16. Reading is fun!In addition to reading for fun, though , we can also analyze (分析) texts to learn more from the texts and more about the texts. One way we can do this with story books , passages , or poems is by discovering what the theme is exactly.
The theme of a book is the"big idea"that runs throughout the text, which connects the characters and events. Many times, it is related to what the main character learned over the course of the story. Most of the time , the theme of a book is not written out in the words, you have to use clues in the text to infer it. Themes can be ideas like friendship, bravery , love, honesty or family. 'The theme might not be able to be said in just one word though. It might be an idea such as, "Be careful what you wish for." There may also be more than one theme in a story.
To start finding the theme, first you need to make sure you've read the whole text. Characters change throughout the story , so what you might think is the theme in the beginning might not be true at the end !
After you read the text , summarize the
plot. What important events happened during the story? What was the problem?How was the problem solved?How did the character(s)change? What did the character(s) learn?
Use the answers from those questions to see if you can recognize a pattern (模式). Did a lot of the plot revolve (围绕) around friendship?Did many characters solve problems with their families?Did hard work pay off for the main character?Did the main character learn the importance of fairness ?
Once you've discovered what the big idea is, go through the text to find evidence that supports this idea throughout the whole text. If there was only one small problem with a character's family, then family might not be the theme of the text. You might find more evidence for friendship or bravery.
Now you are ready to find the theme of books, passages , and poems !Read them now and see if you can discover what the theme is exactly.