The document discusses the literary device of theme. It defines theme as the central idea or message within a work of literature, often expressed through characters' actions and words. Common themes are discussed such as love, good vs. evil, and coming of age. Two short stories are then analyzed in more depth: Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas." For "The Lottery," themes of mob mentality leading to disaster and the inevitability of mortality are explored. For "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," themes of sacrificing one for the many and the cruelty of humanity are examined.

1. THEME
Michelle Batista
Maggi Billingsley
Corrie Bradley
Kayla Carmical

2. WHAT IS THEME?
“As a literary device, theme is the central topic or idea explored in a
text. Usually the theme of a work of literature can be stated in one
word, such as “love” or “solitude.” A work of literature can, and often
does, have more than one theme. The theme is generally not stated
explicitly in the text, but instead is expressed through the characters’
actions, words, and thoughts.”
http://www.literarydevices.com/theme/

3. SIMPLY PUT: THEME IS THE MORAL
OF THE STORY
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in
literature. Ask yourself, “What lesson did I learn from reading this
story?” There can be one or more themes in a work for literature. Look
for theme in a character’s thoughts and actions, as well as the
consequences of their actions.

4. CLASSIC EXAMPLES OF THEME
 Love Conquers All (Beauty and the Beast)
 Civilization vs. Savagery (Lord of the Flies)
 Abuse of Power (Animal Farm)
 Crime Doesn’t Pay (Scarface)
 Good vs. Evil (Harry Potter)
 The Horrors of War (All Quiet on the Western Front)
 Coming of Age (The Catcher in the Rye)

5. THE LOTTERY Shirley Jackson

6. “THE LOTTERY”
The town in Shirley Jackson’s classic short story has an annual
tradition called “The Lottery.” They have carried out this tradition for
longer than anyone in the town can remember. Each year, every
person in town gathers in the square and draw slips of paper from a
black, weathered box. There is one slip with a black spot, and the
person who draws it is stoned to death by their fellow townsfolk. It is
implied that this is done to insure a good supply of crops each year.

7. THE SCAPEGOAT
The idea of a scapegoat is not a new concept. In ancient times, it was
used as a way to get rid of the collective sins of a community by
symbolically putting these sins into a goat and pushing said goat off
of a cliff.
In “The Lottery”, it can be interpreted that the town is putting all the
bad from everyone into Tessie and that by getting rid of her they are
getting rid of the town’s sins as well.

8. MORE ON THEME IN “THE
LOTTERY”
Mob Mentality Leads to
Disaster
 In this story, we see quite
clearly how cruel people can be
when following others without
thinking for themselves.
 Everyone in the town
participates in the lottery, even
though they know it will lead to
someone’s death.
 To follow blindly in anything is a
disaster waiting to happen.
Inevitable Mortality and Living
Life to the Fullest
 When you know your time is
limited, you tend to live life more
freely.
 In this story, the lottery happens
each year like clockwork. The
townsfolk know each year could
be their last.
 This could be taken as a
message to the reader that you
should do more with your life
while you are still alive to do so.

9. THE ONES WHO WALK
AWAY FROM OMELAS
Ursula Le Guin

10. “THE ONES WHO WALK AWAY FROM
OMELAS”
Omelas is a utopian city in which a
deal has been with an unknown
entity for the happiness of the city.
In order to insure the city’s
happiness, a child is kept locked
up in a basement and deprived of
all kindness. The happiness of one
child is sacrificed for the
happiness of the whole city.

11. MORE ON THEME IN “THE ONES
WHO WALK AWAY FROM OMELAS”
 Sacrificing the Needs of One for Many
 The story of Omelas warns that nothing is perfect and if
something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
 When you look at the city in the beginning of the story, it seems
like a place that you would be crazy not to want to live in. Why
would anybody ever want to walk away from Omelas?
 The evil that is being cast into the child is what makes the town
flourish. Showing, that like yin and yang, there must be some evil
for all the good.
 The town new the child was miserable and living in agony,
but they did nothing. This also asserts how cruel and selfish
human beings can be.

12. WORKS CITED
Beauty and the Beast. Dir. Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale. 1994. DVD.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962.
Print.
Orwell, George. Animal Farm. 1945. Print.
Scarface. Dir. Brian De Palma. Perf. Al Pacino. Universal Studios, 1983.
DVD.
Jackson, Shirley. The Lottery. Mankato, Minn.: Creative Education,
1983. Print.
Le Guin, Ursula K. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas. Mankato,
Minn.: Creative Education, 1993. Print.

13. END