EXAMPLES OF THEMES

Before you look at the examples of themes below it will help you to learn more about what theme is and
how it affects our writing and our stories

A story without a theme is little more than a list of events.

The events themselves may be very interesting, or exciting, but without the universal human
connection, they will not engage our attention in any real way.

THEME APPEAL

Not only must it appeal to the reader, it must also appeal to you.

You must want to or even need to explore that particular theme for you to
keep writing.

Many people tend to confuse the theme of a story with the plot.

To learn about the difference between theme and plot click here.

THE PULSE OF THE STORY

Theme is the pulse of the story and if you choose correctly you will feel compelled (in a good way) to
complete your story.

If your theme is not compelling to you, it will certainly not be compelling to your readers.

So think very carefully, not just about your themes but about how you intend exploring them.

EXAMPLES OF THEMES

You might like to choose one of the following examples of themes – that appeals to you and try
writing a story about it.

Alienation – The effects of, the loneliness of, to cure it.

Ambition – getting what you want, stunted by, thwarted.

Betrayal – the pain of, in love and friendship.

Coming of age – loss of innocence.

Courage – courage to deal with conflict, lack of, developing, conquering with.

Deception – how to deceive, results of.

Discovery – what does it take to discover new places, inner meaning, strength, even treasure.
Escape – from life, routine, prison, family pressures.

Death – how to escape, facing, what happens after, consequences of.

Fear – driven by, dealing with, conquering.

Freedom – loss of, gaining, handling, fight for.

Good versus evil – survival of one despite the other, the triumph of one over the other.

Isolation – physical and emotional.

Jealousy – trouble caused by, denial of, driven by.

Justice – the fight for, injustice, truth versus justice.

Loss – of life, innocence, love, friends, to avoid.

Loneliness – no man is an island, or hell is other people.

Love – love fades, is blind, can overcome all obstacles, can

Lust – for power, for sex.

Power – the search for, the loss of, what we are willing to exchange for.

Prejudice – racism, bigotry, snobbery, dealing with.

Security – the loss of, the finding of the need for, how we act when security is shattered.

Spirituality and God – the struggle to find faith, live without faith etc.

Survival – man versus nature

CHOOSING YOUR STORY THEME – KEY POINTS

 Give a lot of thought to choosing your story theme. Remember you will need to be obsessed
with your chosen theme to keep writing about it for long periods of time.

 Being aware of your themes can help you sell your books.

For help choosing a theme click here.

CHOOSING YOUR APPROACH TO THEME

We all approach our writing ideas differently. My own methods vary from time to time. Sometimes I
decide I want to write about a particular theme and then find the story.

At other times I find the story first and the themes become apparent through the process of writing.
 Whatever your approach, it is well worth putting
some thought into it before you commit yourself to the hard work of writing out the story.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PREPARATION

Undertaking this initial preparation will save you from having to put too many of those unfinished
stories in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet.

I personally put a great deal of thought into my themes and there are some themes, like betrayal,
bullying, survival, and loneliness, that resonate with me particularly.

I have explored those several times both in non-fiction and fiction.

BULLYING, JEALOUSY, AND ISOLATION

You can see how I worked with the theme of bullying, jealousy, and isolation in my children’s story ‘The
Tree Hugger.’

I really hope these examples of themes help you.

If you have any questions or comments please use the comments box below and I will be happy to help.

Click here for Creative Writing Exercises to help kick-start your writing.

Best of luck with your writing.

Grace

P.S. All the information, exercises and tips on this site are free to you – liking, sharing or commenting all
help to support this site.

I love helping writers, but there are costs involved for me. So if you find this helpful – please use the
donate button below. All donations, big or small help keep this resource free for you and other
writers.

THEME IS PERSONAL

What is a theme is a question I am asked frequently. Particularly by younger visitors to this site.

The whole area of theme can be confusing, with some people mixing up the idea of theme with plot.
Many people read books that explore specific themes over and over again, sometimes without realizing
it.

They do this because the themes mean something to them on a personal and emotional level.

In other words, they are fully engaged in following the characters as they progress through the story.

This is why it is so important that writers understand how theme affects their work.

People tend to choose books and films based on themes – whether they are conscious of it or not.

LOVE OR REVENGE?

You might hear someone saying they enjoy love stories and revenge stories etc.

Experienced writers can build a large fan-base of readers who relate to the particular themes they
explore in their stories.

On a deep and personal level, readers relate emotionally to a book through the theme. It is important
for the writer to realize that nobody will read a book, or watch a film that they cannot relate to.

WHAT IS A THEME?

One of the biggest areas of confusion is the difference between theme and plot.

For example, the plot of a novel about marital breakdown may concern secret affairs between
neighbours, but the theme may be betrayal, love, loneliness etc.

Another story might describe the actions of passengers in a plane crash but the theme could be loss,
survival etc.

BETRAYAL

Stories can have more than one theme. The story about a plane crash could involve many themes. Was
the plane sabotaged by the pilot’s friend? Then betrayal would be a theme here.

REVENGE

If the pilot survives and returns to deal with his friend then you could be dealing with the theme of
revenge.

In the same example, there could be two newlyweds who find their love tested during their ordeal?
Then the theme could be love.

There are more examples of theme here.

 The plot is what the story is about, and the theme is how the meaning
of a story is defined.

In the above example, the story remains the same but the themes have infinite and varied possibilities.

As an author, or writer, you do not explicitly tell the reader what the themes are in your story – this
would detract from the reading experience.

SHOW DON’T TELL

You don’t want to tell your readers what the story is you want to show them.

However, you would mention the themes in your synopsis, tag-line, or on the blurb on the back of your
book.

Theme can be an important selling point as readers choose themes which appeal to them.

Instead of being told what the story is the reader, or viewer will learn almost subconsciously from
following the character’s experience.

Sometimes readers relate to a particular theme without actually identifying why that is.

The theme could be related to something from their childhood years.

It could be an incident or even a trauma.

Often it is something they have never consciously thought about.

CAN YOUR AUDIENCE RELATE TO YOUR THEME?

If nobody can relate to the experiences of the characters in your story, then frankly, nobody will care.

This applies to film and television too.

Caring about what happens to your characters is what engages your reader or viewer.

This is what makes them keep reading, or watching.

CHOOSE YOUR STORY THEMES WISELY

No matter how cleverly plotted the events in your story are, they must relate to a widely understood or
universal theme.

The reason theme is so important is because this is how a story relates to real human experience. There
is more information about choosing your theme here.

HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS WHAT MATTERS

Without a theme, a story is just a list of events. In a successful work, theme and story influence each
other and overlap.

In my own work, I am aware that I have returned to explore certain themes several times.

Survival, love, friendship and freedom are among the themes explored in my book Piggy Monk Square.

The best stories are the ones we remember long after reading.

The stories we remember longest tend to be ones that explore the grey and complex areas in the
thematic landscape.

Good stories explore questions where there can seem to be many answers – they engage us and make
us think.

Stories like this allow your audience to explore the trials and tribulations of your characters while
simultaneously absorbing the various consequences for the human condition.

These stories make your readers think.

If you have succeeded in making your readers think, then your story has succeeded on a very important
level.

Best of luck with your writing.

Grace

P.S. All the information, exercises and tips on this site are free to you and that liking, sharing or
commenting help to support this site.
I love helping writers, but there are costs involved for me. So if you find this helpful – please use the
donate button below.

You can make any donation – large or small to help keep this site going.

Another great way to show your support and make your writing great is to buy and review my book.

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your ideas flowing in minutes.

What is Theme, and Why is it Important?

NOV 17, 2014 by Sara Letourneau

published in Writing
 

 7Save

 inShare

Giving examples of themes in literature isn’t too difficult. Love, good versus evil, loss of innocence – and
the list goes on. However, what about defining the term “theme”? Or, picking out themes in your own
work? That can be more of a challenge, but it’s one you don’t have to confront alone.

Today I’m thrilled to launch Theme: A Story’s Soul, a monthly DIY MFA column that deconstructs theme
in novels and writing. Some articles will act as case studies, focusing on a particular theme in classic and
contemporary literature. Others will cover techniques to help identify themes in stories. Most
importantly, each article will end with something fun and creative for you! We’ll give you the chance to
study theme on your own with questions to ponder and writing prompts to spark new ideas.

First things first, though: Let’s make sure we understand a) what theme is, and b) why it’s important.

What Exactly Is Theme?

Knowing how to explain what “theme” means in a reading and writing context will help us find what
we’re looking for later on. A dictionary can be a good place to start – sometimes. Here are the first two
definitions Merriam-Webster gives for the word “theme”:

1. The main subject that is being discussed or described in a piece of writing, a movie, etc.

2. A particular subject or issue that is discussed often or repeatedly

Hmmmmm. As you can see, the phrasing of Definition #1 makes it dangerously easy to confuse theme
with plot. Definition #2 is more accurate; a novel’s main concepts will pop up frequently as the plot
progresses, and in various ways. However, to develop a clear understanding of theme from a reading
and writing perspective, we should consult – who else? – other writers.

Writers’ Perspectives on Theme

Author and editor C.S. Lakin has written a plethora of articles on theme at her blog Live Write Thrive.
She often calls theme “the heart of a story.” Think about that for a moment. What must theme
accomplish in order to be the heart of a story? Maybe it presents a fundamental idea or moral lesson
that the character learns as a result of the plot. Maybe it teaches the reader something as well. Even
better, maybe it does both.

Story and script consultant Michael Hauge (Writing Screenplays That Sell) offers his own take on
theme here: “[T]heme is the prescription for living that the writer wants to give the audience or the
reader.” He goes on to explain that theme is connected to the protagonist’s journey. The lessons learned
by the protagonist propel her character arc and illustrate her transformation for the readers, thus
allowing the readers to learn those lessons as well.

Let’s use the theme of home in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as an example.
During his search to destroy the Horcruxes – and, ultimately, his nemesis Lord Voldemort – Harry visits
other characters’ homes as well as the many “substitute” homes from his childhood. The idea of home
has always been foreign to Harry, an orphan who struggled with his sense of belonging throughout the
series. Yet, here’s what Harry realizes when he learns he must make the ultimate sacrifice to defeat
Voldemort and defend his beloved wizardry school Hogwarts: “He wanted to be stopped, to be dragged
back, to be sent home… But he was home. Hogwarts was the first and best home he had known.” (697)
Discovering where he truly feels at home, Harry chooses to turn himself over to Voldemort in hopes of
saving the people and place he holds dearest. His thoughts and actions here show readers that the idea
of home is worth defending, at any cost.

A Working Definition of “Theme”

Whew! All of this information from Merriam-Webster, Lakin, and Hague is a lot to digest. However, we
can take what we’ve learned and create a working definition for “theme,” one that captures all the
important points discussed above and that we can refer to in future articles for A Story’s Soul.

Theme: An idea, concept, or lesson that appears repeatedly throughout a story, reflects the
character’s internal journey through the external plot, and resonates with the reader.

So… Why Is Theme Important?

It’s great that we know what theme is now, but that’s only half the answer to our two-part question.
Why is theme important in novels and writing? Simply put: If a story lacks theme, the reader might not
connect with it.

Remember that theme is connected to the protagonist’s internal journey. It ties the character’s
concerns and passions – the character’s soul, figuratively speaking – to the external plot, while giving
readers something to care about and someone to root for. What happens when that link is missing?
What if the protagonist doesn’t have a goal to strive for? You’d have a plot that goes nowhere and
readers losing interest – in other words, a story without a soul.

Theme helps a good story become a compelling one. It represents Katniss’ incentive to fight her way
through The Hunger Games, Santiago’s desire to seek buried treasure in The Alchemist, and Frodo’s
motivation to destroy the One Ring in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Most importantly, theme allows
readers to relate to the characters and their struggles – and to feel invested in the outcome. That’s why
we read novels and write stories to begin with, right?

Come back on Monday, December 29, when we’ll explore how dissecting a novel’s title and synopsis can
help you identify its themes!

It’s Your Turn!

What are some topics you’d like to see featured at Theme: A Story’s Soul? Share your thoughts by
commenting below or tweeting me at @SaraL_Writer with the hashtag #AStorysSoul.

…………….