Themes

Literary Themes

The theme of the book differs from the plot, although many people think plot and theme are one and the same.

 You can explain the difference  by saying that plot is what the characters do, but the theme is the lesson or moral underlying the plot. The theme of a book is a message that describes an opinion about life, human nature or elements of society.

Common Themes in Literature It has been argued that there are anywhere between 3 and 40 main themes in literature that continue to be explored by each successive generation of writers. No one knows for what the real number is--it depends on who you ask--but below is a list, not necessarily inclusive, of the most common ones. There are many variations, and there are often overlaps as well. So, right or wrong, in no particular order, here they are.

This follows a character or characters through a series of adventures as they travel.  It may be a sad story or a happy story, or it may even be comedic.  Huckleberry Finn, Heart of Darkness,  and The Odyssey are good examples.  In film, this theme can be seen in Apocalypse Now and National Lampoon's Vacation.

Sometimes called the "coming of age story," this most commonly introduces an “innocent” character to the evil or complexity of the real/adult world.  In literature, we might look at The Giver or Flowers for Algernon.  In film, we might look at Stand by Me.

The sacrifice can be for any reason except self--a loved one, an enemy, a group of people, the whole of humanity, a dog--but the bottom line is that the protagonist sacrifices himself or herself in an effort to save others.  In literature, this is demonstrated in the story of Jesus in the New Testament and King Arthur in Mallory's Morte d’Artur.  This theme is used is used in the films Glory, Armageddon, The Green Mile, and in just about any war movie where the hero dies gloriously.

The Iliad and A Tale of Two Cities are classic examples of this theme.  It is about people or groups of people in conflict.  It is sometimes a good vs. evil story like 1984 by George Orwell, but not always. The film The War of the Roses, starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, is an example of a battle in which neither character is wholly good or evil.  In theatre, we see this theme at work in Westside Story and Les Miserables.  We often see this theme in horror or science fiction, like in Alien and Terminator,  where the antagonist--a monster/creature/human/alien/computer/etc.-- is trying to kill the protagonist, who must fight to stay alive and/or defeat the antagonist.   Sub-categories would be person vs. person, person vs. nature, person vs. society, person vs. technology and etc.
 

This theme shows us people going where only God should go, doing what only God is meant to do, or attempting to do something that human beings should never do.  This is always followed by misfortune, whether it is the direct result of their action or an act of God.  We see this in the tales of Coyote’s theft of fire in the Native American tradition, or in the story of the Tower of Babel and the Garden of Eden in The Old Testament.  Other examples would be the Prometheus myth, Pandora’s Box, and the story of Icarus.  Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is another work exploring this theme, and we have seen it at work in the films Jurassic Park and Westworld.

Romeo and Juliet is a classic love story, as is the story of Lancelot and Guenivere.  The films You’ve Got Mail and Message in a Bottle are also love stories.  The ending may be be happy, sad, or bittersweet, but the main them is romantic love.  Also included in this theme is platonic love--friendship--like in the movies Wrestling Ernest Hemingway and Midnight Cowboy.  All Romance novels fit into this category.   All “buddy films” like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Thelma and Louise fit into this category.

Greek tragedies fit this category.  Often, there is a major reversal of fortune.  It could be from good-to-bad or from bad-to-good.  Oedipus Rex is a classic work that explores the concept of fate and destiny, having an unhappy ending. Cinderella is also a reversal of fortune story, but has a happy ending.  In film, we have seen this theme at work in Pretty Woman.  The common element is that there is some force guiding the person’s life over which he or she has no control. When we watch The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, look for this theme!

The subject is obvious, but the outcome differs.  Sometimes the outcome is good, like in the movies Revenge of the Nerds or Animal House.  Sometimes the outcome is bad, as in Macbeth and Moby Dick.  Other movies based on this them are Revenge, staring Anthony Quinn and Kevin Costner, and Payback, starring Mel Gibson.

In this one, someone or some group of people intentionally trick someone else.  Rumplestiltskin and Little Red Ridinghood are in this category.  Stone Soup is an old story in which several men trick the inhabitants of a village into providing them with food.  This theme was evident in Snatch, starring Brad Pitt, and The Sting, staring Robert Redford and Paul Newman.

Something terrible happens because one person or group of people is cruel to another.usually this cruelty is because of society's beliefs.  The story of Roll of Thundar, Hear My Cry is a good example.  In film, we have seen it The Great Debaters. This type of work is usually trying to teach a lesson or change a social belief.

Some movies and literary works contain only one theme.  Others contain several.  For example, Roll of Thunder showed the inhumanity of man through the poor treatment of the Logans and other African Americans.  It also showed a reversal of fate with TJ.

Think about The Giver or other novels you have read.  You can probably think of one or two themes that would apply to each novel.

Read the assigned pages for today.  Complete the exite ticket.

BE SURE TO PRINT YOUR RESPONSES FOR BOOKBUILDER!!!

Number the Stars... pages 95 - 105

 Milkweed...Pages 123 - 143

Anne Frank... pages 175 - 195

Summer of My German Soldier ... Pages 120 - 135

Night ... pages 71 - 83