The artist who is thought provoking at some point asks him/herself::
The artist who is thought provoking at some point asks him/herself: Why am I creating this piece of art? In what way do I want my audience to struggle? What do I want them to think about, reflect upon? How do I want this art to change my audience? How can I – through this art – contribute to the collective body of understanding of what it means to be a human being?
Let’s practice . . .:
Let’s practice . . . Movie Scene “This scene seems to explore the idea that. . .” Paintings “This painting seems to explore the idea that . . .” Songs “This song seems to explore the idea that. . .”
What helps you determine the theme of a piece of art?:
What helps you determine the theme of a piece of art? Motif – repetition of images, symbols, allusions, metaphors, etc. What in the piece of art can not be accepted at face value? Conflict – Examine the inner struggle of a speaker, character. What do they want? How do they change? What have they learned? Don’t forget the title. Remember: Moral theme. The purpose of literature / art is to provoke thought through observation, dramatic recreation, etc. Do not ask - What is the lesson? Instead ask – What does this poem reveal?
Expressing Theme:
Expressing Theme Express theme as a generalization about life, human nature, the human condition. It should sound like a big idea. “This poem seems to explore the idea that…” Avoid cliché (Don’t judge a book by its cover; What goes around comes around. .)