Why, oh why, is theme so hard? Both a a reader an a writer I find myself struggling with this concept. What do I want people to get out of a piece I write? What do others want me to get out of what they wrote? It seems I'm experiencing a bit of a communication barrier between readers and writers.
When we talk about theme in class, I seem to follow pretty well. When someone tell me what they think the theme is, I can reason through why it works in doesn't (in my own opinion). Once I try my own hand however, Words seem to fail me- as does Understanding. What I saw as wrong or write in another's theme I can't seem to make heads or tails of in my own.
I remember back in elementary school when Theme was a moral or even just one word. Gee, thank you dear teachers for teaching exactly what high school says theme ISN'T. Now we are to avoid morals, cliches and anything specific. I was taught writing was supposed to be specific? It is in all cases besides theme statements.
I'm truely astounded by how much thought REAL writers put into their pieces, or how English teachers can all recognize the same themes in a piece. I can only hope by the end of this year I overcome this struggle and can easily create a good theme statement before the AP exam.....
When we talk about theme in class, I seem to follow pretty well. When someone tell me what they think the theme is, I can reason through why it works in doesn't (in my own opinion). Once I try my own hand however, Words seem to fail me- as does Understanding. What I saw as wrong or write in another's theme I can't seem to make heads or tails of in my own.
I remember back in elementary school when Theme was a moral or even just one word. Gee, thank you dear teachers for teaching exactly what high school says theme ISN'T. Now we are to avoid morals, cliches and anything specific. I was taught writing was supposed to be specific? It is in all cases besides theme statements.
I'm truely astounded by how much thought REAL writers put into their pieces, or how English teachers can all recognize the same themes in a piece. I can only hope by the end of this year I overcome this struggle and can easily create a good theme statement before the AP exam.....
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