Contents Chapter 1 Introduction to Themes in Literature Chapter 2 An Overview of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone 12 Chapter 3 Harry Potter as Anti Archetype Chapter 4 An Overview of To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 5 Atticus Finch Moral Compass 32 42 Chapter 6 An Overview of 12 Years a Slave 54 64 Chapter 7 Northup as Abolitionist Hero Chapter 8 An Overview of The Scarlet Letter and Little Women 76 Chapter 9 Feminist lcons 90 Analyze it 100 Additional Resources 106 Glossary 102 Source Notes 108 Characteristics and Classics 104 Index 110 References 105 About the Author 112
INTRODUCTION TO Themes in Literature o you find yourself drawn to the same types of stories Are your favorite characters on a quest Are they seeking revenge Or are your favorite stories about love Love revenge a quest these are all examples of themes Although each story is different many stories focus on similar themes You can expand your understanding of the books you read by recognizing the common themes within them What Is a Theme A theme is a concept or idea that shows up again and again in various works of art literature music theater film and other endeavors throughout history Some themes revolve around a story s plot For example a play about a young girl moving away from home and learning the ways of the world would be considered a coming of age story But themes are not always so easily
noticed For example a work might have allusions Allusions are references sometimes indirect to other works or historical events Themes might also relate to specific characters or subjects of a work For example many stories present heroes or villains These common character types are often called archetypes How Do You Uncover a Theme Themes are presented in different ways in different works so you may not always be aware of them Many works have multiple themes Uncover themes by asking yourself questions about the work What is the main point or lesson of the story What is the main conflict What do the characters want Where does the story take place In many cases themes may not be apparent until after a close study or analysis of the text What Is an Analysis Writing an analysis allows you to explore the themes in a work In an analysis you can consider themes in multiple ways You can describe what themes are present in a work You can compare one work to another to see how the presentation of a theme differs between the two forms You can see how the use of a particular theme
