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Literary Elements: Theme
A central idea which unifies the whole literary work.
An expression of the works possible meaning.
A story can have more than one theme.
Different readers may find one theme more intriguing or more important than
another.
Theme is like Thesis
In a non-fiction work, the thesis expresses the central idea. A writer offers a
position statement -- a thesis -- expressing his or her attitude on a problem or
question and then proves or supports that position. (Thesis).
In a work of fiction, the theme is somewhat like a thesis, although there may be
multiple themes.
Looking for Theme
Look for some truth or insight which the writer reveals (Kennedy and Gioia
176).
Express that insight in your own complete sentence and make that sentence
general enough to be universal, though not so general that your comment could
apply to any story.
Avoid boiling all down to the moral of the story. Although some writers do
have a didactic (a teaching) purpose, many writers are not necessarily trying to
teach moral lessons. Instead, they are often simply commenting on life or sharing
a personal/philosophical observation.
Still looking for theme. . . .
The other literary elements in a short story, such as plot, point of view, setting,
and character all contribute to the whole, to the communication of a storys theme
(or themes): Remember, a story can have more than one theme. You and I dont
have to present the same interpretation of a story. What fun would that be?
By analyzing the other elements, one can gradually come up with an idea about
the larger meaning of a story, about the theme.
Confusing Aspects of Theme
The adjective thematic is used to label topics which relate to theme. If a theme
seems to focus on nature, for example, one might find the word nature on a
thematic list.
Theme is usually presented indirectly through the elements or strategies of fiction.
A "thematic statement" is something the reader creates after the story, like a thesis
statement in an essay. Themes are interpretive in nature; although an author may
introduce a thematic element into a work, the response of the reader also
contributes.
Any given work will have multiple meanings. For example, Margaret Atwood's
"Happy Endings" is a treatise about how one should savor the development of
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one's life, and move beyond its structure to focus on its meaning, or a treatise on
how to write, or both--all depending upon one's reading of the work.
In working with theme, be aware of the following. Be careful to distinguish
subjects from themes, a necessary skill much like the need to distinguish between
topics and theses. A theme tells how the subject is developed within the work
Finally, a theme is applicable outside the written work, not only with the world
created by the narrative; it is a generalization. A work may contain several
themes, or none that may be determined. The author's claim is not definitive and
neither is the reader's: there may be many potential themes in a work. Finally,
some themes may be descriptive rather than prescriptive, exposing problems
rather than offering solutions.
Related Web Sites
Dodd, David. Motif and Theme Index to The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics. <
http://arts.ucsc.edu/GDead/AGDL/motif.html > Dec. 22, 1999.
This site offers an ongoing project to annotate and place Grateful Dead lyrics
into thematic categories. It is an excellent example of a topic list.
Works Cited
Kennedy, X. J. and Dana Gioia, eds. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and
Drama. New York: Longman, 1999. 175-177.
Peterson, D.K. Theme. Wayne State University. September 3, 2002.
http://www.english.wayne.edu/~peterson/Fiction/elements.html#theme
Theme. A Handbook to Literature. Holman, C. Hugh and William Harmon, eds. New
York: MacMillan, 1986.
Thesis. A Handbook to Literature. Holman, C. Hugh and William Harmon, eds. New
York: MacMillan, 1986.

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