thematic statement for education

10 Thematic Statement Examples for High School Students

Nov 10, 2022

Think of the last book you read… what was it about? When you go to answer this question, do you focus on a summary of the plot or do you boil it down to a statement that focuses on the overall message of the book? The answer to that question may depend on whether you’re an English teacher or not!  If you’re doing the latter for the many books you read, which most often I think we – English teachers – unconsciously do, then you’re sharing thematic statement examples .

You are providing an overarching idea of what that book is about without providing many details about what happens with the plot and characters. But this is a skill that’s learned and honed; it’s a skill that you, as an English teacher, were taught when you were a student and now likely teach your own students!  

And teaching theme and how to write thematic statement examples is important. Not just because it’s a great way to provide an overview of a book during small talk, but because it provides a clear way to check reading comprehension and understanding, it is a way to work on a different facet of summarizing, and it guides students to more analysis of the overall text.

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How To Teach With Thematic Statement Examples

What is theme.

Theme in general is the deeper meaning of a story. It is often a recurring central idea that leads to a take-away message for the reader. Different parts of a story contribute to that message and different texts may share a theme, but how they’re communicated could be very different. 

What is a thematic statement and what are the elements of thematic statement examples? 

A thematic statement is an overall message from the story in the form of a short sentence. Some might boil it down to the big idea of a particular text, whether that’s a poem, short story, or novel. 

What’s noteworthy is that a theme – and thus a thematic statement – is not always singular in a text. There could be multiple themes in a piece of literature. Students could look at characters, setting, and plot, in addition to conflict and resolution in any given story. Through all of these elements, different themes might emerge though they are usually closely related. 

To teach students how to write strong thematic statements, a formula is helpful: Topic + Message = Thematic Statement. With this, students can use textual evidence to ground their thematic statements.

To help your students really ‘get’ the idea of theme check out this fun activity with graphic organizers to create different thematic statements .

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10 Thematic Statement Examples

Whether you’re teaching short stories, poetry, drama, or film, here are 10 thematic statement examples to use with your students:

3 Short Story Examples

• “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson is the story of a yearly tradition that proves deadly in a small town.  The story also provides several options for thematic statements such as a mother’s love develops over time or people should avoid participating in a harmful tradition, or even parents must encourage their children to listen to the law. This bundle of activities for “The Lottery” ensures students’ clear understanding of the story through Common Core-style questions before they dive into determining the theme of the story.
• “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe is about Prince Prospero who attempts to avoid a plague by hiding out from the inhabitants of his town. Like most Poe stories, it’s dark and twisted and absolutely perfect for engaging students!  The exploration of these themes and the textual evidence to support each one would allow you to differentiate for the students in your classroom. You could provide a variety of theme statements such as “Fear is an important part of human relationships” or “Having a positive attitude eliminates panic.” Students can read the story to find textual evidence for support. These examples and more are included in the activity pack for this amazing Poe story .

• “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce is about a civilian during the Civil War who is facing death as a result of his actions. It also has a twist that will capture students’ attention. Students can brainstorm one or two thematic statement examples and then use highlighters to color-code textual evidence. For example, a blue highlighter for evidence of “fantasies can be deceptive” and a green highlighter that supports “bravery will sometimes lead to success.” Once complete, students can review their color-coded stories to see which statement is best supported.

3 Poetry Examples

• “Annabel Lee” by Poe is about the love the narrator has for a woman in his life, however, it’s Poe so it also focuses on death!  Before diving into thematic statements make sure students have a strong comprehension of the poem using these poetry activities for this Poe poem .  Once they understand the poem, they can shift to writing thematic statement examples about it. What statement is best? What textual evidence would they use?
• Death cannot stop a person’s love.
• Beware the jealousy of the angels in heaven.
• Separation causes the heart to yearn for love.
• Love will ultimately cause gloom and despair.
• “Death, Be Not Proud” by John Donne tries to convince the reader to not fear death. To help with any lesson using this sonnet, check out these activities for visualization, comprehension, and writing . Then students can debate which thematic statement example is best: 
• People should understand that dying is momentary.
• People deserve the consequences of their actions.
• People must consider how to live effectively.
• People eventually must die.

• “A Poison Tree” by William Blake is a short poem about anger and, ultimately, murder. Get students to look closer at the emotional language in this poem with this group of activities to make teaching poetry stress-free . Then, they can shift to writing about any of these thematic statement examples for “A Poison Tree” with confidence! Which would they choose?
• Anger that is not dealt will escalate into harmful actions.
• Beware how you treat your enemies and your friends.
• Growing a tree takes time and careful planning.
• People deserve the consequences of their acts.

Need ideas for short stories for applying thematic statement examples ? Click below!

2 Play Examples

• A scene from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare that is perfect for analysis of theme is Tybalt’s death and the Prince’s speech in Act 3, Scene 1. These activities are simple yet rigorous to ensure students’ understanding! Through close reading, students can then focus on generating ideas about the theme of this scene. They’ll likely come up with words such as revenge, friendship, and consequences. Use these theme statement development activities with graphic organizers to scaffold the analysis for all students.
• In Act 3, Scene 2 of Julius Caesar , Brutus makes a speech where he attempts to justify his murder of Caesar and Antony responds. Working closely with this scene using these comprehension activities can ensure students’ understanding before they develop a thematic statement for it. In fact, the comprehension activities will help to find textual evidence for any number of thematic statement examples and options.

2 Film Examples

Incorporating film analysis is another option to explore and create thematic statement examples. 

Two favorite films to feature in class are the 1990 fantasy-romance film Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton and Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Shakespearean adaptation Romeo + Juliet . Before focusing on thematic statement examples, teach a bit about film techniques and analysis with these activities that can be used with any film !

Students can add another layer of analysis with film-focused vocabulary. In Edward Scissorhands , students might notice that after Edward meets Peg the visuals illustrate that some people may never be accepted for who they are. With Romeo + Juliet , the different camera angles and chosen shots strengthen the message that contention between people will ultimately affect others and lead to their destruction.

Why Teach With Thematic Statement Examples?

No matter the text, students often struggle with theme and creating thematic statement examples. Too often, the theme of a particular story, movie, or song is misunderstood. In order to be successful with thematic statements, students need to focus their analysis and find relevant textual evidence. These are skills that students must learn and practice year after year! With these 10 options, you’ll hopefully have lots to choose from as you teach your students! 

Once students learn to write accurate and specific thematic statements through using thematic statement examples , you can take the next step by exploring several texts linked by theme. Check out this post that examines particular topics for themed units such as taking revenge or death and dying .

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What is, and How to Write, the Perfect Thematic Statement

What is a thematic statement.

Basically, a thematic statement, also known as a theme statement, is exactly what it describes, a statement that offers an insight into the theme of a piece of creative writing, such as a story, an essay, a novel, or even an article. A thematic statement need not be a long statement, generally, just two or three sentences is enough to interpret the true essence of the message that the author is trying to convey. A novel is likely to have many different themes, however, a thematic statement delivers an interpretation of the significant theme of the piece of literary work.

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What should a thematic statement include?

A thematic statement should summarise the literary piece of work, giving your insightful observations into the author’s perspective in just a couple of sentences. A thematic statement should include the main message of the piece of work, offering the reader your interpretation of the thoughts of the author regarding the subject of the literary work and their motivation behind it.

What should a thematic statement not include?

A thematic statement should not include the name of the book, the author, specific occasions or the details of the characters, cliches should definitely be avoided and it should not be judgemental or include directives, instructions or orders.

How to write a thematic statement

Knowing how to write a thematic statement is important for anyone who produces any work of literature, whether they are the author or the publisher of the literary piece. Teachers and students will also be required to use this skill when analysing or reviewing any type of literature that has a message or an idea that the author is trying to convey.

Basic steps to thematic statement writing

Many people are daunted by the thought of writing a thematic statement, however, it doesn’t need to be a difficult task, provided you follow some basic steps. As with many things that appear to be complex, breaking it down into a step by step process will help to simplify matters, as you follow each step, your understanding of the literary piece of work should become clearer, allowing you to write a powerful thematic statement. We have included a few basic steps that we recommend you follow in order to successfully write a thematic statement.

Read the literary piece of work thoroughly

It is crucial to read the piece of work thoroughly, not just flick through a few pages or scan it quickly, if you don’t fully understand what has been written, then read it again, if you still do not understand it completely then get advice and then read it again. Find somewhere quiet without any distractions so that you can give the literary work your full attention and concentrate. You cannot possibly expect to be able to write a successful thematic statement on a piece of literature unless you fully comprehend what the work is about.

Recognise and identify the central theme

There is likely to be more than one theme running though the piece of literary work, however, once you have read the work thoroughly and fully understood what has been written, you should be able to recognise and identify the central theme of the material. It is recommended that you keep notes to record the characters and the plot, as following and understanding the changes within the piece will assist you in interpreting what you feel the author is trying to impart.

Always consider the author’s perspective on the literary work

Gaining insight into the author’s perspective is vital when writing a thematic statement, as this will help you to understand their motivation and the message that they are attempting to convey to their readers. A little research into the background of the author could prove invaluable to your understanding of their perspective.

Present the theme

Create your thematic statement, focussing upon the crux of the message that you feel the author is conveying, your statement should generally be only one or two sentences long and it should capture the main theme of the piece of literary work.

Refine and edit

Following the creation of your thematic statement it is important to review it, consider it as a first draft that will require refinement, check it to ensure that your words convey the message of the author in an effective and concise way. As with many forms of literary writing, including short stories, essays, novels, etc., it is often good practise to put the work away for a few days and return to it with a fresh mind, you may find that you can immediately spot areas that require changing that were perhaps not apparent before. Seeking feedback from your peers, colleagues, etc., may well be very helpful to you, the opinions of others can often give a nudge in another direction that had not been previously considered. This process of refinement may take a while but it is an important step and should not be rushed, patience is required in order to achieve a powerful and impactful thematic statement.

Summary of how write a thematic statement

A thematic statement should be a short, concise insight of what you feel is the message that the author is trying to convey in the piece of literary work, it should be one to three sentences long.

Always read the literary work thoroughly, more than once if necessary. Seek help if you do not fully understand the work.

Identify the central theme amongst other themes within the piece of work.

Researching the background of the author can help you to gain insight into their perspective, in order to understand their motivation and the message the author wishes to deliver.

Avoid cliches, directives, orders or instructions and do not include the name of the book or the author.

Be patient when reviewing and editing your thematic statement, take a break and come back to it with fresh eyes, seek feedback from other people and be open to change.

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A Handy Strategy for Teaching Theme

Analyzing the themes in a literary work can be tricky for students, but a simple formula can scaffold the process.

Theme is slippery. As with irony, we know it when we see it, and though it’s easier to define than irony, it still poses a challenge for students. Discussions of theme, then, can be times when students feel they’re not up to the challenge of literary analysis—and this is true particularly for students who tend to struggle with reading and writing.

This presents ELA educators with a challenge, since students as early as fourth grade are asked to identify and analyze themes in text.

So what is a teacher to do? How can we teach our students about theme in such a way that we’re not skipping over reading comprehension, insisting on a “correct” answer, or unintentionally doing the heavy lifting for our students?

Over the course of more than a decade in the classroom, I developed a methodology for empowering students with a process for not only identifying a text’s thematic components but also constructing original thematic arguments.

Thematic Triads

The first thing students need to know is that, generally, works of literature are about ideas that are larger than the actions or events involving the characters, and very often these ideas pop up over and over again. One place to start with thematic analysis is to create ever-growing lists of these ideas, called thematic components—love, revenge, and so on.

The process I came to call thematic triads boils down to this: Have students identify many thematic components in a text, put them into groups of three, turn one of these triads into a sentence, and voilà, they have an original thematic argument.

This gives students a systematic process for identifying thematic components and thematic statements, a process that enables them to build their skills, and one that shifts analyzing theme away from something intimidating to something that is doable.

But what does this actually look like? The process starts with a definition of a thematic component—a large idea present within a text—and a brainstormed list of some common thematic components: love and revenge, as mentioned above, but also power, greed, freedom, corruption, fate, free will, ambition, lust, violence, youth, family, pain, fear, etc. The list of possibilities is probably endless.

It’s very useful to have anchor charts with lists of these ideas in classrooms so that students can, as they read, refer to the charts and identify thematic components as they arise in texts. As students read, they can transfer these thematic components to the inside back cover of their book, for instance, ensuring that the themes are always at hand and student-generated.

The next step in the process is to turn these thematic component lists into groups of three, or triads. When beginning this process, it’s important to emphasize that there are not correct and incorrect triads, and that the goal is not to find a single correct thematic statement. This can empower students, particularly those who have struggled in ELA classrooms in the past. Let students know that it can be highly instructive to choose a triad at random, see whether it works or not, and then try again.

An Example of a Thematic Triad

For the sake of illustration, let’s imagine that we’re reading Animal Farm with students, and that a classroom discussion surfaces these thematic components: power, greed, freedom, corruption, law, and camaraderie. Students might decide to group together greed, freedom, and corruption.

The final step is to turn the triad into a sentence—the thematic statement. Students often struggle with this, wondering in particular how to start. I would advise them to start each sentence with the word when , and think of the thematic statement as running along the lines of “When this happens, then that happens.” This is a great time to model a think-aloud strategy that gets students to see and hear how a scholar goes about using this process to identify theme.

Let’s take a look at what a thematic statement for Animal Farm might look like, using the triad that students chose. One possibility: “When one’s greed overtakes one’s desire for freedom, it can lead to corruption.”

This may not be the most insightful, original thematic statement in the world, and in all likelihood the first few times students go through this exercise, they will struggle and not be satisfied. That’s good—it means they’re invested in the process and will try again, and improve every time they try.

What all of this requires of teachers is a thorough, insightful, and nuanced understanding of any text they’re teaching. We cannot stay one chapter ahead of our students and expect to guide them to an authentic level of analysis—we need to know what thematic components are located in the text, and which thematic statements are viable and which are not. In short, we must be the literary scholars we are grooming our students to be.

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How to Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers

Although theme is a basic literary term, many high schoolers still struggle with it. Worse, so many students (and teachers!) get confused by thematic ideas versus thematic statements. Follow these steps for how to teach literary theme to high schoolers clearly!

(Want to skip the prep work? Grab my done-for-you Theme Lesson right here. You’ll get a lesson plan, slideshow, handout, exit tickets, and graphic organizer!)

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #1: Assess Where Students Are Already

Like all good lessons, you should start with a pre-assessment. This does NOT need to be a long essay or rigorous test. 

A simple “Who here has heard of theme?” or “What is theme?” is enough.

Start a simple conversation with your students and just ask them where they’re at. By the time your students get to you, most will have probably at least heard of theme. But even high schoolers often can’t analyze it in a text. 

Start your lesson by activating their background knowledge and build from there. 

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Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #2: Give an Overview of Theme

Whether your entire class has heard of literary theme or the concept is completely new, you’ll want to start with a quick overview. 

If you have students track literary terms, you could have them copy down the definition. Maybe you add “literary theme” to a word wall in your room. 

But begin by giving them a definition and a broad overview.

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #3: Teach the Difference Between Thematic Ideas and Thematic Statements

Once students have a general idea of what “theme” is in literature, continue breaking it down. 

Most students will probably be familiar with thematic ideas. This is what I think most people think of when they try to brainstorm “literary themes.” 

Keep your lesson loose and talk to your students. Can they think of any examples from popular movies or stories? What might a thematic idea be in Star Wars or The Hunger Games ?

Thematic ideas will probably be easier for your students to both understand and determine. Students have to understand thematic ideas though before they can move on to thematic statements. 

It’s good to show thematic ideas and statements side-by-side. For example, the thematic idea of “love” can have an infinite number of statements. A text might show that “love is the greatest gift of all” or that “true love doesn’t exist.”

Let them know that theme is one of those annoying concepts in English class that won’t have “one right answer.” A book will have many “correct” thematic ideas and statements. 

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #4: Demonstrate How to Write a Thematic Statement

Once you’ve thoroughly explained the differences between thematic ideas and thematic statements, be sure to give students tips on crafting a thematic statement. 

For example, students should know that a thematic statement should be for the general population–not only applicable to a single, fictional character. 

You might also want to have students avoid using cliches as their thematic statements but instead, word their statements more originally. 

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #5: Provide Plenty of Examples

As you progress through your lesson, you will of course want to provide plenty of examples. 

Give examples of thematic ideas and statements. Challenge students to identify thematic ideas for their favorite movies, songs, or books. If you’re reading a class novel, give or ask students to think up examples from the book. 

You can never give too many examples. Asking students to brainstorm their own will give them an opportunity for immediate feedback, too. 

You might even want to provide bad examples, so students can see what NOT to do.

Plus, who doesn’t love discussing their favorite films? Talking about themes can be a great, relaxed lesson that allows relationship-building to occur at the same time as learning.

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #6: Check In With Students’ Learning

As with all good lessons, find ways to assess as you go.

Discussing examples and talking about themes in students’ favorite works is a great way to assess informally. This might be all you need!

You could also use exit tickets after your lesson to see if students understood the basic concepts. I include two possible exit tickets in my Theme Lesson .

You don’t want to wait until students have to write a thematic essay to find out that students still don’t understand what a thematic statement is. Instead, be sure to check in with them consistently through your lesson or unit.

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #7: Let Students Practice With a Short Text

Once you feel like students have a grasp on the concept of literary theme, it’s time for them to practice. 

Y ou can do this with any text, but I think songs work especially well. They’re a break from the usual classroom novels, drama, or poems. Plus, many will have music videos that add some multimedia to your lesson. 

Choose a short text with a very clear message. There are tons of songs out there that try to make a point or express a single idea. Since these only have one thematic idea to analyze, they’re the perfect “training wheels” for those new to analyzing theme. 

For example, Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” has a very clear theme/message for students to unpack. You can also choose something trendier, like a new Taylor Swift release or whatever is hitting the Top 20 chart that week.

Practicing Analysis

Once students have a copy of the text they are to analyze, challenge them to identify a thematic idea. This can be done as a class or individually. You may want to double-check that students identified a correct thematic idea before letting them move on. 

After finding an idea, students should search for related passages. They can try to connect each one to the thematic idea or wait until they have several passages to begin their analysis.

For example, maybe students hone in on “dreams” as a thematic idea. 

Next, students should identify lines, situations, characters, or symbols that relate to “dreams.”

From there, they would look at how each of these pieces of evidence is treated by the author. Are characters rewarded or punished for pursuing their dreams? Which characters are able to accomplish their dreams? Are dreams spoken of positively or negatively?

Then, students can try to craft a thematic statement. This will be the most difficult part for students. You may want to walk around offering assistance or just being a sounding board for student ideas. 

It might be helpful to make sure all students are analyzing the same text the first time you have them analyze theme. Classroom conversations or discussions between peers will be easier. However, if you have more advanced students, you could let them choose their song or text to analyze instead. 

A graphic organizer can help students track their thinking. My Literary Theme Lesson includes one that can be used with any text.

Teach Literary Theme to High Schoolers Step #8: Move on to More Difficult Analysis Activities

Once students have successfully analyzed thematic ideas and statements for a short text, they can move on to more difficult texts. 

Analyzing a song with a singular message is great practice. But analyzing a novel with several complex themes and hundreds of pages will be harder. 

You can scaffold between the two steps by providing students with the thematic ideas. This way, they will know what to look for as they read. 

(I do this when I teach The Hate U Give and have students close read for themes. You can read more about my process for having students annotate themes in this blog post .)

Students can also use their new skills to write a full thematic analysis essay. You can check out my Born a Crime Thematic Essay assignment as an example.

Analyzing theme also makes for great classroom discussions, however. (I have a thematic discussion assignment for The Hate U Give , Dear Martin , and All American Boys .) 

Gradually release responsibility to students . You can increase the difficulty in analyzing theme by giving students longer works to read. Another way to scale up the difficulty would be to give students older (and thus, more difficult to read) texts to analyze. 

You could even have students write their own story that clearly conveys a theme! Having students write a children’s book would be a perfect way for them to do this. 

Analyzing literary theme is an essential skill for students to master in Language Arts. There is often debate about whether to teach theme as one word or a statement. My answer is to do both. 

Teach students about both thematic ideas and thematic statements. Provide examples. Give them the space and opportunity to explore these ideas in several texts. 

Before you know it, they’ll be telling you the themes in movies they watch and books they read at home!

Need to teach literary theme to your high schoolers, but want to skip the prep? Grab my complete Literary Theme Lesson right here!

How to Write a Compelling Thematic Statement: Examples and Tips

Understanding thematic statements, definition of a thematic statement, importance of thematic statements, examples of thematic statements, classic literature examples, modern literature examples, tips for writing compelling thematic statements, focus on the main theme, use clear and concise language, avoid summary and clichés, practicing and improving your thematic statements, analyze favorite books and movies, join writing groups and workshops, seek feedback from peers and mentors.

Writing a compelling thematic statement can truly elevate your literary works and essays, helping your readers grasp the core message of your piece. In this blog, we'll explore the concept of thematic statements, delve into some thematic statement examples from classic and modern literature, and share tips on how to craft your own powerful thematic statements.

Before we dive into thematic statement examples, let's first understand what a thematic statement is and why it's important for your writing.

A thematic statement is a sentence that captures the central theme or message of a literary work. It communicates the underlying idea or lesson that the author wants to convey through the story. A well-crafted thematic statement sums up the essence of the work in a clear, concise, and memorable manner. It's important to note that a thematic statement should not be a plot summary or a statement of a specific event; instead, it should focus on the broader meaning behind the story.

A strong thematic statement can benefit your writing in various ways:

• Clarity: It helps you maintain a clear focus on the central theme, ensuring that every element of your work contributes to that theme.
• Engagement: A compelling thematic statement captures the reader's interest and encourages them to explore the work further, keeping them hooked from beginning to end.
• Analysis: It provides a foundation for analyzing the story's elements, such as character development, plot structure, and symbolism, in relation to the central theme.
• Impact: A well-crafted thematic statement leaves a lasting impression on the reader, making your work memorable and thought-provoking.

Now that we have a better grasp of what a thematic statement is and why it's important, let's examine some thematic statement examples from literature and discuss tips for creating your own.

Thematic statement examples can be found in various works of literature, from classic novels to contemporary bestsellers. Examining these examples can help you understand what makes a strong thematic statement and inspire you to develop your own.

Let's take a look at some thematic statement examples from well-known classic literature:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: The importance of empathy and understanding in overcoming prejudice and injustice.
• 1984 by George Orwell: The dangers of totalitarianism and the loss of individual freedom in a surveillance state.
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: The significance of self-awareness and personal growth in forming meaningful relationships.
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville: The destructive nature of obsession and the consequences of pursuing revenge at all costs.
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: The emptiness and disillusionment of the American Dream in a materialistic society.

These examples demonstrate how thematic statements can capture the essence of a literary work in a single, powerful sentence.

Moving on to more recent works, here are some thematic statement examples from modern literature:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: The human struggle for survival and the impact of societal inequality on individuals and communities.
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: The power of redemption and forgiveness in overcoming the scars of past mistakes.
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling: The triumph of love and friendship over the forces of evil and the importance of choosing our own path in life.
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: The exploitation of women under the guise of religious and political control and the necessity of resistance against oppressive regimes.
• Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The complexities of identity and the influence of race, culture, and nationality on personal relationships.

With these thematic statement examples in mind, let's discuss some tips and strategies for crafting your own compelling thematic statements.

Creating a strong thematic statement can be challenging, but with the right approach and a little practice, you'll soon be able to craft your own. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Begin by identifying the main theme of the work you're analyzing. This might be a central message, idea, or moral that the author wants to convey. Once you've pinpointed the main theme, you can start developing your thematic statement around it. For example, if you're examining a story about the power of friendship, your thematic statement might be something like, "The value of true friendship and its ability to overcome adversity."

A successful thematic statement should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid using overly complex language or jargon that might confuse your readers. Instead, opt for simple, direct phrasing that accurately conveys your theme. For instance, "The significance of loyalty and trust in maintaining healthy relationships" is a clear and concise thematic statement that anyone can comprehend.

A common pitfall when crafting thematic statements is to simply summarize the plot or to rely on clichéd expressions. To create a compelling thematic statement, you should avoid both of these tendencies. Instead, focus on the deeper meaning behind the story and strive to express it in a fresh, original way. For example, instead of saying, "Love conquers all," you might write, "The transformative power of love in overcoming personal and societal barriers."

Like any skill, writing compelling thematic statements takes practice. Here are some strategies to help you hone your abilities:

One of the best ways to practice writing thematic statements is to analyze your favorite books and movies. Consider what themes these works explore and how they convey their messages. Then, try crafting your own thematic statements for each. This exercise will not only help you become more adept at identifying themes but also improve your ability to express them in a compelling manner.

Participating in writing groups or workshops can provide valuable feedback on your thematic statements and offer opportunities to learn from others. These settings often involve sharing your work with peers and receiving constructive criticism that can help you refine your skills. Additionally, engaging in discussions about thematic statements with fellow writers can provide new insights and perspectives on the subject.

Finally, don't hesitate to seek feedback from peers, mentors, or even teachers. They can offer valuable expertise and guidance on your thematic statements, helping you identify areas for improvement and providing suggestions for making your statements more compelling. Remember, even the most skilled writers can benefit from the perspectives of others and continuous improvement.

By following these tips and practicing regularly, you'll soon become adept at crafting compelling thematic statements that resonate with readers and effectively convey the themes of your favorite works.

Developing the ability to write captivating thematic statements takes time and practice. Here are some approaches to help you refine your skills and grow as a writer:

One effective way to practice creating thematic statements is to examine your favorite books and movies. Think about the themes they explore and how the authors or directors communicate these ideas. Then, attempt to write your own thematic statements for each work. This exercise not only helps you become proficient at identifying themes but also enhances your ability to express them in an engaging manner.

Participating in writing groups or attending workshops can provide valuable feedback on your thematic statements and offer opportunities to learn from others. These environments often involve sharing your work with fellow writers and receiving constructive criticism, which can help you improve your skills. Moreover, engaging in discussions about thematic statements with like-minded individuals can provide fresh insights and perspectives on the subject.

Don't hesitate to ask for feedback from friends, mentors, or even teachers. They can offer valuable expertise and guidance on your thematic statements, helping you identify areas for improvement and providing suggestions to make your statements more powerful. Keep in mind that even the most experienced writers can benefit from the viewpoints of others and the pursuit of continuous growth.

By implementing these tips and practicing consistently, you'll be well on your way to crafting compelling thematic statements that resonate with readers and effectively convey the themes of your chosen works.

If you're looking to craft a compelling artist statement that effectively communicates your creative vision, be sure to check out Rachel Christopoulos's workshop, ' How to Write an Artist Statement '. This workshop will provide you with invaluable guidance and tips on how to create an artist statement that truly represents your unique artistic identity.

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Thematic Statement: Perfect Tips with Example

Knowing how to write a thematic statement is crucial for the students of literature and creative writing. Composing a good thematic statement increases the general understanding of the whole idea and helps the writer to convey the main idea in a better and concise way.

For this purpose, writing a thematic statement is an important part of essay writing. If you want to know how to write a good thematic statement , then keep reading the blog. You will be provided with a complete guide and tips on it.

What is a thematic statement?

The literacy meaning of the thematic statement is “composed around the theme”

A theme is the main or central message that the writer wants the reader to remember after reading his work. A large number of stories, dramas, novels, and poems have more than one theme.

A thematic statement is a complete sentence (or two) that states a theme. A thematic statement can be turned into a thesis in a thematic essay.

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Thematic statement differs from the theme in a way that can be explained in a single word, for example, the theme of a literary work can be  based on love, revenge, action etc.

You can easily understand the general concept of the entire work by this single word. Whereas, thematic statement is further explanation of the theme where the writer attempts to cover a large-scale topic in one or two sentences.

Example of Thematic Meaning

“I’m here just to ask about the rumors that have been circulating recently.”

The part of the sentence that is italicized in the sentence above is the emphasis as well as the thematic meaning of the sentence. Thus, the sentence means that the writer wants to specifically ask about the rumors that have been circulating recently.

Purpose of Thematic Statement

The purpose of the thematic statement is to convey the message to the readers by giving the clear idea of the entire literacy work.  The message when conveyed effectively, satisfies them, emotionally and analytically, and makes them feel like they’ve gone through a good work.

It also aims to provide the summary of the entire work by keeping the writer focused and clear. As a good thematic statement keeps all the characters revolve around the central theme so there are less chances that the writer can go out of the topic

Characteristics of Good Thematic Statement

A good statement must be general as well as specific. It should be general enough to present the main idea of the work and specific enough to to present a clear interpretation. Below are some points on what makes a statement interesting.

• This statement contains a core message, is focused in terms of content and clearly structured.
• An interesting thematic statement consists of three components: Message, Reason, and Example.
• It is essential to ensure that the statement is not ‘overfed’ with information and unnecessarily prolonged.
• General places are to be avoided. Statement should only express itself if it has something to say and can offer added value.
• Even if it is tempting, the brevity and precision of the thematic statement must never be jeopardized by many reasons, additional examples, or awkward language. If a statement is too long, it runs the risk of being ignored or lost purpose. Neither is desirable, so content-related precision is very important.

How to write a thematic statement?

There are no fixed rules of creative writing however some methods are there to follow in order to create desirable thematic statements . Follow the step mentioned below to compose a statement perfectly.

Read Thoroughly to Develop a Perfect Thematic Statement

The first step of composing a good thematic statement is to read the entire work thoroughly. Capture all human perspectives by noticing what is the writing style, what characters are used, and what plots are made. This practice will help in generating an original interpretation.

Identify Conflict Areas

A thorough reading would help you to identify the conflict of ideas. Conflict ideas are in every story and the nature of conflict can be identified by values, motives, and interest of the story.  Identifying main conflicts will also help you to reach the central Idea on which the story was narrated.

Focus on the Core

Automatic statements convey the central message. It is important to focus on the core message without adding extra explanation.  Therefore instead of writing about how and when things happen it’s better to just add the end results of what has happened.

Capturing the Gist

So far you would be able to imagine the big picture of your story by following the above-mentioned steps. To make it clearer, start writing a sentence that describes the particular aspect of your story and leave it to rectify afterwards.

No Specifics

It is not necessary to write the details about how things happened. Instead, a Thematic statement gives a clear picture of why things happened.  Explaining the “why” questions give the clear sense of events happening in a story.

Avoid the Absolute Statements

As the thematic statement is a one-line concise statement, it should avoid the absolute aspects of the story that are already clear and do not need any explanation. However, you can use this statement where you really need them, following the condition that it should make sense.

No Moral Edict

Keep your thematic statement in correspondence to the original idea. Do not transform and add moral edict in order to make it more presentable. Adding moral edict in the thematic statement, which is not originally present in the main idea would alter the complete meaning and you would end up in making a wrong thematic or a thesis statement.

Avoid  Clichés

A thematic statement should not be a copied sentence from the original work. Rather, it should be the original expressions of opinion instead of using famous punchlines.

Things to Avoid While Writing a Thematic Statement

Most writers make mistakes while writing these statements. Following are the mistakes which they make. Always keep in mind these mistakes and avoid making them.

It Is Not a Moral, Command or A Directive

Sometimes in order to present more decent text authors attempt to add moral values to the theme and hence lose originality.  Themes are not made to judge what others’ actions should or should not be.  Writers should only take the general perspective of the person’s behavior and state it as it is.

It Has No Trite Sayings

Purpose of the theme is to express the complexity of life enriched in  literacy.  That’s why it is very important for these ideas to be original and thoughtful by avoiding clichés or aphorisms.

Avoid Referring Particular Names or Events

Writers often confuse the idea of summary and statement.  Thematic statements are never meant to summarize the work, instead they only represent a general idea of what happened. Therefore, writers should avoid referring to a particular name or event in order to explain the details of the story.

Avoiding Absolute Terms

Writers often add absolute terms in composing a statement, which shows the poor reasoning. Therefore, writers should avoid using the absolute terms and rely on their own words while writing a thematic statement.

Don’t Be Obvious

The obvious phrases like “peace is better than war” should not be added in the thematic statement.  As these statements are already obvious for the readers and it makes no sense in adding it into the central theme.

Instead, the explanation or reasons like “why is peace better than war” or “what makes peace better than a war” or “its impact on different characters” should become part of the central theme.

Don’t Make It Advise

Try not to make your statement sound like advice.  It should be objective and completely based on strong evidence from the work.  As the thematic statement has nothing to do with morality, it’s just the statement around which the story revolves.

Thematic Statement Theme

Six common themes of literacy are:

• Good vs Evil
• Courage and Perseverance
• Coming of Age

Examples of Thematic Statement

Following are some examples of thematic statements:

• The man of true character never take part in hypocrisy no matter what
• Pride is the way of finding true love
• Love is the most misunderstood language, still loved by every human being.
• If the method logic system of mind is in control it originates the absolute power on which human fear and weakness are based.

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There is no one way to identify themes in texts. The following are two of the ways one might use to identify themes.

One might try to see:

Ways in which the main character has changed or what he or she has learned, and the nature of the central conflict.

A Thematic Statement should be expressed as a Declarative Sentence or Sentences. One should be careful to avoid using single statements like “love” or phrases like “Individual vs. Society.” These are subjects or topics, not themes. The theme is the author’s idea about the topic. It is useful to identify several subjects introduced by the text and then determine what the author says about this subject.

A theme is a statement about life. When writing a thematic statement one should not mention character(s) in the text by name. The following words are useful when writing thematic statements: people, a person, individuals, an individual or someone.

Warning : A theme should not be so general that it says nothing. For example, the following statement is erroneous because it is so broad it says nothing, “The effects of risk taking can be positive or negative”.

Hint : To overcome this, ask the question, “According to the text what are the positive and negative effects of risk taking?” Or ask, “ Why is risk taking positive or negative?”

4.  All the major details in the story usually relate to the theme and therefore should be mentioned in the thematic statement. Specific details should be listed to support the theme even if they are not part of the theme statement.

5.  Avoid absolutes and sweeping statements. Avoid the use of the following words: all, every, always, and never. In other words, never say “never.” Instead, try using words and phrases like the following: usually, sometimes, frequently, most of the time, often, hardly ever.

6.  The theme should not be reduced to a cliché, a trite, overused saying, such as “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

7.  Usually, a well-written text has more than one topic and more than one theme.

8.  It is useful to mention the title and author of a text in a theme statement. For example, “In ( title ), (the author’s full name) develops the idea(s) that….”

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• Tips for Essay Writing

Author:  William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Tutor and Freelance Writer. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Article last reviewed: 2022 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2024 | Creative Commons 4.0

Where does a theme statement go in your essay?

This can vary depending on the author and the amount of experience you have as a writer, however, most students are taught to put the thematic statement at the end of the introductory paragraph of an essay.

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Thematic Statement: Love and friendship always triumph over evil

Themes: Love, friendship, family, belonging, social inequality

Topic (premise) : A boy wizard joins a magical school and has to battle the greatest wizard who ever lived.

The Hunger Games

Thematic Statement: Survival is not enough without control over your own destiny

Themes: Control, power, loyalty, social inequality, love

Topic (premise): A girl is forced to take part in a televised fight to the death.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Thematic Statement: Sexist attitudes have consequences

Themes: Gender roles, power, rebellion, the place of an individual in society, the power of language

Topic (premise): After fertility in the human race crashes, women’s rights are revoked and they are forced to live as no more than breeding vessels.

Why Use a Thematic Statement?

In Story , Robert McKee calls a thematic statement the “central” or “ controlling story idea ,” the idea that guides you in writing your entire novel. It shapes the strategic choices you make as you write.

If used skillfully, a thematic statement will make the story feel deeper, and touch readers on an emotional level. It may even change how they view the world and how they behave.

One of the main themes in the Godfather, for example, is that as power shifts, it changes people.

This thematic statement is illustrated first by how Don Corleone changes from a nearly omnipotent crime boss to a devoted grandfather, and later, how reluctant Michael resigns himself to his position and becomes more ruthless.

Without this consistent, underlying theme, the Godfather stories would not be nearly as powerful or as memorable.

Do’s and Don’ts For Writing a Thematic Statement

Some authors might start writing with a thematic statement already in mind, but that’s probably rare.

It’s more likely that you will have a more general idea of themes you might want to explore.

But most writers start with something more solid, like an idea for a character and the conflicts they will face.

It’s natural to write your first draft without putting too much thought into themes or the Thematic Statement.

Then, when you read through your first draft, you’ll see concepts emerge, and at that point, you might want to decide what your Thematic Statement is – or what you would like it to be.

Then you can refine it by following the dos and don’ts here:

Do: Base it on Universal Themes

Starting with themes that touch us all, such as love, loyalty and freedom, is likely to lead you to a thematic statement that resonates with your readers.

If your Thematic Statement applies to quite specific themes or groups of people, it may not resonate with so many people.

For example

• Eating shellfish will lead to poor health
• The fabulously wealthy are often misunderstood
• Taking away people’s guns is akin to taking away their freedom

Don’t: Turn it Into a Moral Directive

A Thematic Statement is an assertion, or observation – it is not advice. It should not be telling people how to behave.

So avoid things like:

• Always tell the truth
• Live for today because tomorrow might never come
• You should be kind to old people

Do: Use Consequences to Illustrate Your Thematic Statement

A skilled writer will never use a character as their mouthpiece, and have them outright state the thematic statement.

But through the choices the character faces, the decisions they make and the consequences they endure – the assertion of the thematic statement should be driven home.

For example, taking this Thematic Statement:

Survival is not enough without control over your own destiny

Katniss repeatedly chooses the things that are important to her over her own safety and survival: from volunteering for a death match in order to protect her sister, to choosing to eat poison berries rather than murder her friend.

Don’t: Refer to the Specifics of Your Story

A Thematic Statement should be something that could be transplanted and applied to another novel.

• Harry learns the importance of friendship and loyalty
• A girl in a dystopian future chooses death over obedience

Keep it universal.

Do: Analyse Thematic Statements of Other Works

One of the best ways to learn anything is to study the greats. So take some of your favourite books or movies and try to work out what Thematic Statement the writer had in mind.

See if you can find evidence in the behaviour of the characters and the results of their actions, which support your analysis.

Here’s a good guide to working out the Thematic Statement of a novel:

• Pick the main topic addressed in the story
• Pinpoint the author’s view on the topic
• Format that perspective using a theme statement template

Don’t: Use Trite Cliches

The best Thematic Statements are unique and interesting philosophical ideas.

Using cliches such as ‘crime never pays’ or ‘love conquers all’ as the guiding controlling story idea, will likely result in a story that is just as cliche.

Do: Be Consistent

Once you have your Thematic Statement, make sure everything in your novel supports it.

This could include the behaviour of your main characters and sub characters, how the settings are conveyed, and the events that take place.

A good way to tell whether you’ve got a Thematic Statement or something else, is to put ‘The Author believes’ in front of it.

So this is okay:

• The author believes that love and friendship always triumph over evil

But these don’t make sense:

• The author believes Harry learns the importance of friendship and loyalty
• The author believes always tell the truth

It’s not foolproof, but it’s a handy rule of thumb.

9 Thematic Statement Examples

Here are some more examples of thematic statements:

• Humans are not fixed personalities but a set of constantly changing contradictions
• Valuing wealth over family will lead to misery
• Isolation leads to madness
• No matter people’s culture we are all the same at heart
• True love is built over time and shared experience
• The family we choose can be more loyal than those we are born with
• Love taken to extremes can become dangerous
• Having a true friend can help you survive the worst atrocities
• Only by releasing judgement of others can we find inner peace

More examples of Thematic Statements can be found here .

Use a Thematic Statement to Write a More Compelling Story

If you can get to grips with Thematic Statements and learn how to apply them effectively in your writing, then you have a very powerful tool for ensuring your stories resonate with readers and stay with them long after they’ve finished reading.

But at the end of the day, they are art, not mathematics, so if the statement that helps you write doesn’t exactly follow the rules above — don’t get too hung up on the details. If it works for you, then it works.

And not all novels need to express a unique, thought provoking philosophy. When it comes to genre novels in particular, they may express Thematic Statements that are common and often repeated. They can still be perfectly effective novels that readers enjoy.

So take a look at your own stories and see if you can identify the Thematic Statement.

Are there tweaks you can make to the story to make it even more consistent and powerful?

Or if you don’t have a Thematic Statement, could working to one make your novel more compelling?

And don’t forget to take a closer look at some of your favourite stories and try to work out what key message the author is trying to express.

Happy writing!

And then, as your next step, check out the novel writing roadmap .

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How To Write A Thematic Statement with Examples

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

The English language is not as straightforward as it seems. Penning a quality essay or story requires in-depth knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure rulings.

A single paragraph may contain multiple different sentence types. An argumentative essay’s introductory paragraph, for example, may have many simple sentences, a thesis statement, and a thematic statement.

Thesis statements are present within almost every essay. Thematic statements, on the other hand, are less popular because not many people know about them. Regardless, they are an essential part of English writing, and learning about these statements will help you produce better essays. Thematic statements are most commonly employed within stories, though you can also find them in some formal texts.

This article will cover everything you need to know about thematic statements – what are they, where are they used, and how they differ from thesis statements. We’ll also explore the guidelines for penning a quality thematic statement, accompanied by multiple examples.

So, without further delay, let’s dive in!

In this article:

What is a Thematic Statement?

What’s the purpose of having a theme, where to use thematic statements: popular examples, how are thematic statements different from thesis statements, theme vs. topic, how to write a thematic statement, what to avoid when writing a thematic statement, good vs. evil, power and corruption, coming of age, thematic statement examples for love, thematic statement examples for identity, thematic statement examples for fear, thematic statement examples for death, thematic statement examples for trust.

Thematic statements are unique sentences employed by writers to convey the most prominent message of their story or article. They summarize the essence of the story into a short, precise statement.

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Every thematic statement must contain a single root keyword. This keyword is called the ‘theme’ or a ‘thematic idea.’ Unlike thematic statements, thematic ideas are not complete sentences but only words.

Thematic statements grow from thematic ideas.

Some writers prefer to pen two thematic statements instead of one. This tactic is most common within more extensive texts that discuss multiple ideas. Still, the idea is to summarize the central message that the text aims to deliver to readers. Hence, thematic statements shouldn’t be too long. An entire paragraph of writing cannot qualify as a thematic statement.

Thematic statements do not target a specific audience. Expert writers know that thematic statements lose their purpose when directed at the reader. Hence, thematic statements should never sound personal. Words like “I” and “you” have no place within thematic statements because they narrow the thematic idea’s scope. You essentially direct an idea towards a specific audience by personalizing a statement. Hence, the audience’s perception of the statement’s message becomes relevant. Unfortunately, having the audience’s perception as a point of interest weakens the statement’s impact.

Let’s go over a simple example to understand this idea better:

Suppose the proposed thematic statement is “If you love sincerely, you will find joy.”

There are many problems with this statement. Firstly, it is a personal statement directed at an audience. A quality thematic statement must be impersonal. It should address not a person or audience but rather a single idea or message.

Another thing wrong with this sentence is its use of “if.” Writing “if” immediately transforms the text into a conditional statement that’s paired with a promise. Here, the statement mentioned above promises joy to those who love sincerely.

Unfortunately, promises are often broken and are seldom guaranteed. Therefore, it’s best to avoid making promises within thematic statements. Including the word “if” and closing the statement off with a promise only serves to weaken the sentence’s impact. Plus, it lengthens the statement. Remember, thematic statements should be concise and to the point. It should seek to deliver a single message in simple words.

A better thematic statement would be, “Sincere love results in joy.” This statement is direct and discusses one idea only. It does not make promises and is not an “if” statement. It is powerful and stated as a fact or lesson, allowing the reader to successfully understand the essay’s central idea.

A theme is often used to summarize the focus or main idea that the author is trying to convey. Well-developed works of literature often have a multitude of themes that can be determined or understood at face value as well as on a much deeper level. Sometimes, the author wants you to read between the lines and form your own conclusion.

For readers, understanding the theme gives you a much more in-depth understanding of the storyline as well as added clarity. Understanding the themes of a literary piece will also inspire a greater appreciation of the literature’s deeper meanings and innuendos.

Themes allow authors to express their opinions and comment on humanistic traits or societal pressures without having to be too obvious about it.

Learning to understand themes allows the reader the opportunity to think about the plot on a much deeper level, form their own opinions and align their opinions with those of the authors. A greater understanding of themes will also inspire deeper thinking and promote self-reflection in the reader.

Determining themes requires reading between the lines, having a greater understanding of emotion and reactiveness and critical thinking to decipher the message that the author is attempting to convey.

Thematic statements are often found within the following literary works:

• Short, five-paragraph essays that are at least 500 words long
• Social science research essays, particularly on topics like sociology or psychology
• Marriage toasts, funeral speeches , and other emotionally-charged pieces of text, centered around a single theme (like love or death)
• Stories, including personal narratives and autobiographical essays
• Rhetorical analysis essays that explore a published author’s linguistic articulation. The use of thematic statements can help perfectly capture the author’s message without beating around the bush

As discussed previously, thematic statements aim to deliver a single idea through a simple yet impactful sentence. This “single idea” is the central message of a complete body of text (like a story or essay).

Thematic statements are interchangeable with thesis statements when employed within thematic essays. However, this is the exception, not the rule. In most literary works, thematic statements are different from thesis statements. Both statements may be interrelated yet express their ideas through differing sentence structures. Unlike their thematic counterparts, we structure thesis statements as arguments containing multiple points of interest.

For example, suppose you are writing an essay on climate change. Climate change is the essay’s primary theme or thematic idea. Hence, your thematic statement will stem from it. Your thesis statement will also refer to climate change. However, it may also talk about other ideas relevant to climate change. These ideas will vary depending on what stance your essay takes on the matter of climate change, of course.

Here’s what a thematic statement for an essay on climate change may look like:

“Climate change is harmful to the environment.”

A thesis statement concerning the same topic may look like this:

“Climate change is harmful to the environment because it is raising sea levels, causing global warming, and depleting Earth’s flora and fauna.” This statement is arguable, not factual. It can be debated and proven or disproven using evidence.

On the other hand, thematic statements are simple factual sentences and undebatable facts. For example, the theme for a story like Romeo and Juliet is love. The thematic statement developed from this theme could be “love comes with a high price.” By connecting the theme, or thematic idea , to a lesson, we can successfully portray a complete message to the reader. This message encapsulates the core idea running through the entire story.

A story’s theme and the topic may share common ground, but they are not the same. Themes are single words that capture the story or essay’s essence. For example, we know that Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet explores the theme of love. It also explores the theme of rivalry.

However, anyone who has read Romeo and Juliet knows that the topic is not love or rivalry. Instead, we can say the topic is “two young people belonging to rival families find love, only to suffer at its hands.” Notice how topics are complete sentences, whereas themes are standalone words.

A topic sentence may cite the story’s primary themes but goes a step further by exploring the plot, too. Topic statements are a tool to help better illustrate how a specific theme plays out within a story or essay. Hence, we see that theme and topic are not the same. However, they most certainly are interconnected.

Thematic statements come from thematic ideas. Therefore, before you start penning a thematic statement, you must first identify your essay’s central theme or main idea. You can do so by referring to your essay’s title.

Suppose your thematic idea is love. Now that you’ve got your theme down move on to uncovering the theme assertion.

“Theme assertion” refers to the text’s central message. What lesson can we learn from reading a specific literary work, and how does this lesson relate to the thematic idea?

The thematic assertion is decided by the story or essay’s original author. A reader can only spot it. We can do so by exploring the author’s thoughts. For example, within Romeo and Juliet, we see Shakespeare imply that love (theme) has unintended negative consequences (assertion).

Combining the theme and assertion can yield a complete thematic statement. But if you’d like to take things further, you can always add a ‘qualifying clause.’

Qualifying clauses are optional. You can add them after a thematic assertion to further define the thematic statement.

Let’s take the example of Romeo and Juliet again:

Love (theme) has unintended negative consequences (assertion) that cannot be denied (qualifying clause).

Notice how the qualifying clause adds to the overall thematic statement. However, if you wrote the qualifying clause on its own, it would not make any sense as a standalone sentence. Yet, when meshed with a theme and assertion, it can help create a well-rounded statement.

Here’s a quick summary of other ways to identify themes:

• Pay attention to the plot: Write down the main elements of the work like, plot, the tone of the story, language style, characters traits. Were there any conflicts? What was the most important moment of the story? What was the main character’s goal? What was the author’s resolution for the conflict? How did the story end?
• Identify the literary subject: If you had to tell someone about the book, how would you describe it to them?
• Who is the protagonist: Plainly put, who is the hero or the ‘good guy’? How did the character develop and grow throughout the plot? What was the character’s effect on all the other people around him? How did he/she impact the other characters? How does this character relate to the others?

Assess the author’s point of view: What was the author’s view on the characters and how they made choices? What message could the author be trying to send us? This message is the theme. Find clues in quotes from the main characters, language use, the final resolution of the main conflict.

Thematic statements aren’t overly complicated. However, being human, there is always room for error.

Keep an eye out for the following mistakes when penning thematic statements:

• Remember to mention the story or essay’s central theme within the thematic statement.
• Avoid summarizing the literary work – that’s what topic sentences are for!
• Stay away from absolute terms like “always.”
• Overgeneralization is unnecessary and distracts from the main idea.
• Do not say, “this story’s theme is….” Instead, weave the thematic idea’s keyword (“love”) into the thematic statement.
• Avoid metaphors, complicated idioms, and flowery language.
• Don’t beat about the bush.
• Stay away from cliché statements and trendy slogans or chants.
• Qualifying clauses are not compulsory. Only use them if you feel they’ll improve your writing without complicating it.

You can successfully pen a striking thematic statement by avoiding these common writing mistakes.

Examples of Themes

There are many great literary theme examples of love that have developed through the ages, one of the most famous ones being, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet of course. Theme: A tragic tale of forbidden love with terrible consequences.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is yet another classic example that explores the type of love that grows slowly where there was once dislike and misunderstanding.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte explores love in a completely different light, highlighting the way its intensity and power disrupt and even destroy lives.

The book thief by Marcus Zusak is narrated by death itself, exploring his role in taking lives in setting Germany in World War 2.

The Fault in Our Stars features teenagers who come to terms with the grave reality of death while coming to terms with their terminal illness.

Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien displays the battle of good versus evil quite clearly in its tale of hobbits, elves and men teaming up to defeat the power hungry Sauron and his armies of dark creatures.

The Stand by Stephen King features the light versus dark dichotomy. Staging a battle between good and evil through the characters of Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth is the tragic tale of a character seeking power for his own sake, and dealing with the consequences of his own self minded ambition.

Animal Farm by George Orwell is another iconic classic exploration of power and corruption, an allegorical story about a group of animals who rise up against their human masters with increasingly sinister results.

Lord of the flies by William Golding focuses on a group of young boys stuck on a deserted island, chronicling their attempts to survive and govern themselves.

Room by Emma Donoghue tells a different story of survival as that of a woman who has been held captive for seven years and her five-year-old son who doesn’t know a normal life outside of the room that they are held captive in.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger follows a sixteen-year-old boy dealing with teenage angst and rebellion in the 1950s.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is the story of a teenager named Charlie navigating all the challenges that come with the time between adolescence and adulthood.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is noted as one of the most famous explorations of prejudice and racism. A white lawyer Atticus Finch is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of rape. 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelly explores prejudice and fear of the unknown throughout the story of Dr. Frankenstein and the ‘monster’ he created.

Examples of Thematic Statements

Now that we’ve gone over the guidelines associated with writing a thematic statement, let’s explore some theme sentence examples:

• Love can heighten our sense of courage.
• Loving ourselves can heal our emotional scars, even if it takes time.
• Love is more powerful than infatuation.
• Accepting our true selves can help us lead happier lives.
• Our identity is crafted from personal experiences.
• Believing in ourselves can help us achieve the impossible.
• Fear is a state of mind.
• We can overcome fear through strong faith.
• Fear is an inevitable emotion.
• All humans experience fear.
• We should embrace death as an inevitable fact of life.
• Nobody can evade death.
• Seeing their loved ones die makes people sad.
• Healthy relationships are built on trust.
• To achieve success, we must trust our gut instinct.
• Not everyone deserves to be trusted.
• We should choose who to trust with care.

Pay attention to how each statement covers only a single idea relating to one theme. This is a trademark rule with thematic statements. It helps them remain simple, unwinding, and direct.

Learning about thematic statements is an essential part of every writer’s journey. Storybook authors, in particular, should be well-aware of thematic statements and their undeniable importance.

A quality thematic statement can make your story much easier to understand. That’s because a thematic statement stems from the story’s central or thematic idea and captures the story’s true essence. Hence, thematic statements are incomplete without discussing the literary work’s primary theme.

Thematic statements should not be confused with thesis statements. Both are important in their own right, yet neither one can replace the other. Thematic statements are factual, whereas thesis statements explore arguments that can be disproven with relevant evidence.

Thesis statements seldom exist within stories. Instead, they are a characteristic of formal essays, particularly argumentative ones. However, to truly understand the essence of a story , one must first learn to understand the nature of thematic statements.

A story or essay’s theme is also strikingly different from its topic. Thematic ideas (themes) are typically single words. On the other hand, topics are illustrated through multiple words. As a result, we often see topic sentences and single-worded themes.

The best thematic statements reference a single theme. After identifying the story’s theme, these statements build upon a lesson or message relating to said theme. This thematic idea keyword (for example, love or death) must appear within the thematic statement.

Thematic statements must also contain a thematic assertion. A thematic assertion is essentially an explanation, lesson, or central message the story conveys.

A single thematic idea and assertion are enough to create a complete thematic statement. However, some people prefer adding an optional qualifying clause, too. After adding the clause, you’re left with a comprehensive, well-rounded thematic statement.

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Part I - Thematic Instruction

Research based strategies for the classroom, part #1 - thematic instruction.

Students learn better from thematic, interdisciplinary instruction, themes are a way of understanding new concepts and provide mental organizing schemes.

Introduction

Effective thematic instruction involves using a theme as "conceptual glue" for learners, strengthening bonds to knowledge. This approach relies on teachers who have a strong sense of curriculum as a learning process and can see ways to connect learning with key concepts. The goal is to choose themes that relate to students' lives to ensure interest and engagement in the content. Concepts that work best depend on students' age and developmental level. Also, topics typically found in single content areas offer rich links to other subjects, such as communication, immigration, rhythm, speed, matter, addition, metaphor, or waves. Framing a theme as a question ("What Makes the Difference?", "Why Are We Moving?", or "How Do We Know?") will keep students asking (and answering) questions that matter. Effective teachers employ strategies that engage learners not just in ways that are exciting or fun, but that make strong bonds between abstract ideas and understanding.

Thematic instruction has been shown to increase student achievement. Effective instruction presents new information by reaching out to existing knowledge rather than presenting skills and facts in isolation.

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Thematic Statement Generator for Students

Get your perfect thematic statement done in 3 steps:

• Choose the type of essay.
• Add all the information required.
• Click “Generate” & relax.

Fits argumentative essays

Result for thesis statement

Even though packaged vegetarian meals offer little to no nutritional value, a well-balanced vegetarian diet lowers the risk for some diseases because it implies eating vegetables and whole grains, it provides health-protective vitamins, and it ensures that you ingest enough fiber.

Whereas packaged vegetarian meals offer little to no nutritional value, a well-balanced vegetarian diet lowers the risk for some diseases given that it implies eating vegetables and whole grains, it provides health-protective vitamins, and it ensures that you ingest enough fiber.

• 🖱️ How to Use It
• 🍬 The Tool’s Benefits
• 🔤 Thesis Statement 101
• 🆚 Thematic Vs. Thesis Statement
• 🙅 Mistakes to Avoid

🔗 References

🖱️ thematic statement generator tutorial.

Do you know what element can make your essay stand out? A thesis statement! Simply put, a thesis statement is a compressed claim of your paper. If your writing is about a very specific topic, a thematic statement can take the role of the thesis statement. This sentence should be a short, simple, yet powerful message.

To help you with that, we designed a thematic statement generator. It only takes four steps to get your perfect thematic statement done:

• Choose the type of essay you’re writing (analytical, argumentative, informative, etc.)
• Write down the key ideas on the topic you’ve come up with.
• Mention all the evidence and arguments you have in your writing.
• Get your thematic statement done in a few moments.

🍬 What Are the Benefits of a Thematic Statement Maker?

Our thematic statement maker can benefit your writing in numerous ways. Consider these advantages:

• The tool is free, without hidden payments. You simply need to fill in the basic information about your essay and receive your thematic statement.
• Our generator is designed especially for students. Your thematic statement will fit all the academic writing requirements.
• The tool creates 100% original thematic statements. You don’t have to worry about the amount of plagiarism ; our thematic statement generator makes everything unique.
• We save your time. You don’t have to fill in the registration form or wait several days for your thematic statement. Your thesis will be ready immediately!
• Our generator suits all types of essays. We’ll help you develop a thematic thesis matching your informative, analytical, or argumentative essay!
• The tool works even with the most complex topics. It doesn’t matter how controversial or challenging your essay is; we’ll make the most suitable thesis.

🔤 All You Need to Know about Thesis Statements

A thesis statement is a sentence in the introduction of your paper that contains the main idea you discuss and tells the readers what to expect from the writing. In other words, a thesis statement should be a road map for the readers, guiding them through different parts of your essay.

A thesis statement is vital for all types of papers, including:

• Informative essays
• Argumentative essays
• Analytical essays
• Comparative essays

A thesis also builds the foundation for research papers, case studies , and many other forms of academic writing.

The perfect thesis statement should be:

🆚️ Thematic Statement Vs. Thesis Statement

When you work on an essay, it is crucial to distinguish the theme and thesis.

A theme is the central idea of your writing. Your scholarly paper or literary piece may contain some minor themes, but they are usually united by the dominant one. A theme is usually an abstract idea you’re exploring in your essay. For example, your central theme would be greed themes or selfishness if you’re writing an essay on corruption.

To make your ideas in the essay more concrete, you need to support your theme with a thesis. As was mentioned before, a thesis statement sums up your entire writing to the key idea. However, within thematic essays, it is possible to say that thematic statements are interchangeable with thesis statements.

📝 Thematic Statement Example

To understand how our thematic statement maker works, consider the following example:

🙅 Thesis Statement Checker: Mistakes to Avoid

Generating a thematic statement can be challenging, and students often repeat the same mistakes. Here’s what you need to avoid if you want your writing to shine.

• Don’t try to write a thematic statement from scratch. Take your time to read enough information on the topic so that you can polish your thoughts.
• Avoid too general facts in your thematic statement. Remember that you need to catch readers’ attention, so it’s better to come up with something less obvious.
• Don’t include any advice in your thematic statement. It should be more like an observation without telling readers what they should and shouldn’t do.
• Don’t forget to use evidence and arguments that support your thematic statement. You must demonstrate that your thematic statement has some foundation from the beginning.
• Avoid being too specific in your thematic statement. Keep your thematic statement universal so that every reader can understand the topic.
• Don’t plagiarize . The thematic statement aims to illustrate your proficiency in the topic. Instead of copying others’ work, you can make your contribution to the discussion.

Thank you for reading this article! Note that you can use our hook creator if you need to create a catchy hook for your essay quickly.

❓ Thematic Statement FAQ

❓ what is a thematic statement.

A thematic statement is a sentence (or two) that expresses the theme of your writing and contains its key ideas. It should guide the readers through the paper and be supported with examples and arguments. A thematic statement is essential to various academic writings since it catches readers’ attention.

❓ How long should a thematic statement be?

It’s better to keep your thematic sentence precise but powerful. Usually, one or two sentences are more than enough. You should include your thematic sentence in the introductory paragraph of your essay so that readers will get a general understanding of the work.

❓ What is the difference between a thesis statement and a thematic statement?

The theme is the central idea you want readers to remember from your writing. Often themes are abstract and need to be supported with a thesis statement. A thesis statement consists of the main points you make in your essay, supported by arguments. For thematic papers, thematic statement and thesis are interchangeable.

❓ How to write a thematic thesis statement?

Before writing a thematic thesis statement, it’s important to do profound research on the topic. Brainstorm the ideas you want to explore in your essay. When writing a thematic statement, remember that it should be connected with other parts of your paper. Stay objective but avoid too general facts.

• Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements
• 20 Powerful Thematic Statement Examples
• Theme Statement Defined: How to Write a Theme Statement
• How thesis statement generators help students
• Top Benefits of using the thesis statement generator online

Thematic Statement

Every creative writing requires a good theme to focus on. That is why writing a thematic statement can be essential especially if you are fond of writing creative works and those that are aligned with literature. So how are we supposed to make a good one? First, we get into the whole idea of what a thematic statement is all about.

What is a Thematic Statement?

A thematic statement is a sentence or two that express the central message or main idea of a work of literature, art, or other narrative. It distills the underlying themes into a clear, concise statement that describes the essence of the work in terms of universal truths and fundamental human experiences. Unlike a plot summary, which recounts what happens in the story, a thematic statement focuses on what the story is about on a deeper level.

How to write a theme statement?

Summarize the Plot : Briefly outline the main events of the story to understand the context in which the theme is presented. Identify the Subject : Determine the subject of the story, which is usually a topic or concept that the story revolves around, such as love, war, friendship, betrayal, courage, etc. Observe the Characters and Their Journey : Look at the main characters, their development, challenges they face, and their responses to those challenges. Reflect on the Conflicts : Consider the central conflicts of the narrative and how they are resolved. This can provide insight into the theme. Consider Universal Implications : Think about what the story suggests about the human experience, society, or life in general. Avoid Specifics and Clichés : Don’t mention specific character names or plot points in your theme statement, and avoid overused phrases or vague generalizations. Write a Full Sentence : Formulate a complete sentence that expresses the general truth or insight into life that the story communicates. Be Precise and Meaningful : The statement should be clear and meaningful, offering a specific insight rather than a broad, generic idea.

Thematic Statement Format

A thematic statement typically doesn’t follow a strict “format” in the way that business or academic documents might, but it does adhere to certain conventions to ensure that it effectively communicates the theme. Here’s a generalized structure you can use:

• Start with the subject : Begin with a broad subject or topic that the work addresses (e.g., love, power, betrayal, courage).
• Add insight or viewpoint : Follow with an assertion that offers insight or a viewpoint on the subject. This should reflect what the work seems to say about the subject.
• Keep it universal and timeless : The statement should not be limited to the context of the story alone but should suggest a message that is universally applicable.

Combining these elements, a thematic statement might look something like this:

“[Subject] is portrayed as [insight or viewpoint], suggesting that [universal truth or message].”

Here’s a thematic statement for a hypothetical novel about perseverance in the face of adversity:

“Perseverance in the face of adversity demonstrates the strength of the human spirit, suggesting that enduring hardships can lead to personal growth and triumph.”

Why Use a Thematic Statement?

• Clarity of Message : A thematic statement distills a complex narrative into a clear, concise message, helping readers understand the deeper meanings and central ideas of a text.
• Analytical Focus : It provides a focal point for analysis, discussion, and criticism, allowing readers and students to explore how various elements of the work, such as character, setting, plot, and literary devices, contribute to the overall theme.
• Writing and Communication : For writers, a thematic statement can act as a guiding principle or thesis that keeps the narrative focused on conveying a specific message or exploring a particular concept.
• Universal Appeal : Thematic statements often articulate universal truths or experiences, making the story more relatable and impactful to a broader audience by connecting individual stories to larger human issues.
• Educational Tool : In education, thematic statements are used to teach students critical thinking skills as they must analyze the text to identify themes and express them in a generalized statement.
• Cultural and Historical Context : Thematic statements can reveal the cultural or historical context of the work, providing insight into the values, beliefs, and concerns of the time period or society depicted.
• Personal Reflection : They encourage personal reflection as readers consider how the theme relates to their own lives, experiences, and beliefs, often leading to a deeper personal engagement with the text.
• Enhanced Appreciation : Understanding the theme of a work can lead to a greater appreciation for the artistry of the author, as themes are often intricately woven into the fabric of the narrative through various literary techniques.

Do’s and Don’ts For Writing a Thematic Statemen

Do’s:

• Do Be Concise : Aim for a succinct statement that captures the essence of the theme in one or two sentences.
• Do Be Specific : While the theme should be universal, the statement should be precise in what it conveys about the theme.
• Do Make It Universal : The theme should not be confined to the story but should touch on a universal truth or condition that applies to life or human nature in general.
• Do Reflect the Work as a Whole : Ensure that the thematic statement reflects the entirety of the work and not just a part.
• Do Focus on the Big Picture : The statement should address big ideas and concepts, not just summarize the plot.
• Do Use Present Tense : Thematic statements should generally be in present tense to give a sense of timelessness to the theme.

Don’ts:

• Don’t Be Too Broad or Vague : Avoid general statements that could apply to any story (e.g., “Love is important”).
• Don’t Include Specific Details : Avoid mentioning character names, specific events, or plot details.
• Don’t Make It a Moral : Try not to phrase the theme as a command or a directive (e.g., “You should always tell the truth”).
• Don’t Use Clichés : Stay away from overused phrases that may not add meaningful insight.
• Don’t State It as a Question : A thematic statement should be declarative, not interrogative.
• Don’t Confuse with a Subject : A theme is not just a topic (e.g., “war”) but an opinion about the topic (e.g., “War leads to the loss of innocence”).

10+ Thematic Statement Examples

1. thematic statements template.

2. Crafting a Thematic Statement

3. Thematic Review Statement

4. Thematic Discussion on Gender Statement

5. Thematic Debate Statement

6. Printable Thematic Statement

7. Thematic Session Statement Template

8. Thematic Inputs Statement

9. Thematic Seminar Statement

10. Thematic Statement Example

11. Thematic Statement in PDF

Thematic Statement for Identity

“Identity is sculpted through a balance of self-discovery and societal influence, reflecting the ongoing conflict between personal authenticity and external expectations.”

Good Thematic Statement

A good thematic statement universally resonates, offering deep insight without detailing specific plot points, and evokes broader discussion.

Strong Thematic Statement

A strong thematic statement clearly conveys a profound message, is thought-provoking, and captures the essence of the work’s underlying themes.

Thematic Statement for Family

“Family dynamics forge our character and life’s path, highlighting that our deepest connections can be both nurturing and complex.”

Thematic Statement for Friendship

“Friendship transcends life’s adversities, emphasizing that true companionship provides strength and resilience in the face of challenges.”

Can a theme be a definition?

A theme can not be a definition, rather it is the main idea of the context .

Do I have the freedom to choose what theme I want for my story?

Yes. There are a lot of themes to choose from. You just have to choose the one that fits your work.

Can a thematic statement be a question?

A thematic statement cannot be in the form of a question.

In conclusion, a thematic statement is a concise and general message about a particular theme or topic sentences that is woven into a literary work or any form of art. It serves as the main idea that the author or artist wants to convey to the audience. A well-crafted thematic statement can help readers or viewers understand the deeper meaning of a work and its significance in relation to the real world. Overall, thematic statements are essential in analyzing and appreciating the richness and complexity of literature and art.

Thematic Statement Generator

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Methodology

• How to Do Thematic Analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Do Thematic Analysis | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on September 6, 2019 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Thematic analysis is a method of analyzing qualitative data . It is usually applied to a set of texts, such as an interview or transcripts . The researcher closely examines the data to identify common themes – topics, ideas and patterns of meaning that come up repeatedly.

There are various approaches to conducting thematic analysis, but the most common form follows a six-step process: familiarization, coding, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up. Following this process can also help you avoid confirmation bias when formulating your analysis.

This process was originally developed for psychology research by Virginia Braun and Victoria Clarke . However, thematic analysis is a flexible method that can be adapted to many different kinds of research.

Table of contents

When to use thematic analysis, different approaches to thematic analysis, step 1: familiarization, step 2: coding, step 3: generating themes, step 4: reviewing themes, step 5: defining and naming themes, step 6: writing up, other interesting articles.

Thematic analysis is a good approach to research where you’re trying to find out something about people’s views, opinions, knowledge, experiences or values from a set of qualitative data – for example, interview transcripts , social media profiles, or survey responses .

Some types of research questions you might use thematic analysis to answer:

• How do patients perceive doctors in a hospital setting?
• What are young women’s experiences on dating sites?
• What are non-experts’ ideas and opinions about climate change?
• How is gender constructed in high school history teaching?

To answer any of these questions, you would collect data from a group of relevant participants and then analyze it. Thematic analysis allows you a lot of flexibility in interpreting the data, and allows you to approach large data sets more easily by sorting them into broad themes.

However, it also involves the risk of missing nuances in the data. Thematic analysis is often quite subjective and relies on the researcher’s judgement, so you have to reflect carefully on your own choices and interpretations.

Pay close attention to the data to ensure that you’re not picking up on things that are not there – or obscuring things that are.

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See an example

Once you’ve decided to use thematic analysis, there are different approaches to consider.

There’s the distinction between inductive and deductive approaches:

• An inductive approach involves allowing the data to determine your themes.
• A deductive approach involves coming to the data with some preconceived themes you expect to find reflected there, based on theory or existing knowledge.

Ask yourself: Does my theoretical framework give me a strong idea of what kind of themes I expect to find in the data (deductive), or am I planning to develop my own framework based on what I find (inductive)?

There’s also the distinction between a semantic and a latent approach:

• A semantic approach involves analyzing the explicit content of the data.
• A latent approach involves reading into the subtext and assumptions underlying the data.

Ask yourself: Am I interested in people’s stated opinions (semantic) or in what their statements reveal about their assumptions and social context (latent)?

After you’ve decided thematic analysis is the right method for analyzing your data, and you’ve thought about the approach you’re going to take, you can follow the six steps developed by Braun and Clarke .

The first step is to get to know our data. It’s important to get a thorough overview of all the data we collected before we start analyzing individual items.

This might involve transcribing audio , reading through the text and taking initial notes, and generally looking through the data to get familiar with it.

Next up, we need to code the data. Coding means highlighting sections of our text – usually phrases or sentences – and coming up with shorthand labels or “codes” to describe their content.

Let’s take a short example text. Say we’re researching perceptions of climate change among conservative voters aged 50 and up, and we have collected data through a series of interviews. An extract from one interview looks like this:

In this extract, we’ve highlighted various phrases in different colors corresponding to different codes. Each code describes the idea or feeling expressed in that part of the text.

At this stage, we want to be thorough: we go through the transcript of every interview and highlight everything that jumps out as relevant or potentially interesting. As well as highlighting all the phrases and sentences that match these codes, we can keep adding new codes as we go through the text.

After we’ve been through the text, we collate together all the data into groups identified by code. These codes allow us to gain a a condensed overview of the main points and common meanings that recur throughout the data.

Next, we look over the codes we’ve created, identify patterns among them, and start coming up with themes.

Themes are generally broader than codes. Most of the time, you’ll combine several codes into a single theme. In our example, we might start combining codes into themes like this:

At this stage, we might decide that some of our codes are too vague or not relevant enough (for example, because they don’t appear very often in the data), so they can be discarded.

Other codes might become themes in their own right. In our example, we decided that the code “uncertainty” made sense as a theme, with some other codes incorporated into it.

Again, what we decide will vary according to what we’re trying to find out. We want to create potential themes that tell us something helpful about the data for our purposes.

Now we have to make sure that our themes are useful and accurate representations of the data. Here, we return to the data set and compare our themes against it. Are we missing anything? Are these themes really present in the data? What can we change to make our themes work better?

If we encounter problems with our themes, we might split them up, combine them, discard them or create new ones: whatever makes them more useful and accurate.

For example, we might decide upon looking through the data that “changing terminology” fits better under the “uncertainty” theme than under “distrust of experts,” since the data labelled with this code involves confusion, not necessarily distrust.

Now that you have a final list of themes, it’s time to name and define each of them.

Defining themes involves formulating exactly what we mean by each theme and figuring out how it helps us understand the data.

Naming themes involves coming up with a succinct and easily understandable name for each theme.

For example, we might look at “distrust of experts” and determine exactly who we mean by “experts” in this theme. We might decide that a better name for the theme is “distrust of authority” or “conspiracy thinking”.

Finally, we’ll write up our analysis of the data. Like all academic texts, writing up a thematic analysis requires an introduction to establish our research question, aims and approach.

We should also include a methodology section, describing how we collected the data (e.g. through semi-structured interviews or open-ended survey questions ) and explaining how we conducted the thematic analysis itself.

The results or findings section usually addresses each theme in turn. We describe how often the themes come up and what they mean, including examples from the data as evidence. Finally, our conclusion explains the main takeaways and shows how the analysis has answered our research question.

In our example, we might argue that conspiracy thinking about climate change is widespread among older conservative voters, point out the uncertainty with which many voters view the issue, and discuss the role of misinformation in respondents’ perceptions.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Measures of central tendency
• Chi square tests
• Confidence interval
• Quartiles & Quantiles
• Cluster sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Discourse analysis
• Cohort study
• Peer review
• Ethnography

Research bias

• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Conformity bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Availability heuristic
• Attrition bias
• Social desirability bias

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thematicstatement.com

writing a thematic statement has never been so easy

What is a Thematic Statement: Definition, Format

What is the thematic statement? If you have been asked to write one, then it is important for you to first know a thematic statement definition. In this article, you will understand all you need to know about a thematic statement.

What is a Thematic Statement?

A thematic statement refers to the main idea in a piece of literary work. The main idea could comprise important parts of the literature like the story’s plot, its characters, among others.

Now, it is important to note that a piece of literature could have more than one thematic statement. It could have as many as three or four themes. Also, you should know that a piece of literary work would never specifically mention its thematic statement. It is up to the reader to be able to tell the thematic statement and the thematic statement meaning present in the literature.

As a student who may be asked to provide one, here are the two main reasons for having a thematic statement in a piece of literature. First of all, a thematic statement helps you understand what you are writing in a clear and simple way. Secondly, it helps you to have an overview of the main message(s) of your literature.

What Qualities Should a Thematic Statement Have? What Does Thematic Statement Mean?

• It should be simple but easy to understand

When writing a thematic statement, simplicity is key. This means that your thematic statement should be able to fit in one small sentence. Now, that a thematic statement should fit into one sentence does not mean you should write it out like a topic. For example, if the theme of your story is love and anger, you should not just write, “The theme for this story is love and anger.” Rather, write something like, “Love can still be present in a relationship even when there is so much anger.”

Later on in this article, you will get some thematic sentence examples.

• It should reflect in the whole literature

A thematic statement should not just be present in one or two sentences or paragraphs. It should reflect in the entire message of the literature. This way, the reader is not confused about what thematic statements are present in the literature. For example, if you were talking about a love-hate relationship between siblings at the beginning of a story, try and end it with the same. If in the course of the story, the siblings reconcile, make sure you show the transition of the love-hate feeling to that of reconciliation. This way, your reader does not start to wonder how people who hated each other before now became best friends.

• It does not mention characters directly

When writing a thematic statement, you should not mention your characters by their name. Instead,

You shouldn’t mention a character in the text by the name. Instead, you can use the words like “a person”, “two people”, “an individual”, etc.

How to Write a Thematic Statement: Thematic Statement Format

• Read and understand the entire work

Whether it is your work or the work of another, this is the first step you take before writing a thematic statement. Make sure you are familiar with the plot, the writing style, the characters, and every other important aspect of the literature. When you fully understand what you read, it will be easier to write a thematic statement.

• There is no need for specifics

When writing a thematic statement, you do not need to go into the details of what happened. What a thematic statement does is summarize why something happened.

• A thematic statement is not a moral lesson

Sometimes, when writing a thematic statement, you may be tempted to draw out a moral lesson. However, that is not what should happen. In a thematic statement, you should try to keep things as original as they are.

What is a Thematic Statement Example?

Here are some examples that will guide you into writing a thematic statement:

Theme: Love and Sacrifice

Bad Thematic Statement: The theme for this is love and sacrifice

Good Thematic Statement: Love and sacrifice go hand-in-hand when it comes to building a long-lasting relationship

Theme: Poverty

Bad Thematic Statement: The main theme in this story is poverty

Good Thematic Statement: Poverty in this novel shows that it is not only the absence of money but rather, the absence of regard for others

What does a thematic statement look like? With the tips in this article, you now understand what a thematic is and how to write one.

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Monetary Policy Report Press Conference Opening Statement

Good morning. I’m pleased to be here with Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn Rogers to discuss today’s policy announcement and our Monetary Policy Report .

Today, we maintained our policy interest rate at 5%. We are also continuing our policy of quantitative tightening.

We have three main messages this morning.

First, monetary policy is working. Total consumer price index (CPI) and core inflation have eased further in recent months, and we expect inflation to continue to move closer to the 2% target this year.

Second, growth in the economy looks to be picking up. We expect GDP growth to be solid this year and to strengthen further in 2025.

Third, as we consider how much longer to hold the policy rate at the current level, we’re looking for evidence that the recent further easing in underlying inflation will be sustained.

Before taking your questions, let me take a moment to discuss how the economy is evolving.

We have revised up our outlook for global growth. US economic growth again exceeded expectations, and while growth is expected to slow later this year, economic activity is stronger than previously forecast.

In Canada, growth stalled in the second half of last year and the economy moved into excess supply. The labour market also cooled from very overheated levels. With employment growing more slowly than the working-age population, the unemployment rate has risen gradually over the last year to 6.1% in March. There are also some signs that wage pressures are beginning to ease.

Economic growth is forecast to strengthen in 2024. Strong population growth is increasing consumer demand as well as the supply of workers, and spending by households is forecast to recover through the year. Spending by governments also contributes to growth, and US strength supports Canadian exports. 

Overall, we forecast GDP growth in Canada of 1.5% this year and about 2% in 2025 and 2026. The strengthening economy will gradually absorb excess supply through 2025 and into 2026.

CPI inflation eased to 2.8% in February, and price increases are now slowing across most major categories. Inflation rates for durable goods, clothing, food, and services such as recreation and travel have all declined. However, shelter cost inflation is still very high and remains the biggest contribution to overall inflation. Some other services, like restaurant meals, also remain persistently high.

Looking ahead, we expect core inflation to continue to ease gradually. The more timely three-month rates of core inflation fell below 3% in February, suggesting some downward momentum. But with gasoline prices rising, CPI inflation is likely to remain around 3% in the coming months. It is then expected to ease below 2½% in the second half of this year and reach the 2% target in 2025.

As always, there are risks around our forecast. Inflation could be higher if global tensions escalate and this boosts energy prices and further disrupts international shipping. House prices in Canada could rise faster than expected. And wage growth could remain high relative to productivity. On the down side, economic activity globally and in Canada could be weaker than expected, cooling demand and inflation too much.

We don’t want to leave monetary policy this restrictive longer than we need to. But if we lower our policy interest rate too early or cut too fast, we could jeopardize the progress we’ve made bringing inflation down.

Based on our forecast and the risks, Governing Council decided it was appropriate to maintain the policy rate at 5%.

We also concluded that, overall, the data since January have increased our confidence that inflation will continue to come down gradually even as economic activity strengthens. Our key indicators of inflation have all moved in the right direction and recent data point to a pickup in economic growth. 

I realize that what most Canadians want to know is when we will lower our policy interest rate. What do we need to see to be convinced it’s time to cut? The short answer is we are seeing what we need to see, but we need to see it for longer to be confident that progress toward price stability will be sustained. The further decline we’ve seen in core inflation is very recent. We need to be assured this is not just a temporary dip.

In the months ahead, we will be closely watching the evolution of core inflation. We remain focused on the balance between demand and supply in the economy, inflation expectations, wage growth and corporate pricing behaviour as indicators of where inflation is headed.

To conclude, we’ve come a long way in the fight against inflation, and recent progress is encouraging. We want to see this progress sustained.

With that summary, the Senior Deputy Governor and I would be pleased to take your questions.

Monetary Policy Report – April 2024

Monetary policy is working to reduce inflationary pressures and inflation is coming down, although it will take more time to see if this progress proves durable. The Bank projects that inflation will stay around 3% into the second quarter of 2024, ease below 2.5% in the second half of the year and return to target in 2025.

Bank of Canada maintains policy rate, continues quantitative tightening

The Bank of Canada today held its target for the overnight rate at 5%, with the Bank Rate at 5¼% and the deposit rate at 5%.

Press Conference: Monetary Policy Report – April 2024

Release of the Monetary Policy Report  – Press conference by Governor Tiff Macklem and Carolyn Rogers, Senior Deputy Governor (10:30 (ET) approx.).

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