THEMES

stories we’ve read for this class so far.

“A&P”
“The Man Who Was Almost a Man”
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”
“The Lottery”
“Sonny’s Blues”
“Miss Brill”
“A Good Man is Hard to Find”
“A Pair of Tickets”
“Volar”
“The Things They Carried”
“The Birth Mark”
“Wildwood”

write about two of these stories that either (a) share a theme, which means that both stories essentially make the same point in their own ways or (b) share a topic, but have differing themes, which means they make different points about the same topic. For example, if there are two stories about growing up that seem to make the same point, that would be option (a); if there were two stories that each made a different point about growing up, that would be option (b).

In your journal entry, write about the two stories and their themes. How are they expressed in the story? What other literary elements contribute to the theme (symbol, setting, etc)? What quotes show or emphasize the theme? Is the theme the same as the lesson learned by the main character?

Be sure you include the names of the stories and authors. If you use quotes from the stories, be sure to include page numbers. Do not consult or use outside sources for this assignment. Be sure you follow the assignment, answer the questions, proofread carefully, use complete sentences, and include details to support your points. Be sure to follow MLA formatting guidelines for all journal entries.