Topic vs. ThemeWhat’s the Difference?

What’s a topic?O A subjectO Something people talk or write about

What’s a theme?O what the author is saying about a topicO A main idea communicated (in full

sentence form) O Note:

O There may be multiple themes about one topic in a piece.

O Many pieces cover more than one topic, so there are usually many themes in a piece of writing.

Practice with Art

“American Gothic” Grant Wood (1930)

O Describe what’s depicted in the painting.

O What’s a topic in the painting?

O What’s a theme about that topic?

“American Gothic” Adaptations

O What has changed from the original?

O How do those adaptations alter the painting's meaning/theme?

“American Gothic” Adaptations

“Mona Lisa” Leonardo DaVinci(c. 1503)

O Topic?O Theme?

“Mona Lisa” Adaptations

O What has changed from the original?

O How do those adaptations alter the painting's meaning/theme?

“Mona Lisa” Adaptations

How do writer’s create themes?

Theme MachinesO Plot eventsO CharacterizationO Seen in the settingO Using a unique POVO Imagery/descriptionO Rhythm of the language

Let’s get back to the book.

Examine your topic in Night.

O Prepare for Socratic Seminar using the handout.O Identify passages worth talking about.O Identify ideas worth reviewing. O Develop open-ended questions to dig

deeper. O Identify themes and how Wiesel

developed them to figure out the purpose of your topic in Night.