Topic and Theme
  • Technology is a curse and a blessing
  • Leadership
  • Love
  • Violence never solves conflicts
  • Education
  • Censoring literature deprives 
   students of educational opportunities
   What is the point of writing 
   about literature?
   • Figure out what the author is trying to tell us.
    • A message
    • A moral
    • A “truth” about the world
    • Always a full sentence.  
   • The message is never about the book.
    • The world
    • People in general
    • A message about a topic.
   • When we write an essay, we try to prove what the 
    author’s message is by using the details of the story.
  Our theme:
  • Technology can prevent or 
  alter communication, 
  resulting in an inability for 
  people to care for one 
  another. 
   Theme:  Technology can prevent or 
   alter communication, resulting in an 
   inability for people to care for one 
   another. 
   • Quotation w/ Page #:  “I don’t think you’d better consider it 
     any more, Father” (Bradbury 18).
   • Explanation:  Peter says this when his father suggests 
     shutting off the nursery.  It’s clear from this quotation that 
     Peter doesn’t respect his father.  Even though this comment 
     isn’t a direct threat, Peter’s comment suggests there would 
     be negative (possibly violent) consequences if George turns 
     off the nursery.  George also says that he won’t “have any 
     threats from his son,” showing that he believes the 
     comment is a threat as well.  It’s clear that Peter cares more 
     about the technology of the nursery than his father.  They 
     are not only not communicating well, but their relationship 
     is hurt because of the nursery. 
        Order of Making Meaning in 
        Literary Study
        1. Read
        2. Collect Details
           1. Notes per page
        3. Topic – Significant to the Text
           •     What is the book “about?”
        4. Return to the details.  
            • Details are combined and form a pattern.
            • The pattern tells us something about the topic.
                oExample:  Whenever we see technology used, someone is hurt or killed.
            • Interpreted to determine the author’s purpose in discussing the topic which 
              is the THEME.
        5. Author’s Theme (message about a big idea)
           • Technology hurts people.
        6. Thesis = Author uses [X] to reveal [Y]