Survival: From Character to Theme
Exploring the deeper meanings in literature Year 7 English - New Zealand Curriculum
What Makes Us Human?
When everything falls apart, do people become selfish monsters or do they help each other? Think about disasters you've seen in the news or movies
From Characters to Big Ideas
Characters = What we see on the page Themes = What characters represent about life Example: A brave character might represent the theme of courage Characters are the vehicle, themes are the destination
The Moral Barometer
Move to HOBBES side if you think people are naturally selfish Move to ROUSSEAU side if you think people are naturally good We'll test scenarios from 'Dry' to see which philosopher you agree with
Testing Human Nature in 'Dry'
Scenario 1: The neighborhood turns into chaos Scenario 2: An anonymous pilot drops water supplies Scenario 3: Henry steals water from others Which philosopher does each scenario support?
Two Lenses for Understanding Survival
{"left":"Society & Human Nature: Are we naturally good or bad when pressure mounts?\nComing of Age Through Trauma: How do extreme situations force young people to grow up too fast?","right":"Both themes work together in 'Dry'\nCharacters represent different responses to these challenges"}
Evidence Detective Stations
Station A: Society & Human Nature Station B: Coming of Age Through Trauma Find quotes that support each theme Complete your Theme Evidence Card for each station
Describe vs. Explain Framework
DESCRIBE: What happens in the scene? EXPLAIN: What does this reveal about human nature or growing up? Example: 'Henry steals water' (describe) → 'Survival can make good people do desperate things' (explain) This moves us from plot summary to thematic analysis
Putting It All Together
Choose one character from 'Dry' What do they reveal about human nature in crisis? How do they show the theme of growing up through trauma? Use the Describe vs. Explain framework
Themes Are Everywhere
Every story explores big questions about life Characters are the authors' way of testing ideas Survival stories ask: What happens when everything breaks down? Your job as readers is to look for the deeper meanings