Choosing Themes and Organizing Ideas

Fiction Essay

Theme

Central idea or meaning of a story Unifying point around which all elements of the

story – plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, etc. – are organized.

Most themes are implicit; they require the work of the reader to find meaning in the work.

Distinguish between theme and subject

“Story of An Hour” can generally said to be about freedom.

However, what about freedom? What point is Chopin trying to make?

Distinguishing Theme

Use your own insights, experiences, judgments.

Add them to what you know of the details of the story.

Each of us brings our own responses to literature and each of us may have our own idea of theme.

Use the questions on page 147 to help you determine theme (but apply them to your story)

“Story of An Hour”

Quest for freedom Self-assertion Place of women Grief Self-centeredness The impossibility of a happy marriage

“Hills Like White Elephants”

Alienation Conflict between what is “real” and what is

perceived to be “real” Love goes unreturned Innocence passes to knowledge Search for self: quest Man vs. society

“A Rose for Emily”

Clinging to the past (both individual and society)

Oppression of women Search for identity Isolation Denial Man vs. Society How the gentility of the Old South affected

women

Organizing ideas

Use the element of literature to help you organize your ideas.

For example, how do you understand that “A Rose for Emily” illustrates clinging to the past. What clues does Faulkner give?

Clues are found in the title, setting, symbolism, point of view, style and interaction of the characters. You may want to analyze all of these elements or only one of them.

Organizing ideas

Show an understanding of one of the stories and how at least one of the elements of literature works to create meaning in the story.

Analysis: thoroughly discussing the use of at least one of the elements of fiction

Interpretation: how that element helps create a theme

Organizing ideas

Use terms we’ve discussed in class Use lots of specific examples. Use class discussions as a place to start, but

try to go beyond them. Expand on ideas discussed in class or present new ideas.

Include a title. Don’t just use the title of the short story. Write something about your topic. For example: Discovering Life in “Story of An Hour”

Organizing ideas

Do NOT summarize the story. You may need to summarize in a sentence or two specific events in the story when making a point, but the entire essay is not a book report.

Do NOT use first person “I” in an essay which requires a formal, academic voice. Try to avoid second person “you” as well.