Theme
Words/thoughts
Details about the characters that support themes.
recurring themes
Related themes shared in many works of art and literature that apply to a particular time or place.
theme
The message or lesson about life that a writer wants to communicate - usually a complete sentence.
topic
What a work is about - usually only one or two words.
Theme Question
What big message about life is the writer trying to tell me?
Details/events/characters
A theme is based on these factors in a text.
Make connections
Step four to inferring a theme.
Examine the title
Step one to inferring a theme.
Analyze the characters
Step three to inferring a theme.
Consider the plot and conflict
Step two to inferring a theme.
universal themes
Themes that appear again and again in literature, art, and media of different time periods and cultures.
support
Things the characters say or ways in which they change that may help a reader determine a passage's theme.
infer
To use details from the text and your knowledge about life to figure out the message.