|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
 Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:32 pm
In this class, we will learn how to focus our works around a theme. If you find that your work is scattered and needs focusing, this is the first and most important class for you to do.
What is a theme?:
A theme is a basic truth about life.
Good literature is full with themes.
That's what gives the reader something to think about, and brings a sort of unity to a piece.
How do I make a theme?:
A theme is made up of two parts.
1) A subject
2) A slant
For example, a subject could be a concrete noun (something you can touch) like humans, or an abstract noun (something you can't touch) like love. Abstract nouns are more common and easier to work with.
Once you have chosen your subject, then you pick a word to describe a quality of the noun (slant).
Examples: The falibility of humans
The blindness of love.
Ok, I've got the idea. Now what?:
After you have developed a theme or two, then it's time to start painting that theme with a story.
But that's not till next class.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:35 pm
Post lesson assignment:
arrow Write three themes that you could possibly use for one story.
Later, we will use the themes you pick out to develope a story, so think of some that you will be able to work with.
If you don't like the themes you picked out when we get to that stage, don't worry, you can create some new themes to work with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:29 am
Okay, so I will be providing three themes? confused Themes Theme #1: Confusion regarding who is the right one to pick. Theme #2: Union in times of sorrow and chaos. Theme #3: Hidden secrets that can harm people.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:00 pm
Can not give life without taking life.
Lies shadow truth.
There are no goods.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:30 pm
keichaos Okay, so I will be providing three themes? confused Themes Theme #1: Confusion regarding who is the right one to pick. Theme #2: Union in times of sorrow and chaos. Theme #3: Hidden secrets that can harm people. That's a good first try, but you need to ensure that the slant refers specificaly to the subject you provide. Additionally, it is best if each theme only has one subject. Your second theme is the best done out of the three. However, it would be better if you were to re-word it to say, Sorrow is unifying,. In this way, unity is a quality more closely associated with sorrow. In your sentance, gramatically speaking, union refers to what we call an understood subject rather than a concrete subject. In other words, union refers to the people or things effected by sorrow and chaos rather than to chaos and sorrow specifically. Try re-wording your other two themes you provided. You are on the right track.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:37 pm
Sexual Herassment Panda Can not give life without taking life. Lies shadow truth. There are no goods. I also think you did your second theme the best, though you might also consider re-wording it to something like, The superiority of lies to truth. You will want to stick as much as you can to the subject and the slant. To do this, you will need to stray away from the conventional sentence structure you generally use in normal english. See if you can tweak your wording as well to better emphasize the subject and slant of your themes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:06 am
Okay, let me try again... smile
Theme #1: Confusion of people in-love.
Theme #3: People will be harmed by hidden secrets.
I just shifted the words... Oh.. this is bad... I'm so bad... sad
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:09 am
keichaos Okay, let me try again... smile Theme #1: Confusion of people in-love. Theme #3: People will be harmed by hidden secrets. I just shifted the words... Oh.. this is bad... I'm so bad... sad It is fine to make mistakes in class. That is what class is for. It is actually better that you make honest mistakes so that you can learn from them. You don't learn from perfection, you learn from experience. Part of gaining experience is making mistakes. Again, you will want to be sure that you specificaly emphasize the subject of your theme. As writers generally do not write their own themes, but rather pick from commonly used themes, it is not essential that you know how to write a theme. The point of this exercise is to help you to get a better understanding of what a theme is. So before we get into plot structure, we will be studying commonly used themes and styles associated with those themes. So if you would like to give it another try to see if you can improve your themes, you may find that helpful. However, if you feel you understand what a subject and slant are, but putting it into words is another story, you need not fret and you can wait till the next lesson to learn more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 10:55 am
"Duty breeds a willful blindness."
"Lust makes people stupid."
"Youth is no bar to ambition."
I'm already working on this, but it's fun to articulate the themes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:10 pm
theme one: those you love hurt you most.
theme two: we fear spiders more than cars.
theme three: can I single handedly destroy the planet?
does this sound right?
or is it all supposed to be for the same story?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:25 am
But, Ms. Luna, aren't we allowed to make our own themes? You know, to add a little bit of uniqueness? Because if we limit ourselves in other's themes, that may affect our writing... Pardon me for questioning. I just need some clarification. 3nodding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:44 pm
No need to appologize for asking for clarification. If you have a question, I urge you to ask it when you can.
About the themes, it is not limiting yourself by using predefined themes, but it gives you much more room to work with if you don't have to introduce an entirely new thing but rather build on an old thing.
It all depends on how you use something that determines how it will help or limit you in your writing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:51 pm
elementalWITHIN theme one: those you love hurt you most.
theme two: we fear spiders more than cars.
theme three: can I single handedly destroy the planet?
does this sound right?
or is it all supposed to be for the same story? A single story can have multiple themes, but for the purposes of this class, we will be focusing on one theme at a time. Now back to your themes. You will want for you themes to be as broad and universal as possible. Your first theme was the best, but the second two need some work. You'll want to make sure that you include a slant that specifically refers to your subject. For example, your second theme states a fact, but doesn't specificaly show a slant on the subject. Your subject for this theme is the fear of non-dangerous things as opposed to possibly dangerous things. You will want to show an attitude towards what you think of that. Go ahead and give it another shot, that was excellent for a first try.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:52 am
Life is short-I am not elementalWITHIN theme one: those you love hurt you most.
theme two: we fear spiders more than cars.
theme three: can I single handedly destroy the planet?
does this sound right?
or is it all supposed to be for the same story? A single story can have multiple themes, but for the purposes of this class, we will be focusing on one theme at a time. Now back to your themes. You will want for you themes to be as broad and universal as possible. Your first theme was the best, but the second two need some work. You'll want to make sure that you include a slant that specifically refers to your subject. For example, your second theme states a fact, but doesn't specificaly show a slant on the subject. Your subject for this theme is the fear of non-dangerous things as opposed to possibly dangerous things. You will want to show an attitude towards what you think of that. Go ahead and give it another shot, that was excellent for a first try. Thank you biggrin theme one: those you love hurt you most. theme two: we are programmed to fear what we don't understand theme three: is the love of destruction part of our genetic makeup?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Angles and Dangles Captain
|
Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 1:39 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
