Analyzing Themes in The Secret Garden

This Storyboard That activity is part of the lesson plans for Secret Garden, The




Copy Activity*


Activity Overview

Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. The theme provides a moral to the story and is the central idea behind the text. Through analyzing themes, students can delve deeper into the text’s meaning and apply the moral to their own lives. In this activity, students will identify a theme of The Secret Garden and support it with evidence from the text.

Example Themes from The Secret Garden

Change


Companionship

Other possible themes include: self-image, magic, nature, and growing.



Copy Activity*


Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)


Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in The Secret Garden. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.


  1. Click "Start Assignment".
  2. Identify the theme(s) from The Secret Garden you wish to include and replace the "Theme 1" text.
  3. Create an image for examples that represents this theme.
  4. Write a description of each of the examples.



Copy Activity*



How To Connect and Compare Themes in The Secret Garden

1

Introduce Themes

Introduce students to the concept of themes and provide a simple textbook definition. Tell the students that themes are the backbone of any story and without them, the story has no meaning. Conduct interactive activities like asking the students to describe the story of their life with using a theme that fits the best.

2

Identify Themes

Help the students to identify different themes present in The Secret Garden. For instance, the most common themes that can be found in this narrative are change, companionship, sickness and healing. Students can highlight the parts of the text that support these themes so it will be easier for them to make their analysis.

3

Make Trends and Parallels

Ask the students to carefully analyze each part of the text and note down any similarities or connections they can find. Focus on questions such as “Do certain individuals or events always correspond to a given theme?” or “Do any repeating images or themes occur throughout the narrative?” Teachers can give some practice questions beforehand to help students recognize patterns in a text.

4

Conduct Comparative Analysis

Ask the students to examine the relationships between various themes. Think about how the themes of development and rebirth may be related to the themes of healing and change, for instance. Students can analyze if one theme helps in the development of the other one. They can also use Venn Diagrams for this analysis.

5

Make Final Analysis

Encourage the students to summarize their research and make inferences about how the themes interact to develop a greater comprehension of the narrative and its characters. Students can share their findings in form of an interactive discussion or a presentation which will help build their communication skills.

Frequently Asked Questions About Analyzing Themes in The Secret Garden

What connection exists between the themes of development and healing in the story?

The process of development depends on healing and change. The characters enjoy both physical and psychological refreshment as well as personal growth and rebirth by taking care of the garden. It seems as if the characters have completely changed after interacting with the garden which has brought happiness into their lives. The secret garden itself is a symbol of growth and healing which is important for the journey of the characters.

What other themes are present in the story?

Some other themes present in the story include growth and rebirth, nature and enchantment, loneliness and transformation, and healing and change. The characters experience all these themes throughout their journey which helps in their development.

More Storyboard That Activities

Secret Garden, The



Copy Activity*