Answer:
In literature, a theme is a message or idea conveyed by the author through their writing. A literary element is a specific technique or device used by the author to convey this message or idea. For example, a literary element could be symbolism, foreshadowing, or imagery.
When you are asked to write about how the author effectively uses a literary element to convey a theme statement, you are being asked to analyze how the author uses a specific technique or device to communicate their message or idea. You should look for evidence in the text that supports your analysis, such as quotes, examples, or descriptions.
To write a CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) response to this prompt, you should first make a claim about how the author uses a specific literary element to convey a theme statement. Then, you should provide evidence from the text to support your claim. Finally, you should explain your reasoning for why this evidence supports your claim and how it contributes to your understanding of the text.
heres an example
Let's say you're analyzing a short story called "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. The theme of the story could be that blindly following tradition can lead to cruelty and violence.
One literary element the author uses to effectively convey this theme is symbolism. In the story, the lottery itself is a symbol of tradition. The author uses the lottery to show how blindly following tradition can lead to something terrible, as the winner of the lottery is stoned to death by the other villagers.
In your CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) response, you would explain how the author uses symbolism to convey the theme. For example:
Claim: The author effectively uses symbolism to convey the theme that blindly following tradition can lead to cruelty and violence in "The Lottery."
Evidence: The lottery itself is a symbol of tradition, which the author uses to show how blindly following tradition can lead to something terrible. The winner of the lottery is stoned to death by the other villagers, highlighting the violence that can result from blindly following tradition.
Reasoning: By using symbolism to convey the theme, the author makes the story more powerful and memorable. The lottery is a memorable and striking symbol that effectively conveys the dangers of blindly following tradition.