Reading Literary Text 2 (RL 2):
Anchor Standard: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the
key supporting details and ideas.
Grade 7: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text;
provide an objective summary of the text.
Grade 8: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text,
including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL 2: How to Write a Theme Statement (Beginners)
The teacher may use this frame for students who are new to writing statements of theme.
RL 2: How to Write a Theme Statement (Advanced)
These step-by-step directions and examples will lead students to writing an analysis paragraph about theme.
RL 2: Analyze Theme
For this organizer, students will write a theme statement from a given subject. For example, one subject of a
book is friendships. The student would then develop a statement of theme such as “Life’s tragedies often reveal
the truest friendships.” Students will complete the rest of the organizer with details from the text that support
the theme statement.
RL 2: Analyzing Theme Development
For this organizer, students will important details from different points in the story’s plot. Students will then
explain how these details point to the story’s ultimate theme.
RL 2: Summarizing a Literary Work
Students can use this organizer to summarize a story, a chapter, a poem, etc…
Additional Items:
Clues to Theme
Clues to Theme in Poetry
Common Themes in Literature Poster
Themes in Literature with Examples Poster
Analyze How Story Elements Interact to Reveal the Theme Poster
RL 2: How
to Write a Theme Statement
(beginner)
3 Steps to Write a Theme Statement:
1.
Select an important TOPIC the book includes. Topic ideas include freedom, love, trust, death,
forgiveness, and many others. (This topic is often called an abstract concept.)
2.
Begin the theme statement by listing the book genre, the name of the book, and author.
3.
Now finish the statement by adding what the author REVEALS about the topic.
RL 2: How
to Write a Theme Statement
(Advanced)
Although many people read for enjoyment and entertainment, most good fiction does more than entertain. A
well-written story usually causes us think about life, increasing our understanding of the world, and giving us
insight into how people think, feel and behave.
The central insight into life or human nature in a story is called the theme. The theme is the main idea in the
story. The theme may be directly stated by the author of the story. When it is, we say the theme is explicit.
Usually, however the reader must discover the theme through a careful reading of the story. When the theme
must be inferred from the story we say the theme is implicit.
Be careful not to confuse plot with theme. Plot is what happens in the story. Theme is an idea revealed by the
events of the plot. “James Bond defuses a nuclear bomb and saves the world from destruction” is a plot
summary, not a theme statement. Instead of describing what characters do, describe what their actions represent.
(Human beings have the will and the means to defeat evil forces).
How to Determine the Theme
1.
To discover the theme of a story, the reader must try to discover the author’s central purpose. Ask
yourself, “Why did the author write this story” and, “What comment is the author making about life or
human nature.”
2.
In order to understand the theme you must have a good grasp of the plot and characters, especially the
central conflict. The theme usually concerns the main character and the changes he or she undergoes as a
result of engaging in conflict with an opposing force. What the protagonist learns, suffers or experiences
is key to the theme.
3.
Examine the story’s title. Titles often provide clues as to the author’s focus and intent.
Characteristics of a Good Theme Statement
1.
Theme must be expressed in a complete sentence. “Love and rejection” is not a theme statement. It is
just an indication of the topic of the story. What in particular is the author saying about love and
rejection?
2.
Theme should describe the general meaning of a story, not specific events, actions or characters. Do not
use the names of characters in the story when stating the theme. You should make specific references to
the story, however, when providing relevant details and examples to support your theme statement.
3.
The theme must hold true for the story as a whole, not just part of it. Pay particular attention to the
story’s conclusion to make sure that the outcome matches what you think the theme is.
4.
Avoid using familiar statements, or clichés, such as, ‘honesty is the best policy” to express the theme.
The theme should be a generalization about life stated in your own words.
RL 2:
How to Write a Theme Statement
Examples of Student Writing about Theme
The following student samples were written about a short story entitled “The Bet” by Anton
Chekov.
Sample 1
Anton Chekhov’s story “The Bet” is about a banker who bets a lawyer two
million rubles he cannot stay imprisoned for fifteen years. The lawyer spends
his time in prison reading a lot of books about different things. Five minutes
before the fifteen years are up he walks out of the prison and loses the bet and
the money.
(Doesn’t meet expectations)
Sample 2
Anton Chekhov’s story “The Bet” is about a banker who bets a lawyer two
million rubles he cannot stay imprisoned for fifteen years. The lawyer spends
his time in prison reading a lot of books about different things. Five minutes
before the fifteen years are up he walks out of the prison and loses the bet and
the money.
(Meets minimal expectations)
Sample 3
The central theme of Anton Chekhov’s story “The Bet” is that spiritual
values are more important than material things. Although most people think they
will be happy if they have a lot of money, Chekhov argues that money cannot
buy wisdom, so spending one’s life in the pursuit of money is misguided. The
protagonist in “The Bet” gives up two million rubles, because after fifteen years
in prison studying is what is valuable in life, he comes to the conclusion that
most people wrongly “worship things, not ideas” and “take falsehood for truth
and ugliness for beauty.”
(Exceeds expectations)
RL 2:
Analyze Theme
DIRECTIONS: Use the following organizer to state the subject and theme and to list details from the text that
convey the theme. Explain how each detail you list helps develop the theme.
Subject: the power of positive thinking
Theme (the central idea about life that the author explores):
One important theme in the novel Hatchet is that positive thinking is a powerful tool
when a person must survive a desperate situation.
Detail from the Text
1.
" ‘You are your most valuable asset.
Don’t forget that. You are the best
thing you have.’ "
How it Develops Theme
Brian remembers one of his teachers saying this.
It shows his hope that he can survive. It’s the
beginning of him thinking positively.
2.
"…later he looked back on this time of
crying in the corner of the dark cave and
thought of it as when he learned the most
important rule of survival, which was that
feeling sorry for yourself didn't work. It
After Brian is injured by the porcupine he
ultimately comes to this conclusion – feeling
sorry for yourself doesn’t work. You have to
think positively and move forward.
wasn't just that it was wrong to do, or
that it was considered incorrect. It was
more than that—it didn't work."
3.
"He was not the same. The plane passing
This is after Brian’s lowest point when he
changed him; the disappointment cut him
wanted to die. The only thing that pulled him
down and made him new. He was not the
out of this misery was thinking positively and
same and would never be again like he had
believing that he could survive.
been. That was one of the true things, the
new things. And the other one was that he
would not die, he would not let death in
again."
RL 2:
Analyzing Theme Development
DIRECTIONS: Choose three important details from different parts of the text. Remember that these details
might relate to the main characters, the setting, the central conflict, or even the title. Then, use the following
organizer to analyze how the author uses these details to develop the text’s theme or central message.
Title of Text
Important Detail
(beginning)
Important Detail
(middle)
Important Detail
(end)
What It Shows:
What It Shows:
What It Shows:
Theme
RL 2:
Analyzing Theme Development
DIRECTIONS: Choose three important details from different parts of the text. Remember that these details
might relate to the main characters, the setting, the central conflict, or even the title. Then, use the following
organizer to analyze how the author uses these details to develop the text’s theme or central message.
Title of Text
Hatchet
Important Detail
(middle)
Important Detail
(beginning)
Important Detail
(end)
“He knew Brian, knew him
“The rifle changed him,
“He looked around
and owned him and chose
the minute he picked it
suddenly, felt the hair on
not to do anything to him.
up, and he wasn't sure he
the back of his neck go
But the fear moved then,
moved away, and Brian
up. Things might be
looking at him right now,
waiting for him—waiting
for dark so they could
knew the wolf for what it
much.”
was—another part of the
woods, another part of all of
it.
move in and take him.”
liked the change very
What It Shows:
Brian finally gets what he
needs to catch food but
What It Shows:
he doesn’t want it now.
Now that he's been living in
The gun interferes with
the forest for a longer time,
nature. He has survived
story, Brian is in conflict
Brian no longer fears the
without it and now it
with nature – nature is
wolf. Brian is coming to see
seems unnecessary.
What It Shows:
At the beginning of the
the enemy.
the beauty of the wilderness
rather than fearing it.
Theme
Humans can live in harmony with nature.
RL 2:
Summarizing a Literary Work
DIRECTIONS: Use the following organizer to list the most important details in the text. Then use that
information to write an objective summary of the text. Remember to leave out personal opinions and
judgments.
Main Characters
Setting
Key Events, Descriptions, or Details
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Summary _____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
RL 2:
Clues to Theme
Authors rarely state a story’s theme directly. Instead, they often present the
theme indirectly, and the reader must DISCOVER the theme by analyzing and
interpreting clues from the story. Use the questions below in your search for
clues to the theme.
Title
Do the words in the
title prompt ideas or stir
emotions?
Do the words include
any universal theme words
such as love, friendship,
nature, time?
Characters
What is each
character’s main problem
or conflict?
Do the characters
change or learn anything
about life?
Conflict
Setting
What is the main
conflict of the story?
How does the setting
affect the characters?
How does the conflict
affect the characters?
Could this story take
place in a different
setting?
What message about
life might the conflict
suggest?
Statements and
Observations
What do the
characters say about
themselves and each
other?
Which of the
narrator’s statements
pertain to life or human
nature?
What sentences stand
out in your mind? Why?
Symbols
What objects are
important in the story?
How do characters
react to particular objects,
people, or words?
RL 2:
Clues to Theme in Poetry
The different elements of a poem work together to convey its theme. Use the chart
below to analyze a poem and discover its theme.
Poetic Structure
Word Choice and Tone
Lines of a poem are often grouped into
stanzas.
Words with positive connotations, or
associations, express a positive attitude or tone.
Each stanza conveys a central idea.
Words with negative connotations express
a negative tone.
Some poets use the structure of the poem
to enhance or help convey the central idea of
the poem.
Rhythm
Stressed and unstressed syllables create a
pattern of beats.
Rhythm gives a poem a musical quality,
which contributes to the mood and tone of the
poem.
Sound Devices
Poets use sound devices such as repetition
and rhyme to connect ideas, emphasize ideas,
Poets use sound devices such as
alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia to
create vivid images and to contribute to the
mood and tone of the poem.
Every word counts in a poem. Poets use
words that convey emotions and therefore
contribute to the meaning of the poem.
Figurative Language
Poets use simile, metaphors, and other
figurative language devices to describe
something in a new way.
Look for examples of figurative language
and note how poets use them to reveal a tone or
attitude, to create vivid imagery, or to express
complex ideas.
Sensory Language
Sensory language creates images that
appeal to one or more of the five senses.
These images help readers imagine the
experiences described in the poetry.