Lesson 4: The Cello of Mr. O
Completion requirements
Unit 5
What Can I Learn from Realistic Fiction?
Lesson 4
What is Theme?
In this lesson, you will- think about the work you have done so far in this unit
- work on analyzing and comparing points of view
Sometimes, while reading realistic fiction, you will connect to the character and sometimes you will also connect to the conflict, setting, mood, or theme. What helps you connect to the story is the story details. For example, you might have connected to the boy’s burned hands in “A Blazing Rescue” or the cat who would not stop yowling. Story detail enhances character, setting, action, and mood.
Mood is the emotion the story evokes in a reader. Mood can be described by adjectives such as sad, happy, fearful, or angry.
The topic of the story is one word to describe an issue in a story such as racism, friendship, or courage. This is different than the theme.
How to Identify Theme
The author’s message relates to the story but also has meaning for you.
You should be able to make connections between the characters and events in the story and people and events in your life.
The theme becomes clear just after the climax of the story when the conflict is resolved. All other elements in the story support the theme.
The father’s reaction to the cat’s unexpected help is shown in the falling action and the resolution. This reaction can reveal the theme or message about life.
Whenever you are asked to provide a theme for a story, think of one sentence that expresses the main idea or message about life. Think about what the main character learned from his or her experience. Sometimes, thinking of a one-word idea is an effective way to build that sentence. If the story is about courage, then you can ask, “What does the author tell me about courage?” To find the theme of the text, make these connections:
The theme of the story “A Blazing Rescue” may be written as follows:
The theme of a story is the main idea or message of the story. It answers the question,
“What is the story telling me about life or how people interact?”
How to Identify Theme
The author’s message relates to the story but also has meaning for you.
You should be able to make connections between the characters and events in the story and people and events in your life.
The theme becomes clear just after the climax of the story when the conflict is resolved. All other elements in the story support the theme.
Setting
The time and place of the action sets the tone and mood of the story. In “A Blazing Rescue” the mood may be suspense or fear. The reader expects the boy will face a challenge when he sees the fire.Character
The main character is a key aspect in deciding theme. In pursuing a goal, can the protagonist face a challenge? Does he or she make a decision that changes him or her?Example:
The narrator of “A Blazing Rescue” is an observant, caring, and brave character. We can tell this because of his
The narrator of “A Blazing Rescue” is an observant, caring, and brave character. We can tell this because of his
- Speech – “The hay!” I shouted. The narrator is the first one to notice the hay is burning.
- Thoughts – “He was wondering where he would get the money for a new tractor.” He cares about his dad’s sadness.
- Effect on others – His mom sees his burned hands and gasps. Others look at his burns too which shows he is a brave.
- Actions – He is brave because during the fire he burns his hands, but hardly feels the pain.
- Looks – The character has dark hair and wears pajamas, a coat and work boots. He is a working person.
Falling Action
“How did you happen to notice the fire, Jon?” Dad asked….
“It was Dandy,” I said…
“So, it was the cat who saved your barn,” Pete said.
“It was Dandy,” I said…
“So, it was the cat who saved your barn,” Pete said.
The father’s reaction to the cat’s unexpected help is shown in the falling action and the resolution. This reaction can reveal the theme or message about life.
Whenever you are asked to provide a theme for a story, think of one sentence that expresses the main idea or message about life. Think about what the main character learned from his or her experience. Sometimes, thinking of a one-word idea is an effective way to build that sentence. If the story is about courage, then you can ask, “What does the author tell me about courage?” To find the theme of the text, make these connections:
- Text-to-Self (your life)
- Text-to-Text (another story)
- Text-to-The World (something you heard in the news)
The theme of the story “A Blazing Rescue” may be written as follows:
- With courage and the help of friends, we can overcome a challenge.
- Animals can be heroes too.
- Sometimes animals are unexpected helpers.