What About Theme

Lisa Metcalf says of theme...

A theme is a statement of the meaning of a piece of literature. What is the ultimate point that the author is trying to make? What "truth of life" is presented through the work? In order to figure out the theme, it is important to determine the conflict(s) in the work because the two go hand-in-hand. What internal and/or external conflicts is the main character facing? How does he handle them? What is the result? What does he learn? As you answer those questions you are learning about what the play is about, and that is the theme. This would be true of any piece of fiction: novel, story, or play.

The Wizard of Oz

Let's look at the Wizard of Oz for a more easy show of finding a theme.

The basic story of Oz is Dorthy, and her dog Toto, are swept up by a tornado and touch down in Munchkinland. In order for Dorthy to get home she needs to travel to the Emerald City, ask the Wizard for help and along the way she faces great challenges, meets new friends, and pushes herself to do things she never thought she would do. Eventually she learns that she had the way to get home all along via the ruby red shoes.

"There's no place like home,
There's no place like home,
There's no place like home."

Okay, this is kind of like being hit over the head with a baseball bat!

If you can't figure out a theme from this line, then you're not paying attention. (Thus the smack upside the back of your head.)

How Can You Best Find a Theme in a Show

Repetition is one sign

Not just with words like in Oz, but also actions.

When a phrase is used again and again throughout the play, there is a good chance that it is referencing a theme. Just think of how many times the word "home" is used in the Wizard of Oz. It is everywhere in the story, from Dorthy not liking her home at the beginning of the show to telling everyone throughout the story that getting home is the only thing she wants.

In The Rising of the Moon the name Granuaile kept coming up. I realize it may not mean anything to you, but for the audience of that show, in that time, in Ireland, the name would mean quite a bit. If you know her story, you'll get why Lady Gregory kept putting her name in the play, and how she placed her name.

Repetitive actions are also used to help define a theme. In The Rising of the Moon, the ragged man kept singing ballads. These ballads were songs about rising up against the English and fighting for Ireland. He could have sung only one, but he didn't. He sang several and the Sergeant kept asking him to stop.

In the Wizard of Oz Dorthy had to repeatedly accomplish tasks that made her challenge herself, to prove she wasn't a child anymore. This doesn't address the Home theme, but it does another.

Production shot of Oz in Kansas

What the characters want is another sign

What does Dorthy ultimately want?
(smack yourself upside the head if you can't figure this one out.)

In the Wizard of Oz, the only thing Dorthy is attempting is to get home. It is her ultimate goal. Everything she does in this story is to help her achieve her final want.

What does the Ragged Man want in Rising of the Moon? It looks as if he wants to escape, yes, but ultimately he wants to build up enough people to fight for Ireland. He wants a rebellion. He wants to convince those who don't believe the way he does to change their minds and join his cause. Does the Sergeant change his mind?

Production shot of Wizard of Oz with the three with a brain, courage, and heart

How characters change is a third sign

Dorthy doesn't really change much in the Wizard of Oz, or does she? I know the Scarecrow, Lion, and Tin Man all change throughout the show. Even the Wizard changes. They each display signs of what they want even though they had it all along. A heart has nothing to do with a real heart, it has to do with how you treat people and care. Being brave isn't about standing up to people, it's about facing your fears head on. A brain, well, we're all working on our brain. I hope you get the point.

How these characters changed help show us that we have inside ourselves the power to face our fears, think, care, and even get what we want.

Gee, that sounds like a theme to me.

In The Rising of the Moon the ragged man doesn't really change, but the sergeant does. At first he wants to capture the man, send him back to prison. In the end, he lets the man go to fight for another day.

Many other ways of finding the signs of a theme

The three methods of finding a theme noted above are just, three methods. The way you see a theme may not follow any of these techniques. If you see a message in a show, then think about how you saw that message.

What happened in the show that gave you the thought?

In Conclusion

- Theme is a statement of meaning in a piece of literature; play, novel, film, prose
  - It is the "Truth of Life" as presented in the work
- Theme is what the author is wanting to share with the audience
- You can discover a theme with...
  - Repetition of words and/or actions
  - What the characters ultimately want
  - Change within characters
  - and Many other ways

Do you think you can find a theme of a show? I'm about to ruin your favorite movie for you, but its all in the name of learning.

Find a theme in your favorite movie, and tell us what that theme is, Next