Welcome back! For class today, you’ll need: - your annotated readings - notebook and pen/pencil

1. Welcome back! For class today, you’ll need:- your annotated readings- notebook and pen/pencil • Begin class by reviewing your readings • For your Writer’s Notebook #1, respond to the following: • Explain how the ideas in the reading either complicated, reinforced, or enhanced your view of Theme. • Write out any unanswered questions you have about what you read or write out a passage from the reading you found intriguing

2. MIMESIS • Definition - Holding a mirror up to nature • The very core of what art and literature mean • Is literature “true” or “false?” • Why do certain works endure? • Plato: literature is a shadow of reality; truth only in philosophy • Aristotle: Lit is unfettered by the randomness of history and can therefore articulate essential, eternal, or higher truths • Fiction truer than fact • Art works us up, but leaves us less, not more

3. Theme • 1. How has the main character changed during the course of the story? What, if anything, has s/he learned? • 2. What is the nature of the central conflict of the story? What was the outcome of that conflict? • 3. How does the title relate to or comment on the story? (Perrine 110)

4. Theme • Theme must be expressible in the form of a statement with a subject and a predicate....[It] must be a statement about the subject.... • The theme must be stated as a generalization about life. In stating theme we do not use the names of the characters or refer to precise places or events, for to do so is to make a specific rather than a general statement.... • We must be careful not to make the generalization larger than is justified by the terms of the story. Terms like every, all, always should be used very cautiously; terms like some, sometimes, may are often more accurate....Only occasionally will the theme of a story be expressible as a universal generalization.... • Theme is the central and unifying concept of a story.

5. Moving from Concept to Theme The Scarlet Letter • Sin (idea) • Hester commits the sin of adultery (supporting observation) • Hester regrets her sin (inference about the text) • According to the readings, how do we turn this into a theme?

6. Developing a Theme Statement • Begin with this sentence frame: _________ is a story about _______ . • The Scarlet Letter is a story about ____________ . • In the second blank space, put a single word that says what the story is really about. • Do not give plot summary, which would look like this: The Scarlet Letter is a story about a woman who has a baby out of wedlock. • Instead, use a word such as “sin”: The Scarlet Letter is a story about sin. • Now make phrases out of the words you’ve listed for the second blank, such as: • the desire for revenge -- the shadow of sin • Consider what the piece of literature says about these words/phrases. What does the book say about the abuse of power? Once you can answer that question, you have discovered a theme of the piece. 

7. Working in groups • You’ll be assigned a topic / concept related to The Scarlet Letter • Discuss the topic / concept and develop theme. • Develop the topic into an accurate theme statement. • Find quotes from the novel that support your theme and then explain how the quote exemplifies the theme. • Create a google doc for compiling your work • Invite me to the document, please (hking@cfsd16.org)