Theme and Variations

Tackling a Classic of the Curriculum

When it comes to critical reading of great literature, the concept of “theme” is one of the most important things readers need to understand. And yet it can be hard to teach, especially if our students don’t seem to have an inherent grasp of the idea. For starters, theme isn’t typically defined in ways young readers can easily understand. If you look in the dictionary, you’ll find definitions like: “A topic of discourse; A subject of artistic representation; A unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary work; etc.” All correct definitions, but try using that language to explain theme to a 9th grader.