Theme

A theme is the central idea, message, or insight within a literary work.​

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It should not be confused with the topic or main idea which tell what the story is about. A theme—the author’s message about the topic—can be expressed in a sentence.

​​Fiction writers often develop the theme through setting, characterization, and plot.

Characterization is the description of the characters. The behaviors, motivations, emotions, and interactions of characters can be clues to a story’s theme.​

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The plot is the sequence of events in a story. Plots are driven by one or more conflicts that the characters face. The types of conflicts and the ways in which characters deal with them give clues to a story’s theme.

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​The setting is the time and place in which characters live. Historical and cultural effects of the setting (such as war, famine, or social inequality) may give clues to a story’s theme.

​• What do I know about the characters and their interactions?

• What is the story’s setting?

What effect, if any, does it have on the characters?

• What conflicts are presented in the plot?

• How do characters deal with the conflicts?

• What do characters learn from the conflicts?