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    12 Most Common Themes in Literature: TEP Charter School 5 Grade ELA

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    damionfrye
    The document discusses 12 common themes in literature: man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. religion, crime does not pay, overcoming adversity, friendship depends on sacrifice, importance of family, yin and yang, love is worth pursuing, death is part of life cycle, sacrifices bring rewards, and all humans have the same basic needs. It then provides tips for identifying themes in literature such as examining characters' needs and desires, identifying central conflicts, paying attention to symbols and motifs, analyzing subtext, studying titles, and relating the protagonist's journey to personal experiences.

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    12 Most Common Themes in Literature: TEP Charter School 5 Grade ELA

    Uploaded by

    damionfrye
    13K views2 pages
    The document discusses 12 common themes in literature: man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. religion, crime does not pay, overcoming adversity, friendship depends on sacrifice, importance of family, yin and yang, love is worth pursuing, death is part of life cycle, sacrifices bring rewards, and all humans have the same basic needs. It then provides tips for identifying themes in literature such as examining characters' needs and desires, identifying central conflicts, paying attention to symbols and motifs, analyzing subtext, studying titles, and relating the protagonist's journey to personal experiences.

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    12 Most Common Themes in Literature

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    The document discusses 12 common themes in literature: man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. religion, crime does not pay, overcoming adversity, friendship depends on sacrifice, importance of family, yin and yang, love is worth pursuing, death is part of life cycle, sacrifices bring rewards, and all humans have the same basic needs. It then provides tips for identifying themes in literature such as examining characters' needs and desires, identifying central conflicts, paying attention to symbols and motifs, analyzing subtext, studying titles, and relating the protagonist's journey to personal experiences.

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    13K views2 pages

    12 Most Common Themes in Literature: TEP Charter School 5 Grade ELA

    Uploaded by

    damionfrye
    The document discusses 12 common themes in literature: man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. religion, crime does not pay, overcoming adversity, friendship depends on sacrifice, importance of family, yin and yang, love is worth pursuing, death is part of life cycle, sacrifices bring rewards, and all humans have the same basic needs. It then provides tips for identifying themes in literature such as examining characters' needs and desires, identifying central conflicts, paying attention to symbols and motifs, analyzing subtext, studying titles, and relating the protagonist's journey to personal experiences.

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    12 Most Common Themes

    TEP Charter School


    th
    5 grade ELA
    In Literature
    1. Man vs. Nature: Man is always at battle with human nature: whether the battles described are his own
    nature (destructive, caring ect.), the physical world (disease/natural disasters) or against getting old.

    2. Man vs Society: Mankind is always struggling to fight with what his life is like. This is seen in characters
    who know how society says they should live, but feel like they don’t fit in.

    3. Man vs. Religion: Man tries to understand and make peace with God, but in literature, making peace is
    difficult.

    4. Crime Does Not Pay: A popular theme played out in books throughout time is the concept that honesty is
    honored and criminals will eventually be caught. 

    5. Overcoming Adversity: Many books have characters who accept a tough situation and turn it into triumph.

    6. Friendship is Dependent on Sacrifice: This is the idea that you can’t have friends if you don’t act like a
    friend.

    7. The Importance of Family: Sacrifices for family are honored and explored, as are the family bonds that
    survive adversity.

    8. Yin and Yang: Just when you think life is finally going to be easy, something bad happens to balance it all
    out. 

    9. Love is the Worthiest of Pursuits: Many writers create stories with the idea that love conquers all.

    10. Death is Part of the Life Cycle: Stories with this theme show how death and life are connected.

    11. Sacrifices Bring Rewards: Sacrifices and hard work pay off in the end, despite the challenges along the
    way.

    12. Human Beings All Have the Same Needs Story after story shows us that rich or poor, educated or dumb,
    all human beings need love and other basic needs met.
    IDENTIFYING THEME
    IN LITERATURE
    To Identify a Theme Use These Following Ideas

     Needs and Desires: Understand the inner struggles of characters. What are their needs
    and desires in the beginning, middle, and end? What is the main character like at the start of
    the novel, and how or why does he change? What does he want?

     Conflict: Identify the central conflict. List the protagonist’s friends and enemies. Are
    there conflicts between characters, between the main character and his society, or between
    the main character and his own self?

     Motifs: Pay attention to visual cues. Search for symbols or motifs that represent
    something else. What might a red apple signify in a colorless world? What does the music
    that a character hears at the end suggest?

     Subtext: Examine dialogue and action between characters. Does the main character say
    or do things he doesn’t want to say or do?

     Titles: Study the book’s title, as well as the titles of chapters, for clues about the author’s
    message.

     Personal Experience: Compare the protagonist’s journey to your own experiences. Do


    you know what makes the main character feel happy or sad? Do you agree with what he says
    or does? If you were in his position, would you act differently?

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