IXL | Determine the themes of short stories

Read the following story.

Choosing Straws

All through their barn chores, Bonny, Anna, and Grace chattered about tonight's harvest festival. Bonny couldn't wait to dance in the new dress Mama had sewn her.

"Aunt Harriet is sick," Mama said when they came inside. "I need one of you to take her some soup."

Bonny and her sisters frowned. Aunt Harriet lived miles away in another town. Making the trip would mean missing the dance.

"Let's draw straws," Bonny said. "Whoever gets the shortest will go."

Mama cut three straws of different lengths, then pushed them between the fingers of her fist until they looked equal in size. "Choose one," she told the girls.

"Oh no!" Bonny moaned as she drew the shortest.

Anna and Grace begged Mama to let Bonny stay. But Bonny knew her aunt needed her.

"Maybe Aunt Harriet will take you home in the wagon," Grace said, "so you can get home quicker."

Bonny thought of how kind Aunt Harriet had been to her family when Mama was sick. She'd even taught Bonny how to dance.

"No, I'll walk home," Bonny said. "Aunt Harriet needs her rest, and maybe if I dance for her, she'll feel better. There will always be another harvest. And if I'm taller by next year's dance, I can just lower the trim of my dress so it still fits!"

Which of the following statements best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

It is important to be grateful for simple things.

A good choice isn't always the easiest one.

Family members can't always take care of each other.

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Learn with an example

question

Read the following story.

Choosing Straws

All through their barn chores, Bonny, Anna, and Grace chattered about tonight's harvest festival. Bonny couldn't wait to dance in the new dress Mama had sewn her.

"Aunt Harriet is sick," Mama said when they came inside. "I need one of you to take her some soup."

Bonny and her sisters frowned. Aunt Harriet lived miles away in another town. Making the trip would mean missing the dance.

"Let's draw straws," Bonny said. "Whoever gets the shortest will go."

Mama cut three straws of different lengths, then pushed them between the fingers of her fist until they looked equal in size. "Choose one," she told the girls.

"Oh no!" Bonny moaned as she drew the shortest.

Anna and Grace begged Mama to let Bonny stay. But Bonny knew her aunt needed her.

"Maybe Aunt Harriet will take you home in the wagon," Grace said, "so you can get home quicker."

Bonny thought of how kind Aunt Harriet had been to her family when Mama was sick. She'd even taught Bonny how to dance.

Which of the following statements best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?

It is important to be grateful for simple things.

Family members can't always take care of each other.

A good choice isn't always the easiest one.

key idea

A theme is the central message or lesson communicated in a story, poem, or play. Some stories have one main theme, while others explore multiple themes. In most stories, themes are not directly stated. You have to infer them by thinking about what the characters experience and learn. Think about a theme as the life lesson that the author wants to share with the reader.

Finding the Theme

To determine the theme, start by looking at the events in the story:

What are the major events?
What happens because of these events?

Then, think about the characters and their reactions to what happens in the story:

What do the characters want or struggle with?
How do the characters react to key events in the story?
What do the characters learn about themselves, others, or the situation they are in?
Do the characters change from the beginning to the end of the story?

After thinking about the characters and

events,

connect these ideas to a larger lesson or

truth.

The story might suggest:

An observation about people in general
A lesson that you could apply to your own life

Using Text Evidence

Themes are supported by text

evidence.

To find good evidence, look for key moments, quotes, or actions that show what the author is trying to communicate.

For example, in a story about a boy helping his grandmother for the summer, the theme might be:

Giving time is not always easy, but it is a great way to show love.

Text evidence to support this theme could be the following lines from the story:

Grandma Mabel looked at Eli across the gameboard and smiled. "This is the best evening I have had in a while," she said softly.

solution

This is the theme in the story:

green checkmark, A good choice isn't always the easiest one.

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B.2Determine the themes of myths, fables, and folktales

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