Learning Goal: Understand theme as conveyed through characters, actions, and images.
Please read pages 220-221 of our blue Holt Elements of Literature textbook for more information about theme. According to our textbook:
The plot of a story is only what happens in it.
The theme is what the story reveals about life.
What happens in a story may help readers infer the theme, but the theme goes beyond the specific story to state a truth about real life. A life lesson.
To discover the theme of a story, the reader will have to ‘read between the lines.’ Authors don’t usually come right out and state the theme word for word. Authors want us to infer the theme based on what the character discovers or how they change.
The lesson a character learns can be stated as a theme. Always state the theme as a complete sentence.
Remember that plot is what happens in a story and theme is what the story reveals about life.
1. What is one major theme of the novel?
2. Support your answer by referring to a significant part of the plot.
The theme of the book is tell the truth and dont lie. Becuase in the book jessie doesn't know she really lives in 1996 she thinks she lives in the 1800's! But then in the book jessie's mom tells her it is actually 1996.I think the topic is truth and lie.Because her mom lied about the year for a long time.
ReplyDeleteAllison o.
period 3
Hi Allison! I think what you described was the topic. Truth and lies is a good topic for this book. But what lesson is the author trying to teach us? There were major negative consequences because the parents were not truthful and because the people in charge of Clifton were not truthful. Try organizing your thoughts this way:
ReplyDelete1. Topic
2. Theme
3. Plot event which supports theme
The topic is truth and lies.tell the truth and don't lie. On pg.127 Mr.Neeley gave jessi water but it was acually drugs. So he lied :-(
ReplyDelete**NIKKI,JORDAN,ELLIE,AND NEIL*:)8) B)
Nikki, Jordan, Ellie and Neil-- So the theme is "Always tell the truth and don't lie." Ok-- what happened in the book when the parents didn't tell the truth? What happened when the people of Clifton didn't tell the truth? How did they learn this lesson?
ReplyDeletethey learned the lesson because people got diptheria and jessie had to go out of clifton
ReplyDeleteto find mr. neeley. so he could help them
nikki ellie jordan :)
I think the topic is truth/lie.
ReplyDelete- Jessies Ma told Jessie that its really 1996-not the 1800's.
- 'Mr. Neeley' (The Imposter One) gave Jesie drugged water, which the imposter said was regular water
Theme? No clue yet...
David from period 7-- Okay, good. Stay with the topic of truth/lies. What did Ma and Pa learn after keeping the truth from their children? What lesson do they learn? What negative consequence was there for the people in charge of Clifton for not telling the truth?
ReplyDelete1. I think the theme is when the people in clifton learned how to take care of there children and not to be bad parents.
ReplyDelete2. because the parents did not atake carea of there children well.
Corey S. Period 7
Uhm
ReplyDelete1.That if you lie, eventually you will either have to confess or you will be caught?
2.Who learned What?
3.That soon- wait- I didnt get that far...
Corey from period 7-- Be careful. A theme statement must be able to be applied to any situation in life. Is your statement to specific? It sounds as if it can also relate to the book.
ReplyDeleteHere are some more ideas for topics and theme statements. Use these ideas as well as the ones made here by your fellow bloggers. Which one will you choose to develop?
ReplyDeleteTopic: Bravery Theme: When times get tough, the tough get going.
Topic: Truth and Lies Theme: It is always better to tell the truth
Topic: Truth and Lies Theme: Little white lies can lead to big consequences
I chose for my theme: when times get tough, the tough get going. MrsO'Brien i want to coose a song elvis presley and would in the ghetto work for the song.
ReplyDeleteCorey S. Period 7