Great Short Stories for Teaching Theme
These short stories are excellent for teaching theme in fiction. Use the accompanying writing lesson ideas to engage students.
Teaching Theme the Hard Way
"OK class, Let's talk about theme," I bellowed from the front of the room.
Johnny raised his hand. "I'd rather not." He said. "What does it matter whether or not you begin teaching theme in fiction today?"
"Well," I replied. "It says here in the school district guidelines and in the ELA Common Core Standards that I have to begin by the end of the week."
Johnny raised his hand again, middle finger extended. "Maybe teaching theme in fiction should be done by reading great short stories instead of listening to you."
I picked up a CD rom from my desk, threw it at him, and sliced off his hand at the wrist. I then took his advice. Here are some excellent short stories for teaching theme.
Johnny raised his hand. "I'd rather not." He said. "What does it matter whether or not you begin teaching theme in fiction today?"
"Well," I replied. "It says here in the school district guidelines and in the ELA Common Core Standards that I have to begin by the end of the week."
Johnny raised his hand again, middle finger extended. "Maybe teaching theme in fiction should be done by reading great short stories instead of listening to you."
I picked up a CD rom from my desk, threw it at him, and sliced off his hand at the wrist. I then took his advice. Here are some excellent short stories for teaching theme.
ELA Common Core Standards Covered
Teaching theme in short stories can accomplish the following ELA Common Core Standards. This is for your administrator, not your kids. Kids need student-friendly worded objectives.
- RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
- RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
Madame. Loisel learns the danger of pretending to be someone you're not.
Class Discussion Ideas: I realize nobody acts like Madame Loisel today. I can hardly think of anyone who buys things they can't afford to impress their neighbors, who bought too big a house and can't make the payments. Explain to students that in the past, people often pretended to be wealthier than they were in order to gain social status.
Lesson Idea: As a prewriting assignment, have students write about a time they pretended to be someone they weren't and what the results were.
For example, I bragged about my daring feats on a diving board, so my friend took me cliff diving on the Colorado River. Luckily, nobody noticed I peed my pants on the way down. They did, however, notice I was crying as I floated in the fetal position on the water.
Class Discussion Ideas: I realize nobody acts like Madame Loisel today. I can hardly think of anyone who buys things they can't afford to impress their neighbors, who bought too big a house and can't make the payments. Explain to students that in the past, people often pretended to be wealthier than they were in order to gain social status.
Lesson Idea: As a prewriting assignment, have students write about a time they pretended to be someone they weren't and what the results were.
For example, I bragged about my daring feats on a diving board, so my friend took me cliff diving on the Colorado River. Luckily, nobody noticed I peed my pants on the way down. They did, however, notice I was crying as I floated in the fetal position on the water.
"The Blue Hotel" by Stephen Crane
A stranger accuses another of cheating at poker and pays a steep price for the accusation.
Lesson Idea: False accusations can ruin a man, but what if the accusation is true? Instruct students to write about a time they accused someone falsely or they were accused falsely.
For example, when my wife was three months pregnant and suffering from morning sickness, I decided to sautee onions and garlic for the evening meal. She accused me of purposely trying to make her sick. In reality, I was just stupid
Lesson Idea: False accusations can ruin a man, but what if the accusation is true? Instruct students to write about a time they accused someone falsely or they were accused falsely.
For example, when my wife was three months pregnant and suffering from morning sickness, I decided to sautee onions and garlic for the evening meal. She accused me of purposely trying to make her sick. In reality, I was just stupid
Chee's Daughter by Juanita Platero and Siyowin Miller
A Navajo father honors tribal traditions with a great sacrifice. Can Chee honor the tribe and get back his daughter?
Lesson Idea: "Chee's Daughter" explores the conflict between tradition and modern life. Instruct students to write about a time they faced an inner conflict with tradition, what they did, and what were the results.
For example, it was a tradition in my family to watch football every Sunday. As I got older, I found better things to do on Sunday and no longer participated in the tradition. Because I'm a Cleveland Browns fan, I've really missed nothing.
Lesson Idea: "Chee's Daughter" explores the conflict between tradition and modern life. Instruct students to write about a time they faced an inner conflict with tradition, what they did, and what were the results.
For example, it was a tradition in my family to watch football every Sunday. As I got older, I found better things to do on Sunday and no longer participated in the tradition. Because I'm a Cleveland Browns fan, I've really missed nothing.
The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber by Ernest Hemingway
Francis was a coward. His wife was ashamed of him and treated him rudely. All that was about to change.
Lesson Idea: Hemingway explores what it means to be a man in this short classic. Instruct students to write about something they did that took courage and nerve and what the results were.
For example, after humiliating myself on the Colorado River cliffs, I returned to the top, did a flip, and completed one of the grandest back smacks in the history of cliff diving. Although I'm still unable to put a shirt on, or walk, or sleep at night due to the ringing in my head, I proved to everyone there that I AM A MAN!
Lesson Idea: Hemingway explores what it means to be a man in this short classic. Instruct students to write about something they did that took courage and nerve and what the results were.
For example, after humiliating myself on the Colorado River cliffs, I returned to the top, did a flip, and completed one of the grandest back smacks in the history of cliff diving. Although I'm still unable to put a shirt on, or walk, or sleep at night due to the ringing in my head, I proved to everyone there that I AM A MAN!
Teaching Literary Elements with Short Stories
Understanding literary elements is necessary for literary analysis. These short stories will help you teach literary elements.
