Themes and messages · Year 5
In Year 5 you get fluent with: the big idea of a story.
A theme is a big idea that runs through a text: friendship, courage, growing up, power. The theme is not what happens (the plot) but what the text makes us think about life.
Key facts
- Look at what the main character learns or how they change: that is often the theme.
- Look at the ending: who is rewarded, who is punished, how characters feel. Endings often show the writer's message.
Worked examples
Example 1
Which is the theme? A boy finds a lost dog and spends a week finding its owner, even though he wants to keep it. (greed / honesty / revenge)
Answer: honesty
Example 2
What is the big idea? A tortoise beats a fast hare in a race because the hare stops to sleep.
Answer: slow and steady wins; don't be too proud
Example 3
Find the theme: a birthday party or sharing? Asha has one cake, but she shares it with every child at the party.
Answer: sharing