This GCSE English Literature quiz asks questions about themes in Dennis Kelly's DNA. Theme, in literature, is an idea conveyed by a text. All works of literature contain multiple themes. These can range from the unmissable to the subtlest of ideas. An interplay between themes occurs as each theme develops alongside the others. Authors use the essential elements of fiction, including setting, character, plot and dialogue, in order to develop theme.
Have you ever noticed the way that related ideas and concepts appear repeatedly in a text you’ve read? These repeated ideas are the text’s themes. Think about the ways in which the author has introduced and developed each theme over the course of the text.
One especially good place to start this analysis is by examining your own views, especially if you have been prompted to reconsider any of your own opinions on the ideas with which the text is concerned. Whenever a text makes you think hard about an issue or maybe even persuades you to change your mind, then the author has successfully encouraged you to engage with one or more of the text’s themes. In class discussions, you might discover that you strongly disagree with other readers, your classmates, or your teacher. This is natural: there is never a single acceptable view to hold about a text and it would be rather odd to share identical views with everyone else! Your response will be deeply personal because you bring your own thoughts, beliefs and experiences into consideration of the text.
It is always worth spending a bit of time comparing the thoughts and views you hold after finishing a book with those you held before you began to read. Can you identify any views which have been changed, challenged or strengthened? Try to explain why/why not, even if only to yourself. One useful exercise is to try to pinpoint the specific place in the text which challenged or confirmed your personal views.
Try this quiz to see how much you know about the themes of DNA.