Literature notes-S2-Chap VIII

CLASS: SENIOR TWO

        COURSE CONTENTS

UNIT I: KEY ASPECTS OF PROSE
UNIT II: SUBJECT, THEMES AND MESSAGES
UNIT III: LITERARY DEVICES AND AUDIENCE
UNIT IV: BALLADS
UNIT V: POETIC DEVICES
UNIT VI: SUBJECT, THEME AND CONTEXT
UNIT VII: DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES
UNIT VIII: SUBJECT MATTER, THEME AND MESSAGE
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UNIT VIII: SUBJECT MATTER, THEME AND MESSAGE

        VIII.1. A SUBJECT

A subject is a topic, which acts as a foundation for a literary work/story. Subject is the inspiration that makes you write anything. For more see key aspects.

         VIII.2. A THEME

A theme can be explained as follow:

• A theme is an opinion expressed on the subject.
• It is what a playwright is saying about a certain subject.
• It is the central/ main idea of the play.
• It is the playwright’s opinion or perspective about a certain issue in society.
• It is the controlling idea which is continuously developed throughout the play.

Minor theme: It is an idea that appears in a story briefly or an idea that appears once in a while in a story.

Major theme: It is the idea that appears repeatedly from the beginning to the end of a play. It refers to an idea that a writer repeats in his/her work making it the most significant idea in a literary work.

        How to identify a theme in a play

• Read and understand it.
• Write down the play’s plot and characterization.
• Write down the conflicts in the play.      -Ask yourself, the most important moment in the work?
  -Does the author resolve the conflict? How did the work end?

• Write down the topic of the play.

       VIII.3. A MESSAGE

A message refers to the lesson the playwright wishes to convey to the society through his/her play. There will always be many messages in a single play.

A message can also be explained as follows:

•  A message is what a playwright wants the society to learn from his/her literary work.
• It is the kind of a lesson that the reader learns after reading the story.
• It is the moral in the play.
• It is something the story aims to teach the reader.
• It is the lesson the playwright wishes the society to learn from his/her play.
  REFERENCES

  REB BOOKS:

Achievers Literature in English for Rwandan Schools -Senior 1
An Introduction to Literature in English for Rwandan Schools -Senior 1
Achievers Literature in English for Rwandan Schools -Senior 2
Literature in English for Rwandan Schools -Senior 3

      INTERNET: (Various websites)