What is universal theme?
a central message that applies to anyone, anywhere
a central message or insight that is revealed through a story
the time, place, and social/historical context in which a story takes place
a piece of writing that uses careful and deliberate word choice

Select the quote that best shows character. “why should he disturb my peace? ” “excuse me, sir, i am not accustomed to listen to such expressions or to such a tone of voice. i want to hear no more.” “the dear lady may well have taken me for a brigand.” “then you won’t pay me now? eh? ”

Read this excerpt from "a visit from the goon squad."that’s when he began singing the songs he’d been writing for years underground, songs no one had ever heard, or anything like them—“eyes in my head,” “x’s and o’s,” “who’s watching hardest”—ballads of paranoia and disconnection ripped from the chest of a man you knew just by looking had never had a page or a profile or a handle or a handset, who was part of no one’s data, a guy who had lived in the cracks all these years, forgotten and full of rage, in a way that now registered as pure. untouched.how does the author use satire in this excerpt? the author is criticizing media censorship.the author is criticizing the idea of isolationism.the author is mocking society’s overuse of technology.the author is mocking man’s inability to freely express himself.

Read the excerpt from frederick douglass’s speech “what to the slave is the fourth of july? ”go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the old world, travel through south america, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me, that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, america reigns without a rival.what is one way that douglass achieves his purpose of persuading the reader to see his point of view? by relating as many facts and statistics to the reader as possibleby using familiar and casual language to make the reader feel comfortableby using gentle language to evoke a sense of calm and tranquilityby repeating the word “you” to directly relate to the reader