Themes in the literature:
“The Gift of the Magi”: List three themes
1. Love conquers all
2. It’s the thought that counts
3. Sacrificing for the ones you love (shows your devotion)
4. The gift of love is the greatest gift of all (even greater than material possessions)
5. Communication and honesty is key (telling the truth is necessary)
“The Necklace”: List three themes
1. Material items are not always valuable (materialism isn’t everything)
2. Communication and honesty is always necessary (key)
3. Trying too hard to be happy can make you unhappier than you were before
4. Be happy and thankful for what you have
5. Be true to yourself and don’t try to be someone you’re not
6. Inner beauty is more important than outward beauty
7. Appearances can be deceiving (all that glitters isn’t gold)
“Gaston”: List three themes
1. Respect all creatures (respect your parents)
2. Every creature/person needs love in their lives
3. Don’t judge a book by its cover
4. Family is the key to happiness in life
5. Treat everyone equally (don’t discriminate against others who are different)
6. Every creature has feelings
7. Communication is necessary in order to understand people
“The Rules of the Game”: List three themes
1. Communication is key in order to understand people
2. Respect your elders and those who know more than you
3. The art of invisible strength (silent strength can be a powerful force)
4. Humility (being humble/down to earth) and modesty are virtues in life
5. Differences in cultural backgrounds can cause misunderstandings
6. Everything in moderation is good, and things in excess can become a detriment (Too much of a good thing can be bad for us)
Themes that relate to one or more stories:
1. Communication is key (relates to each story)
2. Inner beauty is more important than outward appearance (Gaston and The Necklace and
The Gift of Magi)
3. Appearances can be deceiving (all that glitters isn’t gold)- Gaston, The Necklace, Magi
4. It is a mistake to judge people by what we see
5. Humility and modesty are virtues we should strive for (Necklace, Magi, Rules of the Game, Gaston)