
All through my city, all through my home
We're flying up, no ceiling, when we in our zone
What is the theme?
A) He's been electrocuted
B) Just be happy and get over yourself
C) It's the little things that can make you happy, like dancing
C) It's the little things, like dancing, that can make you happy; you don't need anything fancy
In the movie, "The Secret Life of Pets 2" Max is terrified of everything. He especially doesn't want ANYTHING to happen to "his" kid. He doesn't want his kid to go anywhere and especially doesn't want him to go to preschool. After going through many trials and scary things on a farm, but yet making it out okay, Max ultimately decides he's okay with his kid going to preschool. What is the theme?
-If you never let ANYTHING happen to someone/something then life will be boring
-It's important to let someone make mistakes and live their life so that they can learn lessons
True or False: Theme can exist in dramas/plays.
True
Money Mateo was born rich. He never had to work a day in his life and he got everything handed to him on a silver platter. When he was six, Money Mateo wanted to go to a basketball game. His father paid the starting five of the Bulls and Celtics to play a private game of Nerf-ball in Money Mateo's bedroom. When Money Mateo turned thirteen, he wanted to start a band. His father hired the Rolling Stones to play with him every Saturday at the family's private concert hall, though his family was never there. By the time he was twenty-one, Money Mateo was bored with life. He was surrounded by a bunch of possessions that he didn't appreciate and Money Mateo could find nothing new or exciting in his life. Despite his vast wealth, Money Mateo was never satisfied. What is the theme?
Money can't buy happiness
From the song, "Savage Love" by Jason Derulo.
If I end up without ya
I don't know what I would do
Thought I could be single forever 'til I met you
Usually don't be fallin', be fallin', fallin' first
You got a way of keeping me comin' back again
I just found out the only reason that you're here with me
Was to get back with someone other but before you leave
Usually I would never, would never even care
Baby, I know I'm dreamin', I feel it in the air
Every hour, every day
I try to make you stay
But your
Savage love
Did somebody, did somebody
Break your heart?
Lookin' like an angel
But your savage love
When you see me
I know you don't love enough
But I still want that
A) Sometimes we love things that hurt us
B) Sometimes angels are savage
C) Love always ends in heartbreak
A) Sometimes we love something that hurts us
In the movie, "Coco" a man, Hector, is forgotten intentionally by his family. He encounters a young boy named Miguel and partake on a "quest" together. Miguel, assumes Hector is jealous of his famous, former partner and writes him off as a bitter man. Until finally Miguel discovers that Hector was actually a really good guy and the original writer of many of his favorite songs. Not only that but Hector is also his forgotten great-grandfather. What is the theme?
-Don't judge a book by it's cover
-Things aren't always as they seem
-Family is very important
True or False: Theme is explicitly stated in novels.
False
A monkey put his hand into a 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. What is the theme?
A) Eating cookies can be dangerous.
B) If you are greedy, you might get nothing.
C) Don't put your hand in a jar.
B) If you are greedy, you might get nothing.
From the song, "Daisies" by Katy Perry.
Told them your dreams, and they all started laughing
I guess you're out of your mind 'til it actually happens
I'm the small town
One in seven billion
Why can't it be me?
They told me I was out there, tried to knock me down
Took those sticks and stones, showed 'em I could build a house
They tell me that I'm crazy, but I'll never let 'em change me
'Til they cover me in daisies, daisies, daisies
They said I'm going nowhere, tried to count me out
Took those sticks and stones, showed 'em I could build a house
They tell me that I'm crazy, but I'll never let 'em change me
'Til they cover me in daisies, daisies, daisies
What's the theme?
-Sometimes what doesn't hurt us makes us stronger
-Your outlook on life events can determine your future/how successful you are
-Others don't have control over your life and they can't define you
In the movie, "Sing" a very shy pig refuses to sing publicly. Everyone assumes she probably can't sing THAT well... In the end, her friends need her help. She finally sings publicly and everyone loves her voice.
-Be free to be who you truly are
What is the difference between the main idea of a story and the theme of a story?
The main idea is what the story is mostly about (a short summary). The theme of a story is the life lesson or moral that the author wants us to remember. It may have nothing to do with the details of the story itself.
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. What is the theme?
A) Not all things that look scary are bad
B) Even though you have good intentions, others may not
C) Snakes are dangerous
B) Even though you have good intentions, others may not
From the song, "A Million Dreams" by Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, and Ziv Zaifman.
They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I've lost my mind
I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design
'Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we're gonna make
-Dream big
-Don't let others define your success/how far you go in life
-If you dream big you can also achieve big
In the Disney movie, "Inside Out" a little girl always tries to be happy. However, after a series of life changes she can't help but be sad and finally tells her parents she's upset. They tell her, they are also sad sometimes. What's the theme?