How do you determine the theme of a poem?

1. How do you determine the theme of a poem? Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day…

2. In this lesson, you will learn how to determine the theme of a poem by seeing how characters respond to challenges.

3. A character’s actions show a character’s traits. Casey ignored the pitch. Confident

4. The mood of characters can change during the poem. Crowd feels hopeless - their team is losing! Crowd feels hopeful - Casey is up to bat!

5. Plot/Action Characters & Traits Beginning, Middle, End = Theme Mood

6. Theme is the poet’s message to the reader. Overcoming a challenge Casey The Fans

7. “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day: The score stood four to six with just an inning left to play; And so, when Cooney died at first, and Burrows did the same, A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go, leaving there the rest With that hope that springs eternal within the human breast; For they thought if only Casey could get one whack, at that They'd put up even money, with Casey at the bat. Mudville is losing. If Casey can bat, he will surely get a hit to win the game – he must! He is their only hope.

8. “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer "That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said. … Casey doesn’t swing at the first 2 pitches. He feels too confident about himself. He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew, But Casey still ignored it; and the umpire said, "Strike two." How did Casey respond to this challenge?

9. The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched with hate; He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate; And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go, And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow. But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out. He was angry, but it was too late to start trying. He struck out! How did Casey respond to this challenge?

10. Casey doesn’t swing at the first 2 pitches. He feels too confident about himself. He was angry, but it was too late to start trying. He struck out! Too much self-confidence can lead to disappointment and trouble.

11. 1 • Find parts where a character faced a challenge. 2 • Ask yourself, “How does the character respond?” 3 Look at how the character responded to determine a lesson/theme.

12. In this lesson, you have learned how to determine the theme of a poem by seeing how characters respond to challenges.

13. Read the parts below where the crowd faces a challenge. How do they respond? Find some more parts that show the crowd responding to challenges. For they thought if only Casey could get one whack, at that They'd put up even money, with Casey at the bat. … “Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted some one in the stand. And it's likely they'd have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

14. Pick a poem of your choice. • Find parts where a character faced a challenge. • How did he/she respond? • Look at the responses to determine an overall message or theme.

15. The last stanza is a famous one. How do you think the poet feels about baseball, about fans, or about baseball heroes? Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright, The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.

16. Reread the poem, “Casey at the Bat”. What theme or lessons can you draw from the way the crowd behaves? But Casey still ignored it; and the umpire said, "Strike two." "Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and the echo answered, "Fraud!" But the scornful look from Casey, and the audience was awed;