Universal Themes
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A!universal!theme!is!an!idea!that!applies!to!anyone!regardless!of!cultural!
differences,!or!geographic!location.!!Universal!themes!are!ways!to!connect!
ideas!across!all!disciplines.!!It!is!a!central!idea!about!the!human!condition.!!
It!is!a!generalization!about!life!or!human!nature;!they!deal!with!basic!
human!concerns.!!A!universal!theme!with!generalizations!can!serve!as!the!
organizing!element!of!unit!of!study.!!
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• abundance/scarcity
• abuse of power
• action vs. apathy
• beating the odds
• beauty
• coming of age
• corruption
• courage
• effects of the past
• faith
• fall from grace
• family
• fate
• fear
• fear of failure
• freedom
• friendship
• greed
• hate
• heritage
• heroes
• honesty
• innocence
• justice
• love
• loyalty
• manipulation
• mothering
• nature
• need for change
• obligation
• parent-child relationships
• peace
• peer pressure
• perseverance
• Power of the mind vs authority
• prejudice
• price of progress
• pride
• quest for knowledge
• religion
• revenge
• secrecy
• security/safety
• seizing the moment
• survival
• the overlooked
• the road not taken
• war
• winners and losers
