Short Story #3 -- Theme

"Theme" is the central idea of a work of literature. This does not mean "theme" is the same as the subject of a piece of writing. The subject of a piece of writing can be described in a word or two, "baseball", "farming", or "The Holocaust" to list a few examples. The theme is what the author wishes to reveal about the subject.

Some Examples:

Romeo and Juliet:
Subject: Young Love
Theme: Young love is often more important than family

Boyz in tha Hood:
Subject: Life in South-Central Los Angeles
Theme: Gang life is dangerous even for those who do not actively engage in it.

Back to the Future:
Subject: Time Travel
Theme: Though many people would like to change their pasts, their lives may end up worse if they did.

For this project, you will need to select a short story to read. Below are some suggestions of stories that are good for discussing theme:

Blues Ain't No Mockin Bird by Toni Cade Bambara -- page 266 in gold anthology
Independence by Ruth Sasaki -- page 278 in gold anthology
American History by Judith Ortiz Cofer -- page 290 in gold anthology
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson -- page 34 in green McGraw Hill anthology
A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor -- page 86 in green McGraw Hill anthology

If you would like to read another story that is not on this list, show it to me before you begin.

When you are finished reading, post the following to your weblog:

1. Write a 2-3 paragraph response to the story you read. Please focus more on how you felt about the story than writing a summary.

2. What was the subject of the story? What was the theme? Look at the examples above if you need to. What do you think about what the author was trying to reveal about the subject? Do you agree with the author? Answer these questions in a short paragraph.

3. How does the author's words support the theme they are trying to convey. In other words, how can you tell what the author thought about the subject, and how can you tell what the author was hoping you would think when you finished the story. Make sure you provide some direct evidence from the story to support you r response.

4. Think of your favorite movie. Explain the subject of that movie, and then the theme. How does the person who created this movie deliver the theme? Describe the themes that let you know how the author feels about the subject and convinces viewers to feel the same.

When you are through, self-evaluate your work with the help of the Rubric for Weblog Posts, and then leave me a comment to this message telling me you are through.