theme statements for education

10 Thematic Statement Examples for High School Students

Nov 10, 2022

Think of the last book you read… what was it about? When you go to answer this question, do you focus on a summary of the plot or do you boil it down to a statement that focuses on the overall message of the book? The answer to that question may depend on whether you’re an English teacher or not!  If you’re doing the latter for the many books you read, which most often I think we – English teachers – unconsciously do, then you’re sharing thematic statement examples .

You are providing an overarching idea of what that book is about without providing many details about what happens with the plot and characters. But this is a skill that’s learned and honed; it’s a skill that you, as an English teacher, were taught when you were a student and now likely teach your own students!  

And teaching theme and how to write thematic statement examples is important. Not just because it’s a great way to provide an overview of a book during small talk, but because it provides a clear way to check reading comprehension and understanding, it is a way to work on a different facet of summarizing, and it guides students to more analysis of the overall text.

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How To Teach With Thematic Statement Examples

What is theme.

Theme in general is the deeper meaning of a story. It is often a recurring central idea that leads to a take-away message for the reader. Different parts of a story contribute to that message and different texts may share a theme, but how they’re communicated could be very different. 

What is a thematic statement and what are the elements of thematic statement examples? 

A thematic statement is an overall message from the story in the form of a short sentence. Some might boil it down to the big idea of a particular text, whether that’s a poem, short story, or novel. 

What’s noteworthy is that a theme – and thus a thematic statement – is not always singular in a text. There could be multiple themes in a piece of literature. Students could look at characters, setting, and plot, in addition to conflict and resolution in any given story. Through all of these elements, different themes might emerge though they are usually closely related. 

To teach students how to write strong thematic statements, a formula is helpful: Topic + Message = Thematic Statement. With this, students can use textual evidence to ground their thematic statements.

To help your students really ‘get’ the idea of theme check out this fun activity with graphic organizers to create different thematic statements .

Want to teach your students how to write a  LITERARY ANALYSIS essay? Check out >>> Use Literary Analysis Examples in 5 STEPS!

10 Thematic Statement Examples

Whether you’re teaching short stories, poetry, drama, or film, here are 10 thematic statement examples to use with your students:

3 Short Story Examples

• “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is the story of a yearly tradition that proves deadly in a small town.  The story also provides several options for thematic statements such as a mother’s love develops over time or people should avoid participating in a harmful tradition, or even parents must encourage their children to listen to the law. This bundle of activities for “The Lottery” ensures students’ clear understanding of the story through Common Core-style questions before they dive into determining the theme of the story.
• “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe is about Prince Prospero who attempts to avoid a plague by hiding out from the inhabitants of his town. Like most Poe stories, it’s dark and twisted and absolutely perfect for engaging students!  The exploration of these themes and the textual evidence to support each one would allow you to differentiate for the students in your classroom. You could provide a variety of theme statements such as “Fear is an important part of human relationships” or “Having a positive attitude eliminates panic.” Students can read the story to find textual evidence for support. These examples and more are included in the activity pack for this amazing Poe story .

• “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce is about a civilian during the Civil War who is facing death as a result of his actions. It also has a twist that will capture students’ attention. Students can brainstorm one or two thematic statement examples and then use highlighters to color-code textual evidence. For example, a blue highlighter for evidence of “fantasies can be deceptive” and a green highlighter that supports “bravery will sometimes lead to success.” Once complete, students can review their color-coded stories to see which statement is best supported.

3 Poetry Examples

• “Annabel Lee” by Poe is about the love the narrator has for a woman in his life, however, it’s Poe so it also focuses on death!  Before diving into thematic statements make sure students have a strong comprehension of the poem using these poetry activities for this Poe poem .  Once they understand the poem, they can shift to writing thematic statement examples about it. What statement is best? What textual evidence would they use?
• Death cannot stop a person’s love.
• Beware the jealousy of the angels in heaven.
• Separation causes the heart to yearn for love.
• Love will ultimately cause gloom and despair.
• “Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne tries to convince the reader to not fear death. To help with any lesson using this sonnet, check out these activities for visualization, comprehension, and writing . Then students can debate which thematic statement example is best: 
• People should understand that dying is momentary.
• People deserve the consequences of their actions.
• People must consider how to live effectively.
• People eventually must die.

• “A Poison Tree” by William Blake is a short poem about anger and, ultimately, murder. Get students to look closer at the emotional language in this poem with this group of activities to make teaching poetry stress-free . Then, they can shift to writing about any of these thematic statement examples for “A Poison Tree” with confidence! Which would they choose?
• Anger that is not dealt will escalate into harmful actions.
• Beware how you treat your enemies and your friends.
• Growing a tree takes time and careful planning.
• People deserve the consequences of their acts.

Need ideas for short stories for applying thematic statement examples ? Click below!

2 Play Examples

• A scene from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare that is perfect for analysis of theme is Tybalt’s death and the Prince’s speech in Act 3, Scene 1. These activities are simple yet rigorous to ensure students’ understanding! Through close reading, students can then focus on generating ideas about the theme of this scene. They’ll likely come up with words such as revenge, friendship, and consequences. Use these theme statement development activities with graphic organizers to scaffold the analysis for all students.
• In Act 3, Scene 2 of Julius Caesar , Brutus makes a speech where he attempts to justify his murder of Caesar and Antony responds. Working closely with this scene using these comprehension activities can ensure students’ understanding before they develop a thematic statement for it. In fact, the comprehension activities will help to find textual evidence for any number of thematic statement examples and options.

2 Film Examples

Incorporating film analysis is another option to explore and create thematic statement examples. 

Two favorite films to feature in class are the 1990 fantasy-romance film Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Shakespearean adaptation Romeo + Juliet . Before focusing on thematic statement examples, teach a bit about film techniques and analysis with these activities that can be used with any film !

Students can add another layer of analysis with film-focused vocabulary. In Edward Scissorhands , students might notice that after Edward meets Peg the visuals illustrate that some people may never be accepted for who they are. With Romeo + Juliet , the different camera angles and chosen shots strengthen the message that contention between people will ultimately affect others and lead to their destruction.

Why Teach With Thematic Statement Examples?

No matter the text, students often struggle with theme and creating thematic statement examples. Too often, the theme of a particular story, movie, or song is misunderstood. In order to be successful with thematic statements, students need to focus their analysis and find relevant textual evidence. These are skills that students must learn and practice year after year! With these 10 options, you’ll hopefully have lots to choose from as you teach your students! 

Once students learn to write accurate and specific thematic statements through using thematic statement examples , you can take the next step by exploring several texts linked by theme. Check out this post that examines particular topics for themed units such as taking revenge or death and dying .

Need more fun lessons and activities that incorporate thematic statement examples? Check out my store Kristin Menke-Integrated ELA Test Prep !

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50 Theme Statement Examples

Thematic statements are common in literary work. Writers use them to express their attitude towards the theme of their work or their intention in writing the particular literary piece.

Authors employ thematic statements to address readers and establish themselves as experts on the subject matter. They do this by sharing their knowledge, revealing their opinions concerning the theme.

What is a Theme Statement?

A theme statement is a sentence that reveals the general idea of the content as it is written and presented on paper. A good thematic statement is often an idea that can be condensed into one sentence or a generalization based on the entire content.

Why are Theme Statements Important?

• A theme statement helps readers focus on the main idea. Readers can then get an insight into what they are about to read, avoid being distracted by side issues, and stay on track.
• Thematic statements can be used by anyone who wants to make a point about what they are expressing. Teachers, business professionals, or students can use them to describe a project they have been assigned to do.
• A writer’s thematic statement is a reflection of their attitude towards the topic. It’s used to show what perspective they are using in writing about it.
• A good theme statement can be used to remind a writer of the project they have to do. It also acts as a guide that can help readers stay on track with what they are reading.

50 Thematic Statement Examples

The following are ten categories of theme statements with five examples for each category:

Theme statements about death

Theme statements about love

Theme statements about change

Theme statements about life

Theme statements about nature

Theme statements about friendships

Theme statements about faith

Theme statements about character

Theme statements about parenting

Theme statements about failure

Steps for Writing a Great Theme Statement

Remember that a theme statement is the essence of what you are trying to say about your subject. There are no rules or guidelines for writing one, but the steps below will get you there:

Consider several theme topics

Before deciding the most suited theme statement, you must have a list of options to choose from. Make sure you have a good understanding of the most important topics. Brainstorm as many ideas as possible

You’re not limited to a few sentences. Write as many as you can think of, then choose those that resonate with you most and discard those that don’t.

Analyze the options

Read through all your brainstormed ideas and think about which one fits in with your theme better than others. This step is to help you choose between your options, not eliminate them.

Do your research

Read through several sources on your chosen thematic sentence to get a better understanding. This will help you analyze the possible impact it will have on your audience.

Check out other theme statements

Going through and analyzing what other writers have will help you build your own. Try to see how they put it together and what makes their statement effective.

Decide on the best thematic statement for you

The right thematic statement is the one that best encapsulates what you want to say. You should feel confident about it and know that it will work well with your article.

Write your thematic statement

Once you’ve chosen your theme, it’s time to write your thematic sentence. Keep in mind that it should be both effective and efficient.

Tips for writing a good theme statement are:

• Stay away from cliches. Readers have heard them way too many times, and they don’t make an impact anymore. Stay original.
• Use active verbs to help your statement come alive. Words like ‘can’ and ‘will’ make a world of difference.
• Your theme should sound well thought out, not spontaneous or random. It should be relevant to the article and not seem like it’s added in for good measure.
• Make your thematic statement relate to what you are writing about.
• Vary your sentence structure and length.
• Make sure the first words of your thematic statement are powerful enough to grab attention.
• Don’t be long-winded. Nobody likes a drag; keep your sentence concise and to the point.
• Make sure that there is a logical connection between your theme statement and the article. Don’t contradict yourself.

Themes versus Theme Statements

Many people will use the terms themes and theme statements interchangeably, but they are two very different things. The following are differences between themes and theme statements:

• Themes are what you write about, while your thematic statement is a summation sentence of what you want to communicate.
• A theme can be a word, while a theme statement is a complete sentence. E.g., a love theme can just be written as “love” while the statement goes like, “Love is a powerful emotion; it cannot be quenched.”
• A theme can be anything, while a theme statement needs to have more structure. It’s basically the essence of your work.
• A theme can be interpreted in many different ways. A theme statement is a more specific and overarching message that leaves no room for doubts or second thoughts.
• A theme can be found in the body, while a thematic statement is used in the introduction.
• A theme can help you understand what you’re writing about, but a theme statement will help your reader better understand your topic.
• A theme can be anything that gives some kind of meaning to your work, while a theme statement projects what you’re writing about.
• The chosen theme can be an idea, while a thematic statement is worded to show the reader if they agree or not.
• A theme can be about any part of your work, while a thematic sentence condenses what needs to be communicated in the beginning paragraph.
• Remember that your theme is what you write about, but your thematic statement helps you communicate it.

Examples of themes versus theme statements

Bottom Line

You want your theme statement to be the final piece that brings everything together. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your article, and it may take some tweaking. Having a clear idea of what your essay is about and who your audience is will help you.

I ‘m a freelance content and SEO writer with a passion for finding the perfect combination of words to capture attention and express a message . I create catchy, SEO-friendly content for websites, blogs, articles, and social media. My experience spans many industries, including health and wellness, technology, education, business, and lifestyle. My clients appreciate my ability to craft compelling stories that engage their target audience, but also help to improve their website’s search engine rankings. I’m also an avid learner and stay up to date on the latest SEO trends. I enjoy exploring new places and reading up on the latest marketing and SEO strategies in my free time.

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A Handy Strategy for Teaching Theme

Analyzing the themes in a literary work can be tricky for students, but a simple formula can scaffold the process.

Theme is slippery. As with irony, we know it when we see it, and though it’s easier to define than irony, it still poses a challenge for students. Discussions of theme, then, can be times when students feel they’re not up to the challenge of literary analysis—and this is true particularly for students who tend to struggle with reading and writing.

This presents ELA educators with a challenge, since students as early as fourth grade are asked to identify and analyze themes in text.

So what is a teacher to do? How can we teach our students about theme in such a way that we’re not skipping over reading comprehension, insisting on a “correct” answer, or unintentionally doing the heavy lifting for our students?

Over the course of more than a decade in the classroom, I developed a methodology for empowering students with a process for not only identifying a text’s thematic components but also constructing original thematic arguments.

Thematic Triads

The first thing students need to know is that, generally, works of literature are about ideas that are larger than the actions or events involving the characters, and very often these ideas pop up over and over again. One place to start with thematic analysis is to create ever-growing lists of these ideas, called thematic components—love, revenge, and so on.

The process I came to call thematic triads boils down to this: Have students identify many thematic components in a text, put them into groups of three, turn one of these triads into a sentence, and voilà, they have an original thematic argument.

This gives students a systematic process for identifying thematic components and thematic statements, a process that enables them to build their skills, and one that shifts analyzing theme away from something intimidating to something that is doable.

But what does this actually look like? The process starts with a definition of a thematic component—a large idea present within a text—and a brainstormed list of some common thematic components: love and revenge, as mentioned above, but also power, greed, freedom, corruption, fate, free will, ambition, lust, violence, youth, family, pain, fear, etc. The list of possibilities is probably endless.

It’s very useful to have anchor charts with lists of these ideas in classrooms so that students can, as they read, refer to the charts and identify thematic components as they arise in texts. As students read, they can transfer these thematic components to the inside back cover of their book, for instance, ensuring that the themes are always at hand and student-generated.

The next step in the process is to turn these thematic component lists into groups of three, or triads. When beginning this process, it’s important to emphasize that there are not correct and incorrect triads, and that the goal is not to find a single correct thematic statement. This can empower students, particularly those who have struggled in ELA classrooms in the past. Let students know that it can be highly instructive to choose a triad at random, see whether it works or not, and then try again.

An Example of a Thematic Triad

For the sake of illustration, let’s imagine that we’re reading Animal Farm with students, and that a classroom discussion surfaces these thematic components: power, greed, freedom, corruption, law, and camaraderie. Students might decide to group together greed, freedom, and corruption.

The final step is to turn the triad into a sentence—the thematic statement. Students often struggle with this, wondering in particular how to start. I would advise them to start each sentence with the word when , and think of the thematic statement as running along the lines of “When this happens, then that happens.” This is a great time to model a think-aloud strategy that gets students to see and hear how a scholar goes about using this process to identify theme.

Let’s take a look at what a thematic statement for Animal Farm might look like, using the triad that students chose. One possibility: “When one’s greed overtakes one’s desire for freedom, it can lead to corruption.”

This may not be the most insightful, original thematic statement in the world, and in all likelihood the first few times students go through this exercise, they will struggle and not be satisfied. That’s good—it means they’re invested in the process and will try again, and improve every time they try.

What all of this requires of teachers is a thorough, insightful, and nuanced understanding of any text they’re teaching. We cannot stay one chapter ahead of our students and expect to guide them to an authentic level of analysis—we need to know what thematic components are located in the text, and which thematic statements are viable and which are not. In short, we must be the literary scholars we are grooming our students to be.

How to write a theme statement

When you get done with a reading assignment for school, usually an essay, novel, or short story, you'll sometimes be asked to write a theme statement.

The definition of a theme statement can vary, but essentially it's asking you to state what the piece of writing was about — not the plot, but what sort of insight or perspective does it give on life/the world/human nature?

Theme is also sometimes known as the "main idea" of a story.

But how do you find the theme of a story? And how do you write a theme statement?

To write a theme statement, follow these 3 steps:

• Pick the main topic addressed in the story
• Pinpoint the author's view on the topic
• Format that perspective using a theme statement template

Let's dive a little deeper:

Finding the theme of a story using topics

After you're finished reading the book, story, or essay (you did read it, right?!), think back on the main character or characters.

Did they undergo some kind of change throughout the journey? Did their outlook on life evolve in some way?

That's usually a pretty good place to start looking for the theme.

For example, maybe the story deals with the broad topic of "love." Well "love" by itself isn't a theme, but a specific perspective on love could be.

Try this exercise once you've found your topic. Fill in the blank:

"This author believes _____ about (topic)."

In our example about love, maybe the story's about how love conquers all. Or maybe it's about how love is fleeting and fickle.

Your theme at this point might look something like this:

"The author believes that true love doesn't really exist."

(A little dark, but hey, it's just an example!)

Using a theme statement template

Every teacher or instructor is going to have their own way of wanting you to present your theme statement, so be sure to get clarity on that directly from them.

That said, there are some agreed upon "rules" of writing theme statements.

• Don't include specific characters or plot points. This perspective on life should apply to people and situations outside the story.
• Don't be obvious. "War is bad," is not a theme. Dig a little deeper using details from the story. (What specifically is bad about war? How does it negatively impact the characters or the world of the story?)
• Don't make it advicey. "You should always be there for your family," isn't a theme, it's a suggestion. Keep your theme statement objective and based solely on evidence from the story ("The bond between family can overcome any obstacle.")
• Don't use cliches. "Once a cheater, always a cheater," or "Actions speak louder than words," aren't themes. They're just expressions people use all the time and have very little power or real insight.

Here is a general template you can use based on what we learned above:

"The central theme of (piece of writing) is (author's position on topic) ."

Alternatively, you could try: "In (piece of writing), (author) presents the idea that (position on topic)."

You may also be asked to use supporting details from the story to back up your theme statement. In that case, your full theme statement might look something like this:

"The central theme of (piece of writing) is (author's position on topic). When (event from the story) happens, it results in (blank), which demonstrates (some element of the theme)."

You're going to have to tweak and adjust this based on how much detail the assignment calls for and which examples from the text you choose to use, but it should be a good starting point!

Theme statement examples

OK, so what does it look like in action?

Here are some example theme statements from stories you're probably already familiar with (I'm doing these mostly to demonstrate how to use the template. I hope you'll put a lot of thought into your own theme statements and play around with different ideas before committing to one) :

In 'The Dark Knight Rises', Christopher Nolan presents the idea that true heroism requires complete and utter selflessness.

The central theme of 'Finding Nemo' is that fear is sometimes more dangerous than danger itself.

In 'Romeo and Juliet', Shakespeare presents the idea that love is more powerful than hate.

Hope this helps! And good luck!

Questions? Let me know in the comments.

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How To Write an Effective Theme Statement: Rules, Tips & Template

• August 28, 2024
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Table of Contents Hide

What is a theme statement, 1. read the work thoroughly, 2. identify conflicts and central ideas, 3. consider the author’s perspective, 4. state the theme, 5. edit for clarification, things to avoid when writing theme statements, how long should a theme statement be, good and bad theme statement examples, faqs on how to write an effective theme statement, we also recommend.

You’ve just finished reading a captivating novel, and now, you’re trying to distill its essence into a single, powerful sentence—a theme statement. It sounds simple, right? But as you stare at the blank sheet, you realize it’s not as easy as it seems. How do you capture the heart of a story in just a few words? How do you go beyond summarizing the plot and instead uncover the deeper message the author is conveying?

Creating a theme statement is like finding the soul of a story—something that resonates long after the last page is turned.

Whether you’re a student working on a literature assignment, a writer developing your own story, or just someone who loves diving deep into the meaning behind your favorite books, understanding how to craft an effective theme statement is essential.

In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the rules, share tips to make the process smoother, and even provide vivid examples of both good and bad theme statements to help you get started. Let’s get started!!!

A theme statement is a succinct summary of the main idea expressed in a piece of literature. Theme statements define the overall ideas conveyed by the characters, conflict, and plot in novels or short stories.

The theme can be found in essays, articles, or other pieces of writing that include the author’s point of view.

Themes are values that the author desires to express, and they frequently reflect thoughts about life, human nature, and society. Writers, students, and teachers frequently utilize topic statements to complete literary analyses after reading a piece.

Professionals who work in literature or publishing houses often use theme statements to summarize and review books for marketing and publication.

While a thesis statement directly presents an author’s intent in a piece of writing, a theme statement is implicit. To determine a theme, the reader makes their own judgment based on how the author presents their ideas throughout a story. 

READ ALSO: How to Write a Poem About Yourself in these 7 Step-by-Step Guide

How To Write A Theme Statement

Learning how to write a thematic statement isn’t hard if you follow the steps below. 

Before writing your theme statement, make sure you have read and comprehended the material thoroughly. While reading the text, take notes and document the characters, plot, writing style, and author’s point of view. Use this information to establish the writing’s central message and the author’s intended topic.

Consider taking notes while you read, noting major narrative events, repeating concepts, and character development at the end of each chapter or even while reading. After reading, undertake a literary analysis to better understand the topic.

After properly reading the material, identify the main conflict and themes that appear throughout it. Consider the ideals, motivations, or interests of characters as expressed via actions and dialogue, particularly those that occur regularly throughout the work.

Determine what triggered the primary conflict and how it was resolved. Using this information to figure out the author’s main point can help you arrange your thoughts before creating a theme statement.

READ ALSO: How to Write a Horror Story: 12 Tips for Writing a Horror Story

To comprehend an author’s aim of writing a work of literature, conduct research to acquire insight into their viewpoint. Try to understand their history, life experiences, beliefs, and motives.

It is also vital to evaluate the author’s historical environment, as their core ideals are frequently influenced by the culture of their day. This might help you gain a better understanding of the intentions behind the text and the message an author wishes to convey to readers through their work.

Now that you’ve formed an interpretation of the central theme, write your theme statement. These statements typically contain only one or two sentences, making it important to write concise, universal statements that omit specific details about the text.

The qualifying clause in your thematic statement is optional and a more advanced skill for theme statement creators. This part of the theme statement provides the reader or your teacher with a bit more explanation or information about your statement. For example, you might use this qualifying clause for  The Fault in Our Stars :

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Before you finalize your topic statement, make sure it is clear. Consider any instances of duplication, complicated wording or phrasing, or locations that require additional clarity. With careful modification, your theme statement can better reflect the text’s essential meaning.

While making thematic statements is pretty straightforward, it can be easy to get too generic or cliché. Therefore, when creating a theme statement, it’s important to avoid the following:

• Don’t mention specific books, names, or events.
• Avoid clichés (for example, love makes the heart grow fonder).
• Do not summarize the work.
• Avoid absolute terms (for example, always, none).
• Don’t overgeneralize (for example, love is love).

A theme statement should be one to three sentences long. It should be a short, concise insight into what you feel is the message that the author is trying to convey in the piece of literary work,

Now that you know how to write a theme statement, it’s time to look at some good and bad thematic statement examples to guide you in your choice of theme statements:

Good:  Mental poverty can push you to do unexpected things that go against your own morals. Bad:  Poverty causes people to commit crimes.

Good:  Bravery allows people to push forward against adversity even when they fail to make a change. Bad:  The theme of this novel is bravery.

Good:  Friends are the ones who will support you even when the whole world is against you. Bad:  Friends make the world go round.

A theme statement is a sentence or two that captures the central message or underlying meaning of a literary work. It goes beyond summarizing the plot and delves into the broader ideas and insights the author wants to convey.

To identify the theme, consider the main conflicts, the characters’ motivations, and the outcomes of the story. Ask yourself the following questions, “What is the author trying to say about life, society, or human nature?” Reflect on the message that resonates throughout the story.

A good theme statement is clear, specific, and insightful. It should express a complete thought, avoid clichés, and be broad enough to encompass the entire work yet focused enough to be meaningful.

A theme statement can reflect your interpretation of the text, but it should be grounded in evidence from the story. Avoid making overly personal or biased statements; instead, focus on what the text suggests.

After coming up with a theme statement, revise your theme statement by ensuring it accurately reflects the story’s main ideas, is free of vague language, and is as concise as possible. Consider feedback from others and refine it until it clearly conveys the intended message.

• indeed.com – How To Write an Effective Theme Statement (Plus Definition)
• wordsbyevanporter.com – How to write a theme statement
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Musing From The Middle School

Four Steps for Teaching Theme in Middle School

February 25, 2019 by jwyks 2 Comments

This is my 14th year of teaching. Twelve of those years have been spent teaching 6th and 7th graders. And that means that for twelve years, I’ve been trying to get middle schoolers to wrap their heads around the important, yet tricky concept of THEME.

Today, I’m going to take you through the step-by-step process that I use to get my students to:

• Define the term “theme.”
• Recognize the theme of a story.
• Write a theme sentence.
• Explain in writing, using text evidence, how the author develops the theme of the story.

March 24, 2019 at 10:29 pm

Thanks for sharing that video. My students struggle with that topic specific to the novel vs. theme as well. I'll be using that idea for sure!

January 31, 2022 at 4:52 pm

What books did you find helpful to use in the theme stations for teaching theme?

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How to Write a Clear Theme Statement (with Examples)

Have you been asked to write a theme statement? It might seem easy at first glance, because theme statements are so short — one sentence, or two at most. Coming up with a solid theme statement requires careful analysis, however. Here's how to write a strong theme statement for any work of art.

Theme Statement Basics

A theme is, in works of art, literature, film, and TV, the one overarching idea that defines the work. No matter the plot and the sub-themes explored in the work, the main theme will shine through in everything the work deals with. A theme statement is a short summary of that idea — a single sentence, or sometimes two, that lay the subject out for an audience.

Theme statements are helpful tools when analyzing a work. In the case of novels, movies, and TV shows, they can also be used to draw potential audience members in without spoiling the work — because (and this is important, so listen up!) a theme statement is not a plot summary, and should never mention specific plot points !

A good theme statement describes the essence of a work, but not its details. It describes the whole work, and not only one particular part of it.

Here's one example:

In the Amazing Spider-Man 2, Marc Webb shows that with great power, there must not only come great responsibility, but also great sacrifice.

Theme statements are, however, to an extent open to interpretation. Works of art often have multiple themes, and you can write an accurate theme statement in a few different ways.

Theme Statement Vs. Theme Topic

If you find yourself needing to craft a theme statement, you may struggle with this question. How does a theme statement differ from a theme topic? Understanding the similarities and differences is quite easy, thankfully. Look at it like this:

• A theme topic simply describes the theme of the work — and although there are many, some common examples include "rags to riches", "coming of age", or "true love".
• A theme statement, in contrast, is a complete sentence (or even two), with some additional information and an interpretation about the way in which the work (film, book, painting, poem...) deals with the theme topic.

As an example, "love conquers all" would be a theme topic. "The central theme in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar is that only love can prevail across space and time," would be a theme statement.

How to Write a Theme Statement

Are you still lost? Are you no closer to writing a killer theme statement now than when you started reading? That's where this step-by-step guide comes in. Warning: Penning a high-quality theme statement requires a deceptively large amount of work and creative power.

1. Explore the Work Thoroughly

Theme statements may be written about:

• Short stories

Your first step lies in interacting with the work — and to keep things simple, let's say you're writing a theme statement about a novel. Read the work thoroughly, cover-to-cover, at least once. It helps if you take notes as you read.

2. Make a List of the Theme Topics You Discover

As you read, you will inevitably discover that the book contains multiple sub-themes. Get yourself a nice notebook, or set up a Word document, and write down any theme topic you come across.

Which one bleeds through in the entire work? That will be the main theme. From the main challenge the protagonist faces and the way in which they overcome it, the interactions the characters have, the language used, and the way in which the setting is described, can you guess the author's opinion on this central theme? Now you have a solid base to work with.

Reading the book closely, and asking yourself what message it's sending, is the way to find a theme in a literary piece. That same process works for movies, TV shows, and short stories as well. Finding the theme in a painting or poem can be significantly more challenging, however.

3. Explore the Author’s Thoughts

The work you are interacting with, and are attempting to write a theme statement for, is of course the main place where you will be exploring the author's thoughts on the book's theme topic. It is not, on the other hand, your only possible source of information. Especially if you are writing a theme statement for a more recently-written book, you are highly likely to be able to find:

• Interviews in which the author shares their thoughts on the character's main struggles and the ultimate meaning of the literary work.
• Social media blurbs on the topic.
• Don't discount the synopsis on the back of the cover, either! You'll often find a lot of good info there.

4. Use a Template or Theme Statement Generators

Congratulations! The book you are writing a theme statement for has now become, at the very least, an "acquaintance", and maybe even a "friend". You have immersed yourself in the book's overarching theme, and you have intellectually analyzed the book, at least informally in your own mind.

Still not sure how to write a theme statement? You could look for theme statement templates or theme statement generators on the internet, and find some useful tools. You could also work with the following informal template:

The [film/book/poem/etc] [title], by [author] explores [main theme], showing that [main opinion or message about the theme].

Once you're done filling in the blanks, get to work on rewriting that sentence to make it sound a lot more appealing.

You could start your sentence with:

• [Name of the work] masterfully explores how....
• The main theme of [Title] is that...
• [Name of author's] work [Title] shows that...

Once you have penned a theme statement you wholly agree with, and you feel confident that it reflects the spirit of the work, you will only need to format it and incorporate it, where relevant, into a wider essay you are writing about the work.

Good Examples of Theme Statements

Are you still not certain that you are on the right track with your theme statement? It always helps to see some examples in action.

Theme Statements Exploring Family

The remake of the classic show Lost in Space sheds a new light on an age-old struggle — exploring each member's individuality in relation to the family unit.

E.B. White's Charlotte's Web illustrates that "family" is not necessarily the group one is born into, but a group that chooses to stick by one another unconditionally, no matter what struggles lie ahead.

Theme Statements Dealing with Friendship

Stranger Things is ultimately about the enduring power of friendship — which can, with the right dose of determination, overcome almost anything.

Spider-Man Far from Home deals with some of the hardest aspects of friendship, asking what lengths we are morally obliged to go to to protect those we love.

Theme Statements Discussing Love

Shakespeare explores the unstoppable force of love, regardless of obstacles, in Romeo and Juliet .

Pride and Prejudice leaves no stone unturned as it boldly discusses the ways in which budding love can change us forever.

Theme Statements About Death

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera demonstrates the power of mortality itself, for it is the guaranteed ending that makes life worthwhile.

Henry Scott-Holland's poem Death Is Nothing At All explores the transitory nature of life.

Theme Statements that Touch on Fear

In Heart of Darkness , Joseph Conrad shows that fear can be used to control — or to overcome.

Sony's Into the Spider-Verse sheds a unique perspective on the universal emotion of fear, showing that our own insecurities often represent our most significant fetters.

Theme Statements about Identity

Good Will Hunting explores the universal themes of abandonment and identity, asking whether trusting others is possible after a lifetime of isolation and fear.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's Secret Garden is a tale of lost souls who are found, and learn to trust themselves in the process.

The book Record of a Spaceborn Few , by Becky Chambers, shows that even the oldest of traditions must sooner or later bend to the harsh tides of history.

Social Issues

Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy grapples with the universal human challenge of injustice, showing that hope can be found in the darkest of places.

The Hate U Give , by Angie Thomas, is a coming-of-age story with a twist. When oppression is a daily reality, Thomas shows, love and unity are the only way forward.

5 Important Tips on Writing a Theme Statement

Are you ready to rock your own theme statement now? Yes — very nearly. Before you do go forward with your final version, you'll want to make sure to stick to a few important dos and don'ts.

When you present a theme statement for a book, movie, TV series, or piece of poetry, see to it that your statement is:

• The best theme statements are the result of the hard work you did in interacting with (reading, watching) the work of art you are writing a theme statement for, and getting to know it intimately. Once you are familiar with the work, you can analyze it and present an authentic opinion on its main theme. Note that others may disagree with you. That is OK, as long as you sincerely believe that your position is correct and can defend it.
• Your opinions in writing your theme statement should flow directly from the literary or cinematic work you are analyzing; don't bring your own baggage into the theme statement if the work does not explicitly tackle it.

As you pen your theme statement, make sure that you don't:

• Offer specifics. This is both so that you can see the "trees for the forest", so to speak, and identify the theme rather than the plot points, and so that you do not spoil the work for people who have not yet read it or seen it.
• Deal in cliches. It's easy. You'll even spot a few in the previous section. If your theme statement is important to you, however, try to toss your preconceived ideas aside and analyze the work's important subject matter in a novel way.
• Don't generalize in your theme statement. Love doesn't "always triumph", for instance.

As long as you keep these points in mind, and you have done the work you need to in analyzing your book, movie, or other piece of art, you will end up with a theme statement you can be proud of.

How to start a theme statement?

You can start a theme statement simply by discussing what work of art you are talking about — "in [this work] authored by [this person]...", or "[Author's] classic book, [title], shows that...". Your readers want to know what you are talking about, after all. Take it from there.

How to write a theme statement essay?

After opening your essay with the theme statement, as you view it after careful analysis, you can discuss the main theme and related sub-themes explored within the work you are analyzing in detail. You may compare the work to other works that deal with similar themes, perhaps in entirely different settings, as well.

How to write a theme in a sentence?

If you follow the format of "who wrote this work", "what's the main underlying topic?", and "why is that important?", you will be able to summarize the theme of a literary or cinematic work in a single sentence. Remember that theme statements may have two sentences, though.

How to write a theme paragraph?

If you were asked to write an entire paragraph, simply explore the work's theme topic in more depth. You should still avoid any specifics, including plot points or character analyses.

Can you find a theme through titles?

Titles can sometimes offer important clues about a work's theme. This is not always the case, however. Some works of art have deceptively unrelated titles.

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Teaching Theme So Students Actually Understand

Teaching theme to 3rd grade, 4th grade, or 5th grade students is just plain HARD. Theme is an abstract idea, making it really hard for teachers to put into words and even harder for students to grasp.

If your students are struggling with understanding theme, rest assured that they are not alone!  Teachers all over the world have this same struggle.

Teachers often teach theme by creating anchor charts that list common themes or that list questions students should ask themselves when trying to determine the theme of a passage or story.  These are helpful and good strategies to use, but most students will still have no clue how to determine the theme independently just through the anchor charts.

There are other strategies you can use to help scaffold student understanding.

Why Teaching Theme is So Hard

Students struggle with theme because it is unlike anything else they have learned in their ELA classroom.

In order to identify the theme of a text, students must also have the ability to summarize important parts of a text so that they have a clear understanding of what an entire passage says.  Students must be able to distinguish the theme from the main idea.   They must understand what lesson the author is trying to teach and recognize that they can disagree with the author's point of view.   They must have a solid grasp of story elements and how characters change. They must be able to make inferences.

On top of all of that, students must understand how to actually determine the theme, which is a challenge in itself.  No wonder teaching theme is so hard!

Make Sure Students Have a Solid Foundation

If your 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th grade students struggle with summarizing or determining the main idea, then figuring out how to determine the theme of a story will be almost impossible.

If you have students that are still struggling with these skills, then check out these tips for teaching students to summarize so that they actually understand,  and how to determine the main idea so that they actually understand. 

Introduce Theme With Shorter Text

Shorter texts allow for plenty of opportunities for you to model how to find the theme of a story and plenty of opportunities for students to practice.

Shorter texts keep students from being overwhelmed and getting frustrated.

Shorter texts allow you to focus primarily on finding the theme, and less on decoding words and difficult vocabulary.

Shorter texts make it easier for you to determine where your students are struggling and how to reteach.

Shorter texts for practicing theme can be hard to find.  Use this no prep theme freebie with short texts to help make your theme lesson planning easier.

Shorter texts are simply a must-have when introducing your students to theme.

Teach Confusing Aspects of Theme in Isolation

Often theme instruction is limited to explaining what theme is, providing examples of theme, and modeling to students how to find the theme of a story.

But there are many aspects to theme that can be confusing for students.  By teaching each of these in isolation, you can more easily figure out where your students are struggling.

The aspects of theme that I have found confuse students the most -  as well as ideas for teaching each aspect - are below.

• Themes aren't usually stated in the passage.   To help students better understand this, have students read a paragraph with a clear theme.  Tell students the theme of this paragraph, using a think aloud to explain how you figured it out.  Go back and reread the passage, showing students that the theme was not stated anywhere in the passage.
• Completely different stories can have the same theme.  Seeing the same theme played out with a variety of different characters and plots can really help students better understand how to determine the theme.  Read several very different paragraphs, each with the same theme to students.  This resource contains 16 different short stories, each with one of 4 themes,  to make teaching this aspect of theme easy on you.
• Theme and main idea are different.  This is essential for students to understand, but very hard to teach. To help students understand this, have them read a short passage with a clear theme.  Then, write 5 statements - 3 details from the passage, the main idea of the passage, and the theme of the passage.  Do not tell students what is what, but instead have them figure that out.  Doing this activity repeatedly really helps solidify students' understanding of the difference between main idea and theme. If your students are still struggling with main idea, then this activity will also help them be better able to differentiate between main idea and details.  (This is one of the most popular activities in my Teaching Theme Bundle.)

• You don't have to agree with the theme.   This is particularly important in a world where biased information is available everywhere.  Students need to know that they do not have to agree with everything they read.  A good way to do this is to show students two paragraphs with opposing themes and have students discuss which theme they agree with more.  For example, you could have a paragraph with the theme of "You can always trust your friends" and another paragraph with the theme of "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."
• A reading passage or text can have more than one theme.   This can be confusing to students, as not all passages have more than one theme, while novels almost always do.  Build up to determining the theme of novels by showing students shorter passages with at least two themes.
• Themes are meant to apply to real life.   This is an important aspect of theme - themes are not just a lesson for the characters in a story.  The author intends for people to learn from the theme of a story.  To practice this, read short passages with clear themes and, after identifying the theme, ask students how they could apply it to their own lives.  (Or have them explain why they wouldn't want to apply it to their own life.)

Low Prep Resources to Help Your Students Understand Theme

Most theme resources simply provide students with more practice.  They don't help students better understand theme.

If you find teaching theme to be frustrated, or if you have students that just don't get it, then this no prep resource will make your life easier and leave your students with a much clearer understanding of how to find the theme of a story.

It includes activities to help students practice each of the confusing concepts listed above in isolation, and it includes plenty of shorter texts to keep students from feeling overwhelmed.

"I can't tell you how much I love this! Theme is so tough for fourth graders but this unit explained the nuances so well. I'll be using this every year!" " I have the main idea scaffolded resource and love it, so I knew this was a good choice for theme. Because theme is such a difficult concept for most students, I wanted something that really broke it down into manageable chunks, and this did that."

Download this cut and paste theme freebie here!

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Bell Ringers

4 tips for teaching theme in middle school.

A few years ago, I had one of those moments in the middle of a reading lesson where you think, “I am really not explaining this right.” My middle school students kept shouting out all the wrong answers, and I was trying to guide them towards the goal – without simply giving the answer away. Have you ever been there?

It was during that lesson that my middle schoolers were learning about theme. For me, as the teacher, theme is a pretty simple concept that my brain can easily wrap around. For my students however, having to dig deep and think beyond the text is a skill they are often still mastering.

So, how can you get your middle school students to grasp theme? How can you teach them to think critically and use those oh-so important inferencing skills?

Tip #1: Get Clear on Theme

Naturally, when introducing theme to students, you want to start by giving them the definition. Theme is the message or moral the author wants to convey through the text. The biggest struggle students have with theme is being able to think beyond the literal meaning of the text and label the hidden message.

Before you dive straight into having students create their own themes, start with giving them examples of themes or having them choose a theme that fits a text. This will provide them with a “template” of how a theme looks and how it relates to the text.

Tip #2: Start with a Topic

To guide students to theme, it is sometimes best to have them start with a topic. Some students may want to jump straight into the theme, but if they are struggling at all with defining the message, encourage them to start with the topic. A  topic  is a main idea, conflict, or characteristic they see in the story. A topic is only one word, and doesn’t yet give us any details on the moral or message of the story.

Students can uncover topics by thinking about a few questions:

• What are the key ideas in the text?
• What is the main conflict or problem in the story?
• What characteristics or qualities does the main character display?

For example, if students were to think of topics for  Cinderella , they may come up with the following: love, acceptance, family, fairness, or bravery. These can all be traced back to the story of  Cinderella  in some way.

Have students make a large list of these topics. They will then use them to create a theme. (P.S. If your students are struggling, give them a list of random topics. Have them choose the ones that relate to the text they are reading.)

Tip #3: Construct a Theme

After students have come up with a list of topics, then they can create a theme. The idea is that by starting with a list of topics, students have a place to begin to critically think. Essentially, we have narrowed down their thought process. 

Instruct students to look at their topics and ask the following questions:

• What message is the author giving me about this topic?
• What did I learn about this topic from the text?
• What moral or message can I take away from this topic?

Encourage students to think beyond the text and use critical thinking. For example, with  Cinderella , students would not want to say a theme is the family treated her badly. This would be an explanation of events that occurred in the story, not a theme. Help students understand that a theme should not  reference  events from the story but make an  inference .

Let’s look at the  Cinderella  example again. Here are a few themes you could gather from the topics we chose.

• Love can help you overcome struggles.
• Being brave can lead to amazing opportunities.
• Life is not always fair.

Tip #4: Dig Deeper with Analysis

Once students have gotten the hang of theme, it is time to move even further into analysis.  Literary analysis  is a great way for students to expand on their critical thinking because they must prove how they came up with the theme using textual evidence and analysis. When you first begin writing literary analysis of theme, have students craft one to two paragraphs.

You want to guide students through the literary analysis by providing some sort of rubric or outline for what they should include. Here are the expectations I give my students for analysis writing:

• State the theme of the story and why you believe it is the theme.
• Provide text evidence and analysis to support the theme you have determined.
• When citing evidence, put the author’s last name and the page number inside parentheses after you quote the text

Before writing, it is also best to give your students an example of what a literary analysis for theme might look like. You can break down this example together using the expectations you have set, so students have an idea of how to write.

Want your students to write a theme literary analysis, but not sure where to start?  I have all of the resources you need to take your students from struggling to critical thinkers.  

In this literary analysis unit, we will explore topics such as theme, author’s craft, symbolism, and more. This unit comes with lessons plans, printables for students, and exemplars to model with students.  Grab the resource here .

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50 of the Best Quotes About Education

Learn as if you were to live forever.

Being an educator is not always the easiest job, but knowing you have made an impact on students’ lives can be so rewarding. Through all of the good times and bad, you continue to persevere and provide education to students of all backgrounds and abilities. We collected 50 of the best quotes about education to celebrate the best parts of teaching, learning, and the impact they have on the world.

Our Favorite Quotes About Education

“education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs only to the people who prepare for it today.” — malcolm x.

“Education is one thing no one can take away from you.” — Elin Nordegren

“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” — Malcolm Forbes

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” — Sydney J. Harris

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” — Abigail Adams

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. … Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

“A person who won’t read has no advantage over a person who can’t read.” — Mark Twain

“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.” — Unknown

“Education is the key to unlock a golden door of freedom.” — George Washington Carver

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.” — Herbert Spencer

“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” — John F. Kennedy

“The great difficulty in education is to get experience out of ideas.” — George Santayana

“The roots of education … are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” — Aristotle

“Education must not simply teach work, it must teach Life.” — W.E.B Du Bois

“Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” — Horace Mann

“I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusiasm helps push an educational message.” — Steve Irwin

“Everyone who remembers his own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system.” — Sidney Hook

“All real education is the architecture of the soul.” — William Bennett

“Education is the key which will unlock the door of opportunity for you.” — Gordon B. Hinckley

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” — Maya Angelou

“Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t.” — Bill Nye

“The highest result of education is tolerance.” — Helen Keller

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” — Aristotle

“To teach is to learn twice.” — Joseph Joubert

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” — Plutarch

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin

“Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” — Confucius

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” — Mark Van Doren

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” — Margaret Mead

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” — Henry Ford

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” — Henry Brooks Adams

“They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.” — Carl W. Buehner

“A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard.” — Eliphas Levi

“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.” — Malala Yousafzai

“Teachers are the one and only people who save nations.” — Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.” — Isaac Asimov

“Real education must ultimately be limited to one who INSISTS on knowing, the rest is mere sheep-herding.” — Ezra Pound

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” — Marian Wright Edelman

“It is only the ignorant who despise education.” — Publilius Syrus

“A writer should get as much education as possible, but just going to school is not enough; if it were, all owners of doctorates would be inspired writers.” — Gwendolyn Brooks

“I do not want art for a few, any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few.” — William Morris

“Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all humanity.” — Nancy Astor

“It makes little difference how many university courses or degrees a person may own. If he cannot use words to move an idea from one point to another, his education is incomplete.” — Norman Cousins

“The child who desires education will be bettered by it; the child who dislikes it disgraced.” — John Ruskin

“Education is our only political safety. Outside of this ark all is deluge.” — Horace Mann

“Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know.” — Daniel J. Boorstin

“Instruction ends in the schoolroom, but education ends only with life. A child is given to the universe to be educated.” — Frederick William Robertson

“Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army. If we retrench the wages of the schoolmaster, we must raise those of the recruiting sergeant.” — Edward Everett

Like these quotes about education? Check out these team-building quotes for classrooms and schools .

Come share your favorite motivational quotes about education in the we are teachers helpline group on facebook .

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Top 7 global education themes in 2019

Subscribe to the center for universal education bulletin, emiliana vegas and emiliana vegas former co-director - center for universal education , former senior fellow - global economy and development rebecca winthrop rebecca winthrop director - center for universal education , senior fellow - global economy and development.

December 20, 2019

With protests in places as disparate as Paris, Beirut, and Santiago, 2019 saw civil unrest around the world. The role of education in building more democratic societies and informed citizens capable of reaching their full potential, while always important, has never been more critical in a time rife with inequality and discord.

As yet another year comes to a close, we at the Center for Universal Education (CUE) reflect on seven key education trends and themes that give us hope for a more prosperous future in the next decade. These seven themes and trends, listed in no particular order, draw on research from both inside CUE and external colleagues.

1. The potential of civic education to develop citizens. Startlingly, the OECD found that, on average globally, approximately nine out of 10 15-year-old students can’t tell the difference between fact and opinion. Civic engagement groups are taking note of this worrying trend and have launched coalitions to teach youth digital literacy, civility, and community engagement to foster good around the world; books with lessons on the history of education and democracy ; and campaigns to recommit to democratic, nonpartisan values and institutions .

2. Rethinking the education workforce. Teacher quality is a key determinant of student success, but teachers are undersupported and in short supply, particularly in certain regions such as sub-Saharan Africa. Two marquee reports that published this year—“ Learning to leapfrog: Innovative pedagogies to transform education ” and “ Transforming the education workforce: Learning teams for a learning generation ”—consider how to widen the pool of individuals who are considered educators, with an aim of unburdening teachers from administrative tasks and creating a broader education workforce.

3. Innovative ways to measure student learning. To help students thrive in the 21st century, a broader definition of learning and skills is needed. To this end, the World Bank, in coordination with the UNESCO Institute for statistics, announced the Learning Poverty target , the goal that all children should be able to read by age 10. In addition, with support from CUE, countries in Africa and Asia are developing new ways to learn and assess 21st century skills such as creativity and problem-solving to ensure that all children have the breadth of skills needed to reach their full potential and thrive in our rapidly changing world.

4. Blending urban and child development. Children spend a full 80 percent  of their waking hours outside of school, and cross-disciplinary solutions to better take advantage of this time in urban areas are growing in popularity. Brookings launched the Playful Learning Landscapes initiative and gained new expertise through the appointment of Fellow Helen Shwe Hadani . Large-scale events, such as the Conscious Cities Festival in NYC and the Urban95 festival in Rotterdam, contemplated how to transform public spaces into playful learning opportunities.

5. Scaling quality education to increase impact. Scaling quality education programs doesn’t happen automatically—rather, it requires deliberation and strategy from the start. With the launch of numerous Real-time Scaling Labs (applied research projects to learn from, document, and support education initiatives as they scale) by CUE and partners around the globe, and reports considering how to pay for education outcomes at scale in places like India, expanding and deepening the impact of small-scale initiatives was a priority focus.

6. Preparing for a changing work environment. While robots are unlikely to wholly replace workers, concerns about technological advancements eliminating jobs in some industries while expanding others abound. The “ World Development Report 2019: The Changing Nature of Work ” found these fears to be largely unfounded, but other reports offer guidance on industrial development strategies to grow “good” jobs and to upgrade low-wage workers’ career prospects.

7. Leaving no learners behind. Ambitious Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 has been around for years, but outside-the-box thinking is needed it if we are to achieve it by the target date of 2030. Whether looking at a country’s investment in girls’ education and rights or how a “leapfrog” mindset can help the most marginalized students catch up to the learning levels of today’s highest achievers, ensuring no one is left behind must remain high on the agenda over the next 10 years.

Looking ahead into the new year and next decade, we are hopeful that progress in these seven areas continues. We look forward to collaborating with colleagues across Brookings and around the world to help create a more just, equitable society where everyone can develop the full breadth of skills needed to lead healthy, productive lives.

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Differentiate between themes and topics

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Most would agree that a theme reveals a universal truth the author believes about people or a life lesson the reader should learn.

When standardized assessments challenge students to identify the theme of a passage, the prompt typically reads “ Which sentence BEST summarizes this text’s theme?” . It’s important to note that every answer listed is a sentence—not a single word or a phrase. Consequently, trust, obedience, perseverance in the face of adversity, etc. cannot be themes. Although, these recurring topics are a starting point, explicit instruction needs to guide students to infer thematic statements.

(The following 4-step process for inferring theme is based on a YouTube video created by middle school teacher Sara Johnson .)

STEP 1: Generate a list of topics relevant to the story.

Brainstorm a list of ideals that are representative of character actions. Consider the life skills characters demonstrated. Think about the admirable (or less than admirable) traits they revealed. Reflect on significant choices characters made. Such a list often includes words like: trust, obedience, perseverance in the face of adversity, etc.

Some teachers introduce these as “ universal themes .” Although such lists are a necessary first step, none of these words is a theme.

STEP 2: Complete the sentence: “The author believes that…”

As helpful as this sentence starter may be, many students initially just generate a vague sentence.

• The author believes that trust is important.
• The author believes that disobedience in bad.
• The author believes that perseverance is good.

To move beyond these broad statements, students need to focus on the why . More specifically, students need to extend the sentence to add more detail. This includes expounding on what about trust, perseverance, or obedience the author wants the reader to understand.

• The author believes that trust is important in order for people to grow deep relationships.
• The author believes that perseverance is good, even when an individual does not reach his goal.
• The author believes that disobedience is bad when it puts others at risk.

Notice that while elaborating on each ideal, specific references to character names, setting details, and individual actions are all avoided. A theme statement is a “universal” lesson, therefore it should not be specific to any one text. Rather, demonstrate how to use general references like a p erson, someone, an individual, people, etc.

STEP 3: Cross off the words “The author believes that.”

Practice only these first three steps, fine-tuning students’ abilities to craft a clear and focused theme that includes the what is important and why it is important. Eventually, add the expectation of textual evidence.

STEP 4: Add textual evidence.

All inferences require evidence. This is found in the additional sentences that support the theme. Using phrases like According to the text… One place the author shows this is…, students make specific reference to character names, events, actions, choices, settings, dialogue, etc. The first sentence is the broad theme and subsequent sentences are proof that the life lesson is learned in this text.

Provide for partnered practice

Once all four steps have been revealed, provide students numerous opportunities to practice. In her YouTube video, Sara Johnson shares a fabulous partnered activity.

• Generate an all-class list of “topics” described in Step 1.
• Pair up students and ask each to write a thematic statement following Steps 2-3.
• Each pair balls-up and tosses its wadded theme to another pair.
• Pairs read the new theme and add textual evidence to support it.
• Pairs ball-up and toss the themes a couple more times. Each time, a new pair jots additional textual evidence.
• Return the crinkled paper to the original pair to craft a constructed response .

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Home » The Roadmap » The Seven Themes

The Roadmap

The aim of the Roadmap is to provide guidance that shifts content and instruction from breadth to depth by offering an inquiry framework that weaves history and civics together and inspires students to learn by asking difficult questions, then seeking answers in the classroom through facts and discussion for a truly national and cross-state conversation about civics and history to invigorate classrooms with engaging and relatable questions.

The Seven Content Themes map out the disciplinary and conceptual terrain, as well as the skills and dispositional learning needed to support healthy civic participation.

The Five Design Challenges span the seven themes and state honestly and transparently some of the rich dilemmas that educators will encounter as they work with the content themes and instructional guidance.

• The Seven Themes ?
• The Five Design Challenges ?

Civic Participation

Our changing landscapes, we the people, a new government & constitution, institutional & social transformation, a people in the world, contemporary debates & possibilities.

This theme explores the relationship between self-government and civic participation, drawing on the discipline of history to explore how citizens’ active engagement has mattered for American society and on the discipline of civics to explore the principles, values, habits, and skills that support productive engagement in a healthy, resilient constitutional democracy.

This theme focuses attention on the overarching goal of engaging young people as civic participants and preparing them to assume that role successfully.

Overarching Thematic Questions

• How have Americans come together in groups, made decisions, and affected their communities, the country, and the world?
• How can that history inform our civic participation today?
• What are the responsibilities and opportunities of citizenship and civic agency in America’s constitutional democracy?
• How can I participate?

Key Concepts and Questions by Grade

Key concepts.

• Learn and evaluate the characteristics of leadership
• Define components of a healthy community and the rights and responsibilities of community members
• Participate in a community through building relationships, making change, and problem-solving
• Learn about civic friendship and the benefit of compromise
• Develop media literacy skills to evaluate evidence and weigh claims

History Driving Questions

History sample guiding questions, civic driving questions, civic sample guiding questions, explore resources.

Introducing kindergarteners to their new classroom community

Inquiring Minds Institute

Katharina Matro, a high school social studies teacher who grew up in Germany, explains how consistent and open education about the Holocaust has shaped her own commitment to democracy and her love of country. Matro also serves as a member of the Teaching Division of the American Historical Association's governing council.

American Historical Association

In this learning resources, students will delve into the women's suffrage movement and use different historical accounts to understand the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Students will also consider which groups were left out of the suffrage movement and the importance of voting patterns today.

New American History

Children often lack knowledge and skills necessary to interact with each other, especially when confronted with differences in mobility, hearing, sight, developmental skills or verbal skills.

Learning for Justice

This learning resources focuses on the Polio vaccination in the 1940s and 1950s and the problems this epidemic posed to public health. Students will also compare this to the current global pandemic and the debates around the COVID-19 vaccine.

• Analyze leadership through past and present examples of change-makers
• Analyze strategies and examples of civic participation, including instances of participation by those without full political rights
• Engage as active community members and examine the tensions between personal interests and civic responsibilities
• Build civic friendship through informed civil dialogue and productive disagreement
• Analyze the past and present role of the media in shaping civic participation, including the importance of using credible sources

This lesson provides students with a variety of materials to learn about the polio epidemic and it has them draw connections between that event and the current pandemic.

iCivics, Inc.

From telegraphs to television to Twitter, how, why, and when presidents address the nation and global community has changed across U.S. history. This lesson examines the messages and mediums used by presidents and asks students to engage in point of view and change over time analyses as part of their evaluation.

National Endowment for the Humanities

This activity and resource collection guides students through answering a document-based question about the March on Washington. Using 6 supporting documents/images and a page of historical background, students answer the question, "Is the March on Washington evidence of the power of grassroots organizing or of charismatic leadership?"

Smithsonian National Museum of American History

This inquiry leads students through an investigation of political issues and political parties. By exploring the compelling question about how well political parties represent individuals, students consider their own political ideology as a lens for learning about the extent to which political parties address international and domestic issues.

C3 Teachers

This theme begins from the recognition that American civic experience is tied to a particular place, and explores the history of how the United States has come to develop the physical and geographical shape it has, the complex experiences of harm and benefit which that history has delivered to different portions of the American population, and the civics questions of how political communities form in the first place, become connected to specific places, and develop membership rules.

The theme also takes up the question of our contemporary responsibility to the natural world.

• How has our geographic, social, economic, and political landscape changed over time?
• How has the land we inhabit—from our local community to states and territories to the American republic—changed over time, and how have we shaped it?
• What different perspectives are there on those changes (see History Thematic Question), and on the benefits and costs of those changes?
• What principles and values do Americans invoke in our debates about these issues?
• Examine personal, familial, and societal connections between people, place, and history
• Understand personal connections to the values and norms that define various political communities
• Understand Indigenous histories and community connections to land
• Examine how land and people shape each other

Too often we look back at the way people lived and evaluate the past in terms of the technology that dominates our lives today. We ask: Imagine life without automobiles or electric lights or running water. No refrigerators, washing machines, radio, television, or movies? No computers, CDs, cell phones or credit cards? How did they survive? If that is how you want to approach the past, ask yourself this: what invention do we not have that will make Iowans of the future look back and wonder how made it through the day?

State Historical Society of Iowa

In this lesson, students practice their sourcing, corroboration and close reading skills by examining two diary entries of Spanish explorers involved in the Portola Expedition. Students are asked to consider the relative strengths and weaknesses in using these diary accounts to understand the purpose of the expedition and life for Native Americans across California in the 18th century.

Standford History Education Group

The physical landscape shapes the food people eat, the homes they build, the way they move around and the environment they live in. Students will investigate environmental history, which involves understanding relationships — and sometimes trade-offs — people make with the landscapes around them. Students also will use the perspectives of a historian, economist, geographer and political scientist to analyze images and documents.

In this learning resource, students will engage with the different histories of Fort Monroe in Hampton Virginia. Students will interpret the multiple historical events that occurred at Fort Monroe, starting with the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to North America to its formation as a safe haven for enslaved people during the Civil War.

This is a fourth grade resource that guides students through the diverse experiences of immigrants that traveled to New York in the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth century. Students will use primary sources to form an argument to answer the question: Did the American Dream come true for immigrants in New York?

This lesson plan examines the life of Catharine Paine Blaine, missionary, schoolteacher, and women’s rights activist who traveled from Seneca Falls, New York to Washington Territory in the 1850s. Students will examine primary sources and make connections to their own experiences, mapping the route that the Blaines took to reach Seattle from Seneca Falls.

Washington State Historical Society

• Examine how borders change over time and the consequences of U.S. territorial expansion
• Compare and contrast the characteristics of political communities and societies (e.g., laws, religions, rights, economic structures, cultural norms)
• Analyze Indigenous understandings of land stewardship, economic activity, property, and prosperity
• Analyze the impact of people, policy, and cultural norms on landscape and climate

In this lesson, students will analyze the visual and literary visions of the New World that were created in England during the early phases of colonization, and the impact they had on the development of the patterns of colonization that dominated the early 17th century. This lesson will enable students to interact with written and visual accounts of this critical formative period at the end of the 16th century, when the English view of the New World was being formulated, with consequences that we are still seeing today.

This unit looks at migration patterns in the United States in from the 18th century through the 20th century. Students will look at the interactions between Native people and European settlers in the cessions of Indigenous lands. They will also engage with the forced migration of enslaved people into the South.

This learning resource uses geospatial technology to investigate how products and resources in the thirteen colonies depended on location. Students will also use the geospatial resource to follow the population growth of the thirteen colonies throughout the 1700s.

This theme explores the idea of “the people” as a political concept--not just a group of people who share a landscape but a group of people who share political ideals and institutions. The theme explores the history of how the contemporary American people has taken shape as a political body and builds civic understanding about how political institutions and shared ideals can work to connect a diverse population to shared processes of societal decision-making.

The theme also explores the challenge of e pluribus unum: forging one political people out of diverse experiences.

• Who are “We the People of the United States” and how has the nation’s population changed over time?
• What does our history reveal about the aspirations and tensions captured by the motto E pluribus unum?
• Why does constitutional democracy depend on the idea of “the people”?
• What values, virtues, and principles can knit together “We, the People” of the United States of America?
• Explore the diversity that makes up the American community
• Discuss why we have government, and explore the relationship between people and their government
• Examine definitions of citizenship
• Explore the history of inclusion and exclusion of “the people” and access to citizenship
• Learn about the conflicts and histories of oppression and power, and explore constructive ways to discuss hard histories

Students will explore what it means to be responsible in a variety of settings. These lessons will focus on how to be responsible at home, in school, in the community and in the world. Students also will work together to establish classroom/school rules and determine how to be a responsible citizen to improve their community.

A primary source set guiding students in exploring their identities.

This learning resource investigates Harriet Tubman's life and legacy through historical documents and media. Students will compare the history told in textbooks to the reality of Tubman's incredible resistance as an abolitionist.

• Explore what it means to say that “the people” rule in a constitutional democracy
• Cultivate understanding of personal values, principles, commitments, and community responsibilities
• Explore the challenges and opportunities of pluralism, diversity, and unity within the U.S. and abroad
• Examine the values, civic virtues, principles, and role of the people in creating good governance at various levels
• Analyze the impact of enslavement, Indigenous removal, immigration, and other hard histories on definitions of and pathways to citizenship
• Explore the causes and consequences of different groups’ marginalization from participation in the polity
• Evaluate the extent to which marginalized groups have won incorporation into “the people” and advanced the shared values and principles of the U.S.

Students will learn about the history of the holiday of Juneteenth, analyze text sources that reveal important symbolism and rituals in Juneteenth commemorations, and reflect upon the significance of Juneteenth as an American holiday.

The Choices Program

The African-American Civil Rights movement is typically seen as having taken place mostly in the 1950s and 60s, when a confluence of social and economic factors enabled political change. The movement, however, has much deeper roots, and thus our toolkit starts in the 19th Century, some two generations before leaders like King, Parks, and others were born. Viewing the Civil Rights movement as a generational one provides a broader perspective on the ideas and people at the foundation of this work to achieve “a more perfect union” for all Americans.

Ashbrook/TeachingAmericanHistory

We’re collecting New Deal Curricula for High School and College courses. Please contact us if you would like to contribute to our collection. We would like to help disseminate curricula and teaching aids across the country.

Living New Deal

This theme explores the institutional history of the United States as well as the theoretical underpinnings of constitutional design.

• How did the U.S. government form and how have civic participants changed its shape over time?
• What is a constitution and what is its purpose?
• What is power?
• What are rights (natural rights, human rights, civil rights, etc.)?
• What is law?
• What is constitutional democracy?
• Explore the experiences and interests of various groups before and during the American colonial period
• Analyze arguments for and against U.S. independence from Great Britain
• Examine the principles/purpose of constitutional democracy and the extent to which U.S. constitutional democracy has lived up to those principles
• Explore concepts of fairness, unfairness, freedom, and equality in classrooms, communities, and governments.
• Explore why the U.S. form of government is so complex, embracing several levels and parts of government

In this lesson, students will learn about the judicial branch and legal processes in the court room. Students will also engage in a mock trial using contentious issues in the classroom.

National Constitution Center

This lesson builds on previous lesson, continuing to develop the students’ understanding of the Constitution by examining the Bill of Rights. The narrative provides an historical background for the writing of the first ten amendments, as well as the reasons why each amendment was seen as crucial to the states accepting the Constitution.

This lesson will help students understand why the Founders thought a republican form of government was best. Students will also learn about civic virtue and the common welfare.

Center for Civic Education

Using the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul as a landmark, students will analyze the structure as the primary source for learning about its significance. The lesson will combine writing, art, and historical context.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania

In this lesson, students will examine some of the fundamental ideas about government that are contained in the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. When they have completed this lesson, students should be able to explain those ideas and identify which ideas the class holds in common.

• Analyze the ideas and debates about rights, power, civic participation, and decision-making that shaped the Revolution and the framing of the Constitution
• Evaluate the changing relationship between the U.S. Constitution and treaties with Indigenous nations
• Explore past and present efforts to adapt and redesign the U.S. Constitution and political institutions over time
• Explore the relationships between equality, equity, justice, freedom, and order in American constitutional democracy
• Develop an understanding of the purpose, processes, strengths, and weaknesses of U.S. government and politics
• Analyze the role of groups without formal decision-making power in influencing change in the U.S. government

This lesson outlines a role-playing activity intended to help students better understand the perspectives of individual delegates at the critical point when they were debating representation at the Constitutional Convention.

George Washington's Mount Vernon

A lesson plan that facilitates discussion amongst students about the challenges George Washington faced as the first President of the United States.

Students will investigate the powers of the Presidency in the Constitution, as outlined in the "Federalist Papers".

In this lesson, students learn about the landmark Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison and its lasting ramifications for judicial review by analyzing and discussing segments of John Marshall's opinion.

Students will be able to identify and explain aspects of the Equal Rights Amendment debate including various legal and societal considerations.

C-SPAN Television Networks/C-SPAN Classroom

Institutional & social transformation - a series of refoundings.

This theme explores how social arrangements and conflicts have combined with political institutions to shape American life from the earliest colonial period to the present, investigates which moments of change have most defined the country, and builds understanding of how American political institutions and society changes.

• Is the American Revolution ongoing?
• How and why has the United States transformed its basic political, legal, economic, and social arrangements over time?
• How do you evaluate when changes are significant enough to count as a refounding?
• What is a just society?
• How do laws and social structures change?
• How can the Constitution be changed formally and informally? (and how can your state constitution or other charter be changed?)
• What political and economic ideas have contributed to these changes?
• Analyze why and how communities change and the causes and consequences of conflict.
• Examine people's role in social & institutional transformation
• Examine the institutional and extra-institutional strategies that people have used to make changes to society
• Explore the impact of American pluralism and unity on rules and institutions

An inspiring story about a black, female journalist breaking barriers while seeking truth, justice and equality. This book highlights Ethel's journey from young journalist to White House correspondant, and her legacy of asking the tough questions that mattered most in the fight for Civil Rights.

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

• Explore the extent to which the U.S. has made progress in expanding rights and legal statuses for various groups over time, including changes to the Constitution and other charters
• Examine the historic and current relationships between formal politics and social movements, including the relationships between political, economic, and civil rights
• Evaluate specific moments of change as examples of refounding the United States
• Explore formal and informal revisions to America’s constitutional system, and the sources of such changes

This lesson plan attempts to dissolve the artificial boundary between domestic and international affairs in the postwar period to show students how we choose to discuss history. Students will examine a variety of primary source documents used inside the United States and abroad during the Cold War and the concurrent civil rights movement, to see how these documents can be used as evidence for both Cold War and civil rights issues in several different ways.

This online presentation highlights the fight over a woman’s right to vote by illustrating the arguments made by suffragists and their opponents.

Massachusetts Historical Society

This theme explores the place of the U.S. and the American people in a global context, investigating key historical events in international affairs,and building understanding of the principles, values, and laws at stake in debates about America’s role in the world.

• What does it mean to be a nation among nations?
• How has the United States dealt with different types of external relationships (conflictual and cooperative) across its history?
• What is our influence in the world—diplomatic, economic, military, and cultural—and how has the wider world shaped the United States?
• How do American constitutional principles influence the conduct of foreign policy?
• How has United States foreign policy changed across our history?
• How was the role of the executive branch changed across our history?
• Examine the causes and consequences of U.S. cooperation and conflict with other nations (past and present)
• Develop capacity to see international conflicts and their consequences from multiple perspectives
• Analyze various strategies for working with or against other nations (e.g., international orgs, military intervention, diplomacy)

This primary source set can be used in conjunction with other secondary sources to gain a complete picture of Japan’s attack at Pearl Harbor and the immediate response of American sailors, airmen, divers, and nurses.

Emerging America - Collaborative for Educational Services

In this lesson, students analyze primary source archival footage to explore the politics of the atomic bomb and the policy of containment, propagated paranoia related to the spread of communism, the nuclear arms race and détente, as well as the fall of the Berlin Wall and decline of the USSR.

Texas Archive of the Moving Image

This unit plan highlights how patterns of immigration are both similar and different for immigrant groups coming to America, using a diagram and PowerPoint Presentation that details the progression of the immigrant experience that serves as a model for a variety of immigrant groups. Included in the set is a Universal Design for Learning chart and an extensive annotated list of primary source documents from the Library of Congress provide a visual reinforcement of the immigrant journey both before, during, and after their arrival in the United States.

• Analyze various strategies for working with or against other nations (e.g., international agreements, diplomacy, international trade, protectionism, war)
• Examine the roles of national interest, human rights, and notions of justice when countries interact
• Explore how the U.S. has acquired and used its power and influence in the world, both positively and negatively
• Analyze how America’s founding principles and constitutional structures, and revisions to these over time, shape foreign policy
• Develop understanding of contemporary debates about how the U.S. should exercise its power and influence around the world and balance domestic and international interests

In this lesson, students will investigate the the confluence of factors, including the quickening pace of industrialization, urbanization, increasing immigration, and a growing presence on the world stage that faced America in the late 19th Century. These pressures gave rise to various political movements, each seeking to provide answers to the most serious questions of the day. Overall, Americans found answers to these issues in the ideas of the Progressives. From both major political parties, the Progressives offered solutions to economic, social, and political problems, in some ways using and in others changing the American system of government that had existed for a century at that point.

Through the use of primary and secondary sources, students will understand the impact that World War I had on Arkansas.

Arkansas Digital Archives

In this lesson, students learn about the events surrounding the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964, simulate the Senate's debate about the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, and ultimately consider overarching questions about presidential power and decision-making in American foreign affairs.

A People with Contemporary Debates & Possibilities

This theme explores the contemporary terrain of civic participation and civic agency, investigating how historical narratives shape current political arguments, how values and information shape policy arguments, and how the American people continues to renew or remake itself in pursuit of fulfillment of the promise of constitutional democracy.

• How does knowledge of the American past—including of our constitutional forms and principles, as amended—help us to think about important political and economic debates today, including climate change and conservation, mass incarceration, individual rights and liberties, property and taxation, societal health and order, and political polarization?
• What are key current events and policy debates in our constitutional democracy?
• What values and principles underpin different positions on them? How do people engage with issues they care about?
• How can we ensure our sources of information about these questions are accurate and fair? What effects can misinformation have on contemporary debates?
• Explore elections and understand the reasons why individuals run for office
• Understand contemporary debates around the purpose and role of government and civic participation, including voting
• Explore debates and perspectives on how we tell our personal, community, and national histories and why they are important
• Analyze the relationship between individual perspectives and public debates
• Explore the relationships between hard histories and contemporary debates
• Cultivate an understanding of personal interests, motivations, and decisions as civic agents
• Build strategies for learning about current events, issues, and debates
• Explore the role of bias, truth, and the media in becoming informed civic participants
• Understand how fundamental American principles—and continuing debates about them—shape current policy debates

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Most Important Themes in Great Gatsby, Analyzed

Book Guides

Need to write about a theme for a Great Gatsby assignment or just curious about what exactly a theme is? Not sure where to start? Learn here what a theme is, what the main themes in The Great Gatsby are, and what the best tips for writing about themes for your English/Language Arts class essays are.

We will also link to our specific articles on each theme so you can learn even more in-depth about themes central to Gatsby .

What Is a Theme? Why Should You Care?

First things first: what exactly is a theme? In literature, a theme is a central topic a book deals with. This central topic is revealed through plot events, the actions and dialogue of the characters, and even the narrator's tone. Themes can be very broad, like love, money, or death, or more specific, like people versus technology, racial discrimination, or the American Dream.

In short, a book's theme can usually answer the question, "what's the point of this book?". They're the "so what?" of literary analysis. Also, note that books can definitely have more than one major theme —in Gatsby we identify seven!

Knowing a book's major theme(s) is crucial to writing essays, since many assignments want you to connect your argument to a book's theme. For example, you might be asked to write an essay about a prompt like this: "How does the life of Jay Gatsby exemplify (or deconstruct) the idea of the American Dream?" This prompt has you connect specific details in Jay Gatsby's life to the larger theme of the American Dream. This is why many teachers love theme essays: because they encourage you to connect small details to big ideas!

Furthermore, the AP English Literature test always has an essay question that has you analyze some aspect of a book and then "compare it to the theme of the work as a whole." (If you want specific examples you can access the last 15 years of AP English Literature free response questions here , using your College Board account.) So this skill won't just help you in your English classes, it will also help you pass the AP English Literature test if you're taking it!

So keep reading to learn about the major themes in Gatsby and how they are revealed in the book, and also to get links to our in-depth articles about each theme.

Overview of Key Themes in The Great Gatsby

Before we introduce our seven main themes, we'll briefly describe how the story and characters suggest the major Great Gatsby themes. Remember that the story is set in the 1920s, a period when America's economy was booming, and takes place in New York: specifically the wealthy Long Island towns of West Egg and East Egg, as well as Manhattan and Queens.

As you should know from the book ( check out our summary if you're still hazy on the details!), The Great Gatsby tells the story of James Gatz , a poor farm boy who manages to reinvent himself as the fabulously rich Jay Gatsby, only to be killed after an attempt to win over his old love Daisy Buchanan . Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan , and they're both from old money, causing them to look down Gatsby's newly rich crowd (and for Tom to look down at Gatsby himself).

Meanwhile, Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson , the wife of mechanic George Wilson . Through the Wilsons, we see the struggles of the working class in dismal Queens , NY. As if they didn't already have it hard enough, Myrtle is killed in a hit-and-run accident (caused by Daisy Buchanan), and George, who's manipulated by Tom to believe that Jay Gatsby was both his wife's lover and her murderer, ends up shooting Gatsby and then himself.

The whole story is told by Nick Carraway , a second cousin of Daisy's and classmate of Tom's who moves in next to Gatsby's mansion and eventually befriends Jay -- and then comes to deeply admire him, despite or perhaps because of Jay's fervent desire to repeat his past with Daisy. The tragic chain of events at the novel's climax, along with the fact that both the Buchanans can easily retreat from the damage they caused, causes Nick to become disillusioned with life in New York and retreat back to his hometown in the Midwest.

Aside from having a very unhappy ending, the novel might just ruin swimming pools for you as well.

The fact that the major characters come from three distinct class backgrounds (working class, newly rich, and old money) suggests that class is a major theme. But the rampant materialism and the sheer amount of money spent by Gatsby himself is a huge issue and its own theme. Related to money and class, the fact that both Gatsby and the Wilsons strive to improve their positions in American society, only to end up dead, also suggests that the American Dream -- and specifically its hollowness -- is a key theme in the book as well.

But there are other themes at play here, too. Every major character is involved in at least one romantic relationship , revealing that they are all driven by love, sex, and desire -- a major theme. Also, the rampant bad behavior (crime, cheating, and finally murder) and lack of real justice makes ethics and morality a key theme. Death also looms large over the novel's plot, alongside the threat of failure.

And finally, a strong undercurrent to all of these themes is identity itself: can James Gatz really become Jay Gatsby, or was he doomed from the start? Can someone who is not from old money ever blend in with that crowd? Could Gatsby really aspire to repeat his past with Daisy, or is that past self gone forever?

In short, just by looking at the novel's plot, characters, and ending, we can already get a strong sense of Gatsby's major themes. Let's now look at each of those themes one by one (and be sure to check out the links to our full theme breakdowns!).

The 7 Major Great Gatsby Themes

Money and Materialism : Everyone in the novel is money-obsessed, whether they were born with money (Tom, Daisy, Jordan, and Nick to a lesser extent), whether they made a fortune (Gatsby), or whether they're eager for more (Myrtle and George). So why are the characters so materialistic? How does their materialism affect their choices? Get a guide to each of the characters' material motivations and how they shape the novel.

Society and Class: Building on the money and materialism theme, the novel draws clear distinctions between the kind of money you have: old money (inherited) or new money (earned). And there is also a clear difference between the lifestyles of the wealthy, who live on Long Island and commute freely to Manhattan, and the working class people stuck in between, mired in Queens. By the end of the novel, our main characters who are not old money (Gatsby, Myrtle, and George) are all dead, while the inherited-money club is still alive. What does this say about class in Gatsby? Why is their society so rigidly classist? Learn more about the various social classes in Gatsby and how they affect the novel's outcome.

The American Dream : The American Dream is the idea anyone can make it in America (e.g. gain fame, fortune, and success) through enough hard work and determination. So is Jay Gatsby an example of the dream? Or does his involvement in crime suggest the Dream isn't actually real? And where does this leave the Wilsons, who are also eager to improve their lot in life but don't make it out of the novel alive? Finally, do the closing pages of the novel endorse the American Dream or write it off as a fantasy? Learn what the American Dream is and how the novel sometimes believes in it, and sometimes sees it as a reckless fantasy.

Love, Desire, and Relationships : All of the major characters are driven by love, desire, or both, but only Tom and Daisy's marriage lasts out of the novel's five major relationships and affairs. So is love an inherently unstable force? Or do the characters just experience it in the wrong way? Get an in-depth guide to each of Gatsby's major relationships.

Death and Failure: Nick narrates Gatsby two years after the events in question, and since he's obviously aware of the tragedy awaiting not only Gatsby but Myrtle and George as well, the novel has a sad, reflective, even mournful tone. Is the novel saying that ambition is inherently dangerous (especially in a classist society like 1920s America), or is it more concerned with the danger of Gatsby's intense desire to reclaim the past? Explore those questions here.

Morality and Ethics: The novel is full of bad behavior: lying, cheating, physical abuse, crime, and finally murder. Yet none of the characters ever answer to the law, and God is only mentioned as an exclamation, or briefly projected onto an advertisement . Does the novel push for the need to fix this lack of morality, or does it accept it as the normal state of affairs in the "wild, wild East"?

The Mutability of Identity: Mutability just means "subject to change," so this theme is about how changeable (or not!) personal identity is. Do people really change? Or are our past selves always with us? And how would this shape our desire to reclaim parts of our past? Gatsby wants to have it both ways: to change himself from James Gatz into the sophisticated, wealthy Jay Gatsby, but also to preserve his past with Daisy. Does he fail because it's impossible to change? Because it's impossible to repeat the past? Or both?

How to Write About The Great Gatsby Themes

So now that you know about the major themes of The Great Gatsby , how can you go about writing about them? First up: look closely at your prompt.

Sometimes an essay prompt will come right out and ask you to write about a theme , for example "is The American Dream in Gatsby alive or dead?" or "Write about the relationships in Gatsby. What is the novel saying about the nature of love and desire?" For those essays, you will obviously be writing about one of the novel's major themes. But even though those prompts have big-picture questions, make sure to find small supporting details to help make your argument.

For example, if you're discussing the American Dream and arguing it's dead in the novel, don't just make that claim and be done with it. Instead, you can explore Gatsby's past as James Gatz, George Wilson's exhausted complacency, and Myrtle's treatment at the hands of Tom as examples of how the American Dream is treated in the novel. Obviously those examples are far from exhaustive, but hopefully you get the idea: find smaller details to support the larger argument.

On the other hand, many essay prompts about Gatsby will look like a question about something specific, like a character or symbol:

• Explore Tom and Daisy as people who 'retreat into their money.'
• What does the green light at the end of Daisy's dock represent? How does its meaning change throughout the novel?
• Show how Fitzgerald uses clothing (and the changing of costumes) to tell the reader more about the characters and/or express theme(s).

These prompts are actually a chance for you to take that detailed analysis and connect it to one of the larger themes—in other words, even though the prompt doesn't state it explicitly, you should still be connecting those more focused topics to one of the big-picture themes.

For example, if you talk about Tom and Daisy Buchanan, you will definitely end up talking about society and class. If you talk about the green light, you will end up talking about dreams and goals, specifically the American Dream. And if you discuss clothing to talk about the characters, you will definitely touch on money and materialism, as well as society and class (like how Gatsby's pink suit makes him stand out as new money to Tom Buchanan, or how Myrtle adopts a different dress to play at being wealthy and sophisticated).

In short, for these more specific prompts, you start from the ground (small details and observations) and build up to discussing the larger themes, even if the prompt doesn't say to do so explicitly!

What's Next?

Now you're an expert on themes, but what about symbols? If you need to write about the important symbols in The Great Gatsby, check out our symbols overview for a complete guide.

Want a full analysis of Jay Gatsby and his backstory? Not sure how his story connects with the American Dream? Get the details here .

Want to go back to square one? Get started with Chapter 1 of our Great Gatsby plot summary.

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09 september 2024, secretary-general's message on the international day to protect education from attack [scroll down for french version].

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in attacks on students, teachers, educational personnel and schools around the world — from Gaza, to Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and elsewhere.

Every conflict exacts a cruel human toll. But for the children and young people caught up in the hell of conflict, the cost is incalculable.

This important day reminds us of the damage of war on young learners’ bodies, minds and spirits. From injuries and loss of life, to abduction, forced displacement, sexual violence, recruitment to the fighting, and lost opportunities, the risks are enormous.

Education is not only a basic human right in itself — it’s essential to the fulfilment of all human rights.

I call on all countries to invest in education and spare no effort to safeguard education and places of learning, protect students and teachers alike, and hold accountable perpetrators of attacks on places of learning.

I also urge all countries to fully endorse and implement the Safe Schools Declaration, support the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, and stand with all efforts to ensure that children and young people can continue their learning — both in times of crisis and after the fighting stops.

Let’s protect education from attack, and safeguard the fundamental right to education that belongs to every child and young person, everywhere.

***** Ces dernières années ont été marquées par l’augmentation spectaculaire des attaques menées contre des élèves, des étudiants, des enseignants, des membres du personnel éducatif et des écoles dans le monde entier, de Gaza au Soudan, en passant par le Myanmar, l’Ukraine, la Colombie et la République démocratique du Congo, pour ne citer que ces pays.

Chaque conflit se solde par un bilan humain désastreux. Mais pour les enfants et les jeunes pris dans l’enfer des conflits, le prix à payer est incalculable.

Cette journée nous rappelle combien la guerre fait des ravages physiques, psychologiques et émotionnels chez les jeunes apprenants. Blessures, pertes humaines, enlèvements, déplacements forcés, violences sexuelles, enrôlement dans les forces armées : les risques sont énormes, et les occasions d’apprendre perdues à jamais.

L’éducation n’est pas seulement un droit humain fondamental, c’est aussi une condition indispensable à la réalisation de tous les droits humains.

J’engage tous les pays à investir dans l’éducation et à ne ménager aucun effort pour la préserver, de même que les lieux d’apprentissage, pour protéger les élèves et les enseignants, et pour faire répondre de leurs actes les auteurs d’attaques contre des établissements d’enseignement.

Je les engage aussi à adhérer à la Déclaration sur la sécurité dans les écoles et à l’appliquer pleinement, à soutenir la Coalition mondiale pour la protection de l’éducation contre les attaques et à appuyer tous les efforts faits pour que les enfants et les jeunes puissent poursuivre leur scolarité, en temps de crise comme après la fin des combats.

Protégeons l’éducation des attaques et sauvegardons le droit fondamental à l’éducation, qu’ont tous les enfants et tous les jeunes, où qu’ils vivent dans le monde.  

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Basic Education on partnering with organisations to promote literacy and multilingual education

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) together with the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), the Nal’ibali Trust, Room-to-Read, South African Primary Education Support Initiative (SAPESI), Fundza, and A Better Africa Foundation are set to partner through the Literacy Promotion Collective. This collaboration is poised to advance reading development rooted in African languages and culturally relevant practices under UNESCO’s International Literacy Day theme: “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.”

In line with this global initiative, the DBE and partners will celebrate Literacy Month with a focus on "Enriching Children’s Experiences Through Reading and Writing to Elevate the Unique Value of African Languages."

The Literacy Promotion Collective represents a landmark initiative aimed at fostering an inclusive literacy culture that celebrates and integrates Africa's rich linguistic diversity during Literacy Month. By uniting these pivotal organisations, we are committed to enhancing literacy practices that reflect our continent's cultural heritage and promote mutual understanding and peace through education.

‘’This collaboration must be seen as a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing literacy by embracing and integrating the diverse linguistic and cultural landscapes of our continent”, says Basic Education Minister Ms Siviwe Gwarube. “The Literacy Promotion Collective aims to create an enriching educational environment where multilingualism is celebrated, and literacy development is deeply rooted in African cultural contexts,’’ Gwarube concludes.

The use of home-language in teaching instruction is important, as learners who are taught using their home language in the first six years of schooling fare better than those who aren’t taught in their home language. Readers and storybooks written in African languages go a long way in restoring the esteem of African languages in South Africa. NECT CEO Dr Godwin Khosa notes that, “this collaboration signifies our commitment to solving the reading challenges we face in the country by recognising the importance of African languages in literacy development.”

Through a series of dynamic activities, the Literacy Promotion Collective will engage communities across South Africa in meaningful ways. We will facilitate face-to-face activities and interactive workshops that bring literacy to life, creating opportunities for direct engagement and hands-on learning experiences. Our reading aloud sessions will be designed to foster a love for reading in various African languages, supporting language acquisition and comprehension in an inclusive manner. “The Literacy Promotion Collective marks a significant step in recognising the critical nature of collaboration and solidarity that will be required to advance literacy, reading, writing, and learning among South African youth today,” comments Nadeema Musthan, Executive Director at the Fundza Literacy Trust.

Storytelling and writing initiatives will play a pivotal role, as we launch programs that highlight and preserve African narratives, connecting learners with their cultural heritage through literature. The collective will also organise vibrant children's literacy festivals, where young readers can explore stories, interact with authors, and participate in creative activities that celebrate literature. In addition to these in-person engagements, we will host reading dialogues to explore the benefits of multilingual education and its impact on literacy and social cohesion.

The DBE also notes the initiative taken by the South African Council of Churches in support of International Literacy month and looks forward to expanding the relationship with other faith based groupings in similar ways.

We invite educators, parents, and community members to join us in supporting this transformative initiative. Together, we can make a significant impact on literacy development and build a brighter future for all.

For more information about the Literacy Promotion Collective and upcoming events, please visit our official website or follow us on our social media channels.

Media enquiries:

Elijah Mhlanga: Head of Communication Cell:  083 580 8275

Lukhanyo Vangqa: Media Liaison Officer  Cell: 066 302 1533

Terence Khala: Media Relations Officer  Cell: 081 758 1546

Statement on the International Day to Protect Education from Attack – 2024

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič , has issued the following statement:

"On the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the EU recalls that attacks on education deprive children of their fundamental right to learn, impact their immediate and long-term development and deprive them from a better and more peaceful future.

Attacks on schools and their military use place children, in particular girls and children with disabilities, at particular risk of harm, making them more vulnerable to other grave violations.

Tragically, there has been a significant increase of attacks against schools and education facilities, which constitute violations of International Humanitarian Law.

The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack identified around 6,000 attacks on students, educators, schools, and universities, which took place in 2022 and 2023. This means an average of 8 attacks per day and a nearly 20% increase compared with the previous 2 years.

More than 10,000 students and educators were reportedly killed, injured, abducted, arrested, or otherwise harmed by attacks on education in 2022 and 2023. 

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has devastated schools and kindergartens throughout the country. Since February 2022, over 3,790 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed.

In Gaza, over 92% of all school buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Every university in Gaza has been destroyed. This is why, in June 2024, the EU - jointly with the Missions of Jordan and Belgium - launched a Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza to raise awareness and increase humanitarian support.

The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue promoting and protecting the right of every child to grow in a safe environment, to have access to education, as required by international law and in line with the in UN Security Council Resolution 2601. 

The EU continues, in line with the recently revised EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict , to provide comprehensive child protection measures, to safeguard education for children in armed conflict areas and to support the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration commitments, being it in Ukraine, Palestine, Mozambique, Niger, South Sudan, Colombia or other countries in conflict.

Last year, the EU invested over €162 million for education in emergencies projects providing access to safe and quality learning, and psycho-social support. The EU dedicated as well an estimated €142 million to child protection activities, which constituted nearly 42% of the total protection budget within EU’s humanitarian aid.

All must protect education from attack and address the impact of armed conflict and violence on children’s education is an urgent necessity. The right to an education free from violence must be respected and fulfilled for every child, everywhere."

Statement on the International Day to Protect Education from Attack – 2024

On the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the EU recalls that attacks on education deprive children of their fundamental right to learn, impact their immediate and long-term development and deprive them from a better and more peaceful future.

Attacks on schools and their military use place children, in particular girls and children with disabilities, at particular risk of harm, making them more vulnerable to other grave violations.

Tragically, there has been a significant increase of attacks against schools and education facilities, which constitute violations of International Humanitarian Law.

The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack identified around 6,000 attacks on students, educators, schools, and universities, which took place in 2022 and 2023. This means an average of 8 attacks per day and a nearly 20 percent increase compared with the previous two years.

More than 10,000 students and educators were reportedly killed, injured, abducted, arrested, or otherwise harmed by attacks on education in 2022 and 2023.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has devastated schools and kindergartens throughout the country. Since February 2022, over 3,790 educational facilities have been damaged or destroyed.

In Gaza, over 92% of all school buildings have been damaged or destroyed. Every university in Gaza has been destroyed. This is why, in June 2024, the EU - jointly with the Missions of Jordan and Belgium - launched a Call to Action for Palestinian Children in the West Bank and Gaza to raise awareness and increase humanitarian support.

The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to continue promoting and protecting the right of every child to grow in a safe environment, to have access to education, as required by international law and in line with the in UN Security Council Resolution 2601.

The EU continues, in line with the recently revised EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict , to provide comprehensive child protection measures, to safeguard education for children in armed conflict areas and to support the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration commitments, being it in Ukraine, Palestine, Mozambique, Niger, South Sudan, Colombia or other countries in conflict.

Last year, the EU invested over €162 million for education in emergencies projects providing access to safe and quality learning, and psycho-social support. The EU dedicated as well an estimated €142 million to child protection activities, which constituted nearly 42% of the total protection budget within EU's humanitarian aid.

All must protect education from attack and address the impact of armed conflict and violence on children's education is an urgent necessity. The right to an education free from violence must be respected and fulfilled for every child, everywhere.

For More Information

Education in emergencies - European Commission (europa.eu)

Children in armed conflict - European Commission (europa.eu)

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