
A conclusion reached on the basis of
evidence and reasoning

Reading between the lines

You are in a store and you see someone run
into the store with a ski-mask on. The person
immediately rushes up to the check-out
counter.
What is going on?
How do you know?

On a blank piece of paper labeled: “Zax” Theme,
answer these questions while I read.
1.
What (not who) is the story about? State it in one word.
2.
What is the conflict?
3.
What are the characters’ motivations?

4.
Why do they do what they do?
Do the characters change?

What does this say about the author’s feeling about the
characters or subject of the story?
 The theme of a story is what the author is saying
about the subject of the story.
Example:
▪ Subject: growing up (one word)
▪ Theme: Growing up is hard. (one SENTENCE)
Think of some themes that could go with
the subject: LOVE

It is a “truth” about human
behavior according to the author.

The author wants us to recognize
something about life or our lives

Theme is usually not stated directly —
we must infer it
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005

Because a theme is a generalization about life or
human nature, and because certain experiences
are common to all people everywhere…
authors often express similar themes

These universal themes deal with subjects about
general human experience.
 good and evil, life and death, love and loss
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005
1. Find the subject (topic of story, one
word).
2. What are the motivations of the
protagonist and other characters?
3. Does the protagonist change?
4. How is the conflict resolved? (i.e., happy
or sad ending)
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005
THEN:
5. infer what the author is saying about
the subject/life?
6. ...and write it in one sentence
(theme must be stated as a complete
sentence)
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005

It must be complete sentence.

It is explaining what the author/story is
saying about the subject.

Ex:
▪ Subject: Rain
▪ Theme: Rain is good.

What is the theme of ‘The Zax?’
1. Find the subject (topic of story, one
word).
2. What are the motivations of the
protagonist and other characters?
3. Does the protagonist change?
4. How is the conflict resolved? (i.e., happy
or sad ending)
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005
THEN:
5. infer what the author is saying about
the subject/life?
6. ...and write it in one sentence
(theme must be stated as a complete
sentence)
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005

Let’s try another one.... “The Sneetches” Theme
1.
What (not who) is the story about? State it in one word.
2.
What is the conflict?
3.
What are the characters’ motivations?

4.
Why do they do what they do?
Do the characters change?

What does this say about the author’ attitude towards the
characters or subject of the story?

What is the theme of ‘The
Sneetches?’

(make sure it applies to the entire
story)
1. Find the subject (topic of story, one
word).
2. What are the motivations of the
protagonist and other characters?
3. Does the protagonist change?
4. How is the conflict resolved? (i.e., happy
or sad ending)
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005
THEN:
5. infer what the author is saying about
the subject/life?
6. ...and write it in one sentence
(theme must be stated as a complete
sentence)
Elements of Literature, p. 208-209, © 2005
Wouldn’t it be easier just to come right out
and say it?

A message has a greater impact if we explain it
through a story

...particularly if you, the reader, have to do a
little bit of work to figure it out

This is particularly true of ideas that are very
difficult to understand

Human beings are storytellers: and stories can
mean different things to different people.
Key Vocabulary:
 Pawnbroker: Someone who offers loans to
people as long as they provide items as
collateral.
 Prisoner of war: Soldiers that are captured
during war by the opposite side. They are
held in prisons, usually until wars are over,
or some sort of agreement is made.
 Liberators: People who free a place
1. Find the subject (topic of story, one
word).
2. What are the motivations of the
protagonist and other characters?
3. Does the protagonist change?
4. How is the conflict resolved? (i.e., happy
or sad ending)
5.
Infer what the author is saying
ABOUT THE SUBJECT. (See your
answer to #1)
6.
What is the theme of “Souvenir?”
Write it in a complete sentence

You are writing an introduce explain pertain
paragraph with 2 pieces of evidence due by
the beginning of class on Friday.

This is your end of unit assessment (it’s worth
a lot!)

You will be graded on your claim, your 2
pieces of evidence, and your use of IEP to
support your claim.
Grade: 4: above and 3: Meets the
beyond
standard
What it looks
like:
2: Approaching
Standard
1: Not Yet
100% A+
85% B
70% C-
55% F
*Establishes creative
and credible claim
clearly based on
evidence.
*Uses 2 or more pieces
of evidence that
strongly prove claim.
*Introduce/Explain/Per
tain is used correctly
and creatively. (May
use sentence frames or
may use own sentences
in an effective way)
*All Citations are
correct.
*Establishes credible claim
based on evidence.
*Uses 2 pieces of evidence
that clearly proves claim.
*Introduce/Explain/Pertain
is used correctly (with
sentence frames) to prove
claim.
*Citations are correct.
*Establishes claim based on
evidence, but may be unclear.
*Uses 2 pieces of evidence
that may prove claim, but
connection is sometimes
unclear.
*Introduce/Explain/Pertain is
mostly correct (with sentence
frames) to prove claim.
*Citations are correct
*Claim is unclear or not based
on evidence.
*Uses 2 pieces of evidence
that may prove claim, but
connection is unclear.
*Introduce/Explain/Pertain is
incorrect and/or does not use
sentence frame and/or
connection to claim is missing.
*Citations are incorrect

CLAIM: use one of the wonderful themes we
just went over and put it into a ‘claim frame.’
The theme of Vonnegut’s “Souvenir” is
_________ because _______ .

THEN: Gather evidence (quotes) to support
your claim before you begin writing your IEP.
Look back at your CSR notes and your Theme
notes.
 Remember that in order to find theme we
looked at:

 Subject
 Character motivation and change
 Resolution

Therefore, look for quotes that show those
things!

Introduce:
 When _____ is talking to _____ about _____ he/she says,
“_________” (Vonnegut p#).
 When ________ happened, the story describes,
“______” (Vonnegut p#).

Explain:
 In other words__________.
 This quote is saying __________.

Pertain:
 This proves my claim because________.
 This proves my point because ________.