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How are symbols and themes related?

You probably think of a theme as the message a story sends or the “life lesson” it teaches. However, theme can be examined from other directions as well. For instance, the theme of a story connects all of its elements together—characters, events, and setting—and gives them new meaning. And in a historical fiction novel, themes often shed light on struggles that were common during a particular time period.

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For Example

Think about the symbols you’ve seen develop in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. What big ideas do they suggest? Each of the images below represents a theme that is emerging in the novel. Jot down your own ideas for a theme based on each object or scene. Then click the image to compare your ideas to ours.

school bus
school bus

The tattered school books, the school bus, and the rules about where to park at the Strawberry market are symbols that remind readers how often African Americans were discriminated against by local and state governments during the Jim Crow era. The injustices they faced were part of a larger system of oppression.

burning house
burning house

Learning about racism is a traumatic experience for children of color. The nightmen, the burnings, and the events in Strawberry with Mr. Barnett and Mr. Simms symbolize this idea, and the theme grows clearer each time the author mentions these elements.

old cash register
old cash register

Several events suggest that standing up for yourself and your family during dangerous times—while risky and often terrifying—is also extremely important. This idea inspires Stacey to dig a hole that will stop the school bus, and it leads Mama to persuade her neighbors to boycott the Wallace store.