logging in or signing up Theme pp laviequense Download Post to : URL : Related Presentations : Share Add to Flag Embed Email Send to Blogs and Networks Add to Channel Uploaded from authorPOINT lite Insert YouTube videos in PowerPont slides with aS Desktop Copy embed code: (To copy code, click on the text box) Embed: URL: Thumbnail: WordPress Embed Customize Embed The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites. Views: 1198 Category: Education License: All Rights Reserved Like it (2) Dislike it (0) Added: February 10, 2010 This Presentation is Public Favorites: 2 Presentation Description No description available. Comments Posting comment... By: sngrady (15 month(s) ago) Nice Power Point. Would love to use this with my intensive reading students. Could I get this as a file? Thanks - sgrady@palmbeach.k12.fl.us Suzanne Saving..... Post Reply Close Saving..... Edit Comment Close By: pcar (19 month(s) ago) Hi , This would work really well for my English class. Could you send it to me please? patcarruthers at hotmail Saving..... Post Reply Close Saving..... Edit Comment Close Premium member Presentation Transcript Themes In Literature : Themes In Literature 2/10/2010 1 Dr. C. Walker Theme-Defined…. : Theme-Defined…. A central idea or “truth” that a work of literature expresses A comment that a work of literature makes on the human condition 2/10/2010 2 Dr. C. Walker Themes: : Themes: differ from culture to culture, but there is a general set of "classic themes" that are prevalent in all cultures and histories. These themes have their roots in the oral traditions of different cultures, and recur in a range or literary works. 2/10/2010 3 Dr. C. Walker How do you “find” theme? : How do you “find” theme? Check out the title. Sometimes it tells you a lot about the theme Notice repeating patterns and symbols. Sometimes these lead you to the theme What are the details and particulars in the story? What greater meaning may they have? 2/10/2010 4 Dr. C. Walker What exactly is this elusive thing called theme? : What exactly is this elusive thing called theme? The theme of a fable is its moral. The theme of a parable is its teaching. The theme of a piece of fiction is its view about life and how people behave. In fiction, the theme is not intended to teach or preach. In fact, it is not presented directly at all. You extract it from the characters, action, and setting that make up the story. In other words, you must figure out the theme yourself. The writer's task is to communicate on a common ground with the reader. Although the particulars of your experience may be different from the details of the story, the general underlying truths behind the story may be just the connection that both you and the writer are seeking. 2/10/2010 5 Dr. C. Walker Theme must go beyond the book… : Theme must go beyond the book… To be a true theme, the truth or comment must apply to people or to life in general, not just the characters in the book. For example, “In Beauty and the Beast, Belle learns that true beauty comes from within,” only applies to the story. Instead, express the theme like this: “In Beauty and the Beast, we learn through Belle and the beast that true beauty comes from within.” 2/10/2010 6 Dr. C. Walker Multiple Themes Possible… : Multiple Themes Possible… Many books have more than one theme, so do not think that there is one “right” theme to any book you read. In fact, most great literature has multiple themes. 2/10/2010 7 Dr. C. Walker Finding the Theme… : Finding the Theme… Asking questions What is the subject? What does the book say, or teach us, about the subject? How does the work communicate the theme? In other words, what specific details, characters, actions, incidents, etc, suggest the truth of the theme statement? 2/10/2010 8 Dr. C. Walker The Individual in Nature : The Individual in Nature Nature is at war with each of us and proves our vulnerability. People are out of place in Nature and need technology to survive. People are destroying nature and themselves with uncontrolled technology 2/10/2010 9 Dr. C. Walker The Individual in Society : The Individual in Society Society and a person's inner nature are always at war. Social influences determine a person's final destiny.. A person's identity is determined by place in society. In spite of the pressure to be among people, an individual is essentially alone and frightened. 2/10/2010 10 Dr. C. Walker Human Relations : Human Relations Marriage is a perpetual comedy bound to fail. Marriage is a relationship in which each partner is supported and enabled to grow. Parents should not sacrifice all for a better life for their children. There are few friends who will make extreme sacrifices. 2/10/2010 11 Dr. C. Walker Growth and Initiation : Growth and Initiation Manhood or womanhood is often established by an abrupt, random crisis, sometimes at an unusually early age. Aspects of childhood are retained in all of us, sometimes hindering growth, sometimes providing the only joy in later life. A person grows only in so far as he or she must face a crisis of confidence or identity. 2/10/2010 12 Dr. C. Walker An individual's Relation to the gods. : An individual's Relation to the gods. a. The god(s) are benevolent and will reward human beings for overcoming evil and temptation. b. The gods mock the individual and torture him or her for presuming to be great. c. The gods are jealous of and constantly thwarts human aspiration to power and knowledge. d. The gods are indifferent toward human beings and let them run their undetermined course. e. There are no gods in whom people can place their faith or yearning for meaning in the universe. 2/10/2010 13 Dr. C. Walker Time : Time a. Enjoy life now, for the present moment, because we all die too soon. b. By the time we understand life, there is too little left to live. 2/10/2010 14 Dr. C. Walker Death : Death a. Death is part of living, giving life its final meaning. b. Death is the ultimate absurd joke on life. c. There is no death, only a different plane or mode of life without physical decay. d. Without love, death often appears to be the only alternative to life. 2/10/2010 15 Dr. C. Walker Alienation : Alienation a. An individual is isolated from fellow human beings and foolishly tries to bridge the gaps. b. Through alienation comes self-knowledge. c. Modern culture is defective because it doesn't provide group ties which in primitive cultures makes alienation virtually impossible. 2/10/2010 16 Dr. C. Walker Possible Theme Questions : Possible Theme Questions Questions about the nature of humanity Does the author think that humans are good or flawed? What good things do people do? How are people flawed? To what extent are people flawed? 2/10/2010 17 Dr. C. Walker Questions about Society : Questions about Society Does the society help people or hurt them? Are characters in conflict with society? Do characters want to escape the society? Is the society flawed? If so, how? 2/10/2010 18 Dr. C. Walker Questions about humans and the world : Questions about humans and the world Do characters control their lives? Do they make free choices? Are characters driven by forces beyond their control? Does the world have some grand scheme, or is it random and arbitrary? 2/10/2010 19 Dr. C. Walker Questions about Ethics : Questions about Ethics What are the moral conflicts in the work? Are right and wrong clear cut in the story? Does right win over wrong, or vice versa? To what extent are characters to blame for their actions. 2/10/2010 20 Dr. C. Walker Caution: Theme isn’t everything : Caution: Theme isn’t everything be aware that a theme we determine from a story never completely explains the story. It is simply one of the elements that make up the whole. 2/10/2010 21 Dr. C. Walker The End : The End 2/10/2010 22 Dr. C. Walker QUESTIONS???? : QUESTIONS???? 2/10/2010 23 Dr. C. Walker You do not have the permission to view this presentation. In order to view it, please contact the author of the presentation.
Theme pp laviequense Download Post to : URL : Related Presentations : Share Add to Flag Embed Email Send to Blogs and Networks Add to Channel Uploaded from authorPOINT lite Insert YouTube videos in PowerPont slides with aS Desktop Copy embed code: (To copy code, click on the text box) Embed: URL: Thumbnail: WordPress Embed Customize Embed The presentation is successfully added In Your Favorites. Views: 1198 Category: Education License: All Rights Reserved Like it (2) Dislike it (0) Added: February 10, 2010 This Presentation is Public Favorites: 2 Presentation Description No description available. Comments Posting comment... By: sngrady (15 month(s) ago) Nice Power Point. Would love to use this with my intensive reading students. Could I get this as a file? Thanks - sgrady@palmbeach.k12.fl.us Suzanne Saving..... Post Reply Close Saving..... Edit Comment Close By: pcar (19 month(s) ago) Hi , This would work really well for my English class. Could you send it to me please? patcarruthers at hotmail Saving..... Post Reply Close Saving..... Edit Comment Close Premium member Presentation Transcript Themes In Literature : Themes In Literature 2/10/2010 1 Dr. C. Walker Theme-Defined…. : Theme-Defined…. A central idea or “truth” that a work of literature expresses A comment that a work of literature makes on the human condition 2/10/2010 2 Dr. C. Walker Themes: : Themes: differ from culture to culture, but there is a general set of "classic themes" that are prevalent in all cultures and histories. These themes have their roots in the oral traditions of different cultures, and recur in a range or literary works. 2/10/2010 3 Dr. C. Walker How do you “find” theme? : How do you “find” theme? Check out the title. Sometimes it tells you a lot about the theme Notice repeating patterns and symbols. Sometimes these lead you to the theme What are the details and particulars in the story? What greater meaning may they have? 2/10/2010 4 Dr. C. Walker What exactly is this elusive thing called theme? : What exactly is this elusive thing called theme? The theme of a fable is its moral. The theme of a parable is its teaching. The theme of a piece of fiction is its view about life and how people behave. In fiction, the theme is not intended to teach or preach. In fact, it is not presented directly at all. You extract it from the characters, action, and setting that make up the story. In other words, you must figure out the theme yourself. The writer's task is to communicate on a common ground with the reader. Although the particulars of your experience may be different from the details of the story, the general underlying truths behind the story may be just the connection that both you and the writer are seeking. 2/10/2010 5 Dr. C. Walker Theme must go beyond the book… : Theme must go beyond the book… To be a true theme, the truth or comment must apply to people or to life in general, not just the characters in the book. For example, “In Beauty and the Beast, Belle learns that true beauty comes from within,” only applies to the story. Instead, express the theme like this: “In Beauty and the Beast, we learn through Belle and the beast that true beauty comes from within.” 2/10/2010 6 Dr. C. Walker Multiple Themes Possible… : Multiple Themes Possible… Many books have more than one theme, so do not think that there is one “right” theme to any book you read. In fact, most great literature has multiple themes. 2/10/2010 7 Dr. C. Walker Finding the Theme… : Finding the Theme… Asking questions What is the subject? What does the book say, or teach us, about the subject? How does the work communicate the theme? In other words, what specific details, characters, actions, incidents, etc, suggest the truth of the theme statement? 2/10/2010 8 Dr. C. Walker The Individual in Nature : The Individual in Nature Nature is at war with each of us and proves our vulnerability. People are out of place in Nature and need technology to survive. People are destroying nature and themselves with uncontrolled technology 2/10/2010 9 Dr. C. Walker The Individual in Society : The Individual in Society Society and a person's inner nature are always at war. Social influences determine a person's final destiny.. A person's identity is determined by place in society. In spite of the pressure to be among people, an individual is essentially alone and frightened. 2/10/2010 10 Dr. C. Walker Human Relations : Human Relations Marriage is a perpetual comedy bound to fail. Marriage is a relationship in which each partner is supported and enabled to grow. Parents should not sacrifice all for a better life for their children. There are few friends who will make extreme sacrifices. 2/10/2010 11 Dr. C. Walker Growth and Initiation : Growth and Initiation Manhood or womanhood is often established by an abrupt, random crisis, sometimes at an unusually early age. Aspects of childhood are retained in all of us, sometimes hindering growth, sometimes providing the only joy in later life. A person grows only in so far as he or she must face a crisis of confidence or identity. 2/10/2010 12 Dr. C. Walker An individual's Relation to the gods. : An individual's Relation to the gods. a. The god(s) are benevolent and will reward human beings for overcoming evil and temptation. b. The gods mock the individual and torture him or her for presuming to be great. c. The gods are jealous of and constantly thwarts human aspiration to power and knowledge. d. The gods are indifferent toward human beings and let them run their undetermined course. e. There are no gods in whom people can place their faith or yearning for meaning in the universe. 2/10/2010 13 Dr. C. Walker Time : Time a. Enjoy life now, for the present moment, because we all die too soon. b. By the time we understand life, there is too little left to live. 2/10/2010 14 Dr. C. Walker Death : Death a. Death is part of living, giving life its final meaning. b. Death is the ultimate absurd joke on life. c. There is no death, only a different plane or mode of life without physical decay. d. Without love, death often appears to be the only alternative to life. 2/10/2010 15 Dr. C. Walker Alienation : Alienation a. An individual is isolated from fellow human beings and foolishly tries to bridge the gaps. b. Through alienation comes self-knowledge. c. Modern culture is defective because it doesn't provide group ties which in primitive cultures makes alienation virtually impossible. 2/10/2010 16 Dr. C. Walker Possible Theme Questions : Possible Theme Questions Questions about the nature of humanity Does the author think that humans are good or flawed? What good things do people do? How are people flawed? To what extent are people flawed? 2/10/2010 17 Dr. C. Walker Questions about Society : Questions about Society Does the society help people or hurt them? Are characters in conflict with society? Do characters want to escape the society? Is the society flawed? If so, how? 2/10/2010 18 Dr. C. Walker Questions about humans and the world : Questions about humans and the world Do characters control their lives? Do they make free choices? Are characters driven by forces beyond their control? Does the world have some grand scheme, or is it random and arbitrary? 2/10/2010 19 Dr. C. Walker Questions about Ethics : Questions about Ethics What are the moral conflicts in the work? Are right and wrong clear cut in the story? Does right win over wrong, or vice versa? To what extent are characters to blame for their actions. 2/10/2010 20 Dr. C. Walker Caution: Theme isn’t everything : Caution: Theme isn’t everything be aware that a theme we determine from a story never completely explains the story. It is simply one of the elements that make up the whole. 2/10/2010 21 Dr. C. Walker The End : The End 2/10/2010 22 Dr. C. Walker QUESTIONS???? : QUESTIONS???? 2/10/2010 23 Dr. C. Walker