Literary Themes

Monday, September 5, 2022 8:44 PM

LITERARY THEMES
 Definition
• the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores
• can be conveyed using: characters, setting, dialogue, plot, or all
• can be presented by: the characters' feelings, thoughts, conversations, events, and actions
• it binds the various elements of a narrative
• often about general truths of life across cultures
• by analyzing the literary theme, you will gain more profound sense of understanding and appreciation of a text

 List of Literary Themes

1. Struggle for identity or purpose
– It talks about the concept of self, body, feminism and sexuality
○ Love, Simon
○ Mulan

2. Effects of war, terrorism, and other social evils

– It circles around war, terrorism, racial discrimination, and other misdoings in the society
○ Olympus Has Fallen
○ The Color Purple

3. Catastrophe
– It can be natural or man made
○ 2012
○ The Impossible

4. Personalized Narrative
– A personal narrative of one's real life experience
○ Catch Me If You Can
○ Life Is But A Dream

5. Effects of Technology
– It discusses about either the good side or downside of technology
○ Surrogates
○ Ender's Game

6. Effects of Capitalism
– It involves political and economic system of a business, industry, and a nation
○ The Hunger Games
○ Confessions of a Shopaholic

7. Memory and History

– It explores the notion of multiplicities of truth and acknowledge that history is filtered through human perspective and expe rience
○ Pearl Harbor
○ The Pianist

8. Migration and Diaspora

– The perception and thoughts of the people who moved from one place to another
○ Kite Runner
○ Inside Out

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