NAME: What is Theme? A theme is a universal message or truth about life. A theme is the moral or life lesson that the character(s) and/or reader learns. It may give a short lesson about life THEME IS THE CENTRAL MESSAGE IN THE STORY A stated theme is expressed directly by the author. An implied theme is suggested, or state indirectly through what happens to the characters. A universal theme, or a recurring theme, is a message about life that is expressed regularly in many different cultures and time periods. HOW TO FIND THE THEME: Step 1: Identify the major characters Step 2: Identify the character(s) beginning situation What is the character(s) thinking or doing at the beginning of the story? Step 3: Identify the character(s) end situation What is the character(s) thinking or doing at the end of the story? Step 4: Ask yourselves what the character(s) learn throughout the story Step 5: IDENTIFY THE THEME (If there is a multiple choice question, choose the one that most closely identifies with the story)
STEPS TO IDENTIFY THEME: Step 1: Major Characters: Step 2: Characters beginning situation: Step 3: Characters end situation: Step 4: What did the characters learn:
Step 5: What is the theme of this passage? THEMES IN LYRICS Define THEME: Directions: Listen to the song, The Climb, by Miley Cyrus. Choose which one best describes the message that the song is sending to listeners. 1) Which of the following best describes the theme in The Climb? A) Life is easy for some people and hard for others B) Life is about being strong and facing your challenges C) Life is really hard, and it s not going to get better D) Life is easy if you are positive Provide two examples from the text to support your choice & explain.
SECTION II. DIRECTONS: Compare the following two song s themes. How are the two themes similar? How are they different? Follow the steps for identifying a song s theme for each song. will.i.am What's wrong with the world, mama? People livin' like they ain't got no mamas I think the whole world's addicted to the drama Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism But we still got terrorists here livin' In the USA, the big CIA The Bloods and the Crips and the KKK SONG #1 WHERE IS THE LOVE But if you only have love for your own race Then you only leave space to discriminate And to discriminate only generates hate And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah Madness is what you demonstrate And that's exactly how anger works and operates Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight Take control of your mind and meditate Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all Justin Timberlake People killin', people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preach Or would you turn the other cheek? Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' (love) All (the love) (the love) Fergie Where is the love, the love, the love? Taboo It just ain't the same, all ways are changed New days are strange, is the world insane? If love and peace is so strong Why are there pieces of love that don't belong? Nations droppin' bombs Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones With the ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone? So I can ask myself really what is goin' wrong In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin' in Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug If you never know truth then you never know love Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know) Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know) Where's the love, y'all (come on yeah) Justin Timberlake People killin', people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preach Or would you turn the other cheek? Father, Father, Father help us Send us some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' (love) All (the love) (the love) (the love) (the love) Fergie Where is the love, the love, the love?
apl.de.ap I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder Most of us only care about money makin' Selfishness got us followin' the wrong direction Wrong information always shown by the media Negative images, is the main criteria Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinemas Yo, whatever happened to the values of humanity? Whatever happened to the fairness and equality? Instead in spreading love we're spreading animosity Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found (now ask yourself) will.i.am Justin Timberlake Father, Father, Father help us Send some guidance from above 'Cause people got me, got me questionin' The Black Eyed Peas Sing with me y'all: One world, one world (We only got) One world, one world (That's all we got) One world, one world And something's wrong with it (Yeah) Something's wrong with it (Yeah) Something's wrong with the wo-wo-world, yeah We only got (One world, one world) That's all we got (One world, one world) SONG #2 JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati On a snow white Christmas Eve Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy With the baby in the backseat Fifty miles to go and she was running low
On faith and gasoline It'd been a long hard year She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention She was going way too fast Before she knew it she was spinning On a thin black sheet of glass She saw both their lives flash before her eyes She didn't even have time to cry She was so scared She threw her hands up in the air Take it from my hands Cause I can't do this on my own I'm letting go So give me one more chance To save me from this road I'm on It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder And the car came to a stop She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat Sleeping like a rock And for the first time in a long time She bowed her head to pray She said I'm sorry for the way I've been living my life I know I've got to change So from now on tonight Take it from my hands Cause I can't do this on my own I'm letting go So give me one more chance To save me from this road I'm on Oh Oh, I'm letting go So give me one more chance Save me from this road I'm on From this road I'm on Oh, take it, take it from me Oh, why, ooh