PRINCIPLES FOR STATING THEMES
There is no set method of determining theme. That said, if you strive to understand the author’s intent then you’ll come very close. Ask yourself the following questions:
Theme must be expressed in the form of a statement (a sentence or two). Terms such as friendship or risk-taking are not themes but topics. It is your goal to figure out what the author’s ideas are on the topic. For example, “friendship based on reciprocal trust and understanding is instrumental to its longevity,” tells us something specific about the nature of friendship.
A theme is a generalization about life, not about the individual characters in the text. Instead, words like people, a person, individuals, an individual, and someone are useful when writing theme statements.
A theme should not be so general, however, that it lacks a point. For example, the statement “the effects of risk-taking can be positive or negative” is so broad that it says very little. This statement may be improved by making it more specific, for example, “when an individual takes calculated risks, he or she experiences excitement and grows as an individual.”
Avoid absolutes and sweeping generalizations. Words like all, every, always, and never should be avoided. Instead, try to use such words and phrases as usually, sometimes, frequently, most of the time, often, and hardly ever.
The theme should not be reduced to a cliché. For example, avoid such statements as, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Instead, “it is important to garner lasting impressions based on authentic observation and experience,” would be a better choice.
- What is the author trying to say about human nature?
- What is the author trying to say about the human condition?
- Has the protagonist sustained lasting change? To what is this attributed?
- What has the protagonist learned?
- What is the nature of the central conflict?
Theme must be expressed in the form of a statement (a sentence or two). Terms such as friendship or risk-taking are not themes but topics. It is your goal to figure out what the author’s ideas are on the topic. For example, “friendship based on reciprocal trust and understanding is instrumental to its longevity,” tells us something specific about the nature of friendship.
A theme is a generalization about life, not about the individual characters in the text. Instead, words like people, a person, individuals, an individual, and someone are useful when writing theme statements.
A theme should not be so general, however, that it lacks a point. For example, the statement “the effects of risk-taking can be positive or negative” is so broad that it says very little. This statement may be improved by making it more specific, for example, “when an individual takes calculated risks, he or she experiences excitement and grows as an individual.”
Avoid absolutes and sweeping generalizations. Words like all, every, always, and never should be avoided. Instead, try to use such words and phrases as usually, sometimes, frequently, most of the time, often, and hardly ever.
The theme should not be reduced to a cliché. For example, avoid such statements as, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Instead, “it is important to garner lasting impressions based on authentic observation and experience,” would be a better choice.
TUTORIALS
|
THEME STATEMENTS
This video tutorial (10 minutes) outlines how to identify, plan, and generate effective theme statements. It provides a formula for their construction as well as examples based on popular animated films. Below is a copy of the PowerPoint utilized in the video. Both items were created for EDU610 Final Project. |