Estimated Time: 30 minutes

One way to become a better writer is to read good writing.

Read:

• "English is a Crazy Language" by Richard Lederer in The Norton Sampler: Seventh Edition.

Writing Project

Spotting Themes and Motifs

This month, we’re going to write a Motif Essay based on A Long Way Home. Before we can write, we need to notice the building blocks of the story.

Step 1: Pay attention to recurring ideas.
As you read, jot down any big ideas you notice—family, identity, hope, perseverance, memory, etc. These are themes.

Step 2: Look for patterns.
Themes are often highlighted by motifs. A motif is something that shows up again and again like a repeated image, phrase, symbol, or action. For example, if characters often mention food, that might connect to a larger theme of survival.

Step 3: Start a theme/motif chart.

• Create two columns in your notebook or a Google Doc.
• Label one column Motifs and the other Possible Themes.
• Each time you notice a motif, add it to your chart and jot down what bigger idea (theme) it might connect to.

Step 4: Learn more.
Watch the video What is a Motif? to deepen your understanding.