Looking for Themes All around us Lesson 1

Transcription

1 Looking for Themes All around us Lesson 1

2 » Almost all songs contain a theme. Listen to this song, and try to determine the theme of the song!» What makes people like particular songs is usually the theme that of the song.» Discuss with your partner what theme of the Taylor Swift song is.» It is important to recognize the themes that are working in the songs and books that we read because the themes shape the way we respond to a song or text.

3 » Today what I want to remind you is that all narrative texts have themes within them, and when literary critics start to look for those themes, they ask questions like: What is this text really about? Or, What is this text trying to teach me about life?» Then, they sometimes write long to grow their ideas.» So, you read All Summer in a Day, by Ray Bradbury last week, and I m thinking that together we can do the same work on that story as we just did on the Taylor Swift song. So, let s step back and ask ourselves: What is Bradbury s story really about? What is it trying to teach me about life?

4 » To get at the theme of a story, it can help to first think through what some of the problems or issues are within the text, and then to look for how this problem or issue appears across the whole text.» Let s look at our NEW anchor chart.» Collect Ideas How to Write a Thematic Essay Name a central problem or issue that characters in the story face. Reflect on parts of the story that pertain to this problem. Think to yourself, What is this story teaching me about this problem, this issue? Write long about your thinking to grow your ideas, perhaps by asking how different characters relate to that issue.

5 Problems in All Summer in a Day include: Themes that emerge because of those problems are: What is All Summer and a Day trying to teach me about.

6 » So the first step is to name a big problem in the story.» For teaching sake, let s say in All Summer in a Day the big problem is, jealousy, although there are plenty more.

7 » Let s recall how the story relates to jealousy Kids live on Venus have never seen the sun. Margot, lived on Earth and she does remember the sun. The sun is supposed to come out today for the first time in 7 years. The rest of the kids are super jealous of Margot for seeing the sun, so they lock her in a closet during the sun s appearance, which is really mean. Then because they have experienced the sun, they understand Margot better, and they feel bad.

8 » So now we need to ask: What is this story teaching me about this problem, about jealousy?» Let s think aloud: Kids act out when they are jealous and then they can t help themselves. Then, they act out. So, maybe jealously can make you mean?

9 » You can use writing to explore further ideas.» Look at the final step on the chart: Once you have an idea about what theme might be in a text jealousy can make you mean it helps to do some writing.» Write to explore the ideas by writing long. Free write to get your ideas out and push your thinking. To get started, I am going to name the theme. Then I am going to ask myself questions. How do I say more about this? How does the theme relate to different characters? What other questions could I ask to push myself to writing through theme?

10 » Here s what I came up with:» One theme emerging in the text is that jealousy can make you mean. Because the kids are jealous of Margot, they keep her away from the sun; they are mean to her. So jealousy hurts Margot, the victim. But I think it also hurts the children who are acting jealous, too. They feel bad at the end of the story. They are not proud of themselves. This is significant because it shows that jealousy is harmful to everyone.

11 » Here are the steps that I followed: I named and reflected on the problem of the story. We thought about what the story might be teaching us about the problem. I wrote long about the idea.

12 » Now you are going to try it with a different theme for the same story. What are some themes?» What is leading you to think these are themes?

13 » Set a goal of finishing one theme piece today in class. At least 1.5 pages about a theme (other than jealousy) in All Summer in a Day. Use the steps that we discussed. Name a central problem or issue that characters in the story face. + What themes emerge because of this problem? Reflect on parts of the story that pertain to this problem. Think to yourself, What is this story teaching me about this problem, this issue? + Develop a theme statement. Write long about your thinking to grow your ideas, perhaps by asking how different characters relate to that issue. + Start with One theme emerging in All Summer in a Day is [insert theme statement here]. + Provide as much support from the text and as many of your own thoughts/connections as you can.

14 » Work with your partner. Remember to avoid using those repetitive phrases you are used to using.» Make some claims about what you think the theme of the story might be and then find some evidence that proves your claims.

15 » Ways to push your thinking.

16 » Share your work with your partner. Think about the themes you chose.» Look at your partners piece. Is he/she proving the theme is relevant?» Is he/she sounding rote and robotic?» Is he/she developing claims?» Is he/she explaining everything fully?

17 » Today, you are going to pick a theme that is emerging in your novel.» Before you get too committed to just one theme, it s a good idea to step back and reflect on which of the themes resonates for you, and to keep searching until you find a theme(s) that does.» Think of the theme(s) you want to write about today and ask yourself whether the theme(s) matters to you. If you aren t connected to your work, your readers won t be either.

18 » For example, think about All Summer in a Day for a moment. If you were considering writing a literary essay on the theme that jealousy can make people selfish or blind to others, you d want to first think whether that has been true in your own life.» Then, ask yourself what do I want to learn about this theme? What do you want to learn from exploring your novel s message?

19 » Today your goal is to compose 1 ½ pages AT LEAST about the theme that you see developing. First, determine what theme(s) you have noticed emerging in your novel so far. Next, determine the relevance of those themes to your own life. Then, search for evidence in your novel that shows how one of the themes is relevant to your personal relevance of the thematic idea.» DO NOT WORK WITH ANYBODY. I want you to be able to compare your different conclusions with the rest of the group in the upcoming lessons.