PAT9100-ABED_1: Lesson 3-5 Theme in Poetry

Lesson 5

Assignment 3-5

Target

In the previous four lessons, you learned about sound devices, sensory language, figurative language, form, and structure of poetry. In this lesson, you will develop your understanding of theme and look for poetry in surprising places.

Poetry in the Community

Use these poems as breaks in meetings that become tense
and threaten. Use them to alter the wind in the room,
the sail in the boat can fill and go a different direction…
Use these poems to keep you warm any way you can.

—Ronna Bloom, from “Use These Poems” in Cloudy with a Fire in the Basement

Poetry can be found in unexpected places from song lyrics as suggested in Lesson 1 to the side of a building suggested in Lesson 4. It might appear painted on the side of a cart, etched on the pavement, painted on a concrete base, wrapped around a pretty glass, or painted on a museum wall. All these poems have messages that are significant to their readers

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Rev Stan @Flickr

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Photo by George Kourounis on Unsplash

@Pixabay

Photo by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash

Theme

To Review:

A theme is an observation about human behaviour or society present in literature. It can be an underlying message or insight into life. It is rarely “spelled out” or clearly identified for a reader.

A theme...

is the central idea in a selection.

answers the following questions:
What does the poet suggest about…?
What is the writer’s purpose, main idea, or message (about life)?

A theme is not...

the subject
the topic

Figure 1

The subject of Figure 1 is a baby using a laptop.

The topic may be “youngsters and technology”.

The theme of the image is the photographer’s message in one or two sentences about youngsters using technology, as in the following examples:

Babies are too young to use laptops appropriately.

Perhaps children should start using laptops sooner in life.

When you are writing a statement of theme...

Do...	Example
... express the theme as a general observation or comment about a subject	Love often has a positive effect on the human spirit.
... express the theme in your own words	A kind leader inspires loyalty.
... express the theme as an insight or observation about life	Overreaching ambition can lead to a fall.
... draw general insight from characters, when you can	Friends can help one overcome the difficulties in life.
Do not...	Example
... express theme as a subject or topic	The theme is love. X
... express theme as a cliché or familiar saying	What goes around, comes around. X
... express theme as a moral (a decision about what is right or wrong)	People should save the environment. X
... make a thematic statement too absolute (Avoid words such everyone, always, never, and all as well as statements that make incorrect assumptions or are too general.)	All my friends like the same music. X
... refer to specific characters in a thematic statement	Marla learned communication is an important form of leadership. X