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Theme Definition

What is theme? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A theme is a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. One key characteristic of literary themes is their universality, which is to say that themes are ideas that not only apply to the specific characters and events of a book or play, but also express broader truths about human experience that readers can apply to their own lives. For instance, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath (about a family of tenant farmers who are displaced from their land in Oklahoma) is a book whose themes might be said to include the inhumanity of capitalism, as well as the vitality and necessity of family and friendship.

Some additional key details about theme:

• All works of literature have themes. The same work can have multiple themes, and many different works explore the same or similar themes.
• Themes are sometimes divided into thematic concepts and thematic statements . A work's thematic concept is the broader topic it touches upon (love, forgiveness, pain, etc.) while its thematic statement is what the work says about that topic. For example, the thematic concept of a romance novel might be love, and, depending on what happens in the story, its thematic statement might be that "Love is blind," or that "You can't buy love . "
• Themes are almost never stated explicitly. Oftentimes you can identify a work's themes by looking for a repeating symbol , motif , or phrase that appears again and again throughout a story, since it often signals a recurring concept or idea.

Theme Pronunciation

Here's how to pronounce theme: theem

Identifying Themes

Every work of literature—whether it's an essay, a novel, a poem, or something else—has at least one theme. Therefore, when analyzing a given work, it's always possible to discuss what the work is "about" on two separate levels: the more concrete level of the plot (i.e., what literally happens in the work), as well as the more abstract level of the theme (i.e., the concepts that the work deals with). Understanding the themes of a work is vital to understanding the work's significance—which is why, for example, every LitCharts Literature Guide uses a specific set of themes to help analyze the text.

Although some writers set out to explore certain themes in their work before they've even begun writing, many writers begin to write without a preconceived idea of the themes they want to explore—they simply allow the themes to emerge naturally through the writing process. But even when writers do set out to investigate a particular theme, they usually don't identify that theme explicitly in the work itself. Instead, each reader must come to their own conclusions about what themes are at play in a given work, and each reader will likely come away with a unique thematic interpretation or understanding of the work.

Symbol, Motif, and Leitwortstil

Writers often use three literary devices in particular—known as symbol , motif , and leitwortstil —to emphasize or hint at a work's underlying themes. Spotting these elements at work in a text can help you know where to look for its main themes.

• Near the beginning of Romeo and Juliet , Benvolio promises to make Romeo feel better about Rosaline's rejection of him by introducing him to more beautiful women, saying "Compare [Rosaline's] face with some that I shall show….and I will make thee think thy swan a crow." Here, the swan is a symbol for how Rosaline appears to the adoring Romeo, while the crow is a symbol for how she will soon appear to him, after he has seen other, more beautiful women.
• Symbols might occur once or twice in a book or play to represent an emotion, and in that case aren't necessarily related to a theme. However, if you start to see clusters of similar symbols appearing in a story, this may mean that the symbols are part of an overarching motif, in which case they very likely are related to a theme.
• For example, Shakespeare uses the motif of "dark vs. light" in Romeo and Juliet to emphasize one of the play's main themes: the contradictory nature of love. To develop this theme, Shakespeare describes the experience of love by pairing contradictory, opposite symbols next to each other throughout the play: not only crows and swans, but also night and day, moon and sun. These paired symbols all fall into the overall pattern of "dark vs. light," and that overall pattern is called a motif.
• A famous example is Kurt Vonnegut's repetition of the phrase "So it goes" throughout his novel Slaughterhouse Five , a novel which centers around the events of World War II. Vonnegut's narrator repeats the phrase each time he recounts a tragic story from the war, an effective demonstration of how the horrors of war have become normalized for the narrator. The constant repetition of the phrase emphasizes the novel's primary themes: the death and destruction of war, and the futility of trying to prevent or escape such destruction, and both of those things coupled with the author's skepticism that any of the destruction is necessary and that war-time tragedies "can't be helped."

Symbol, motif and leitwortstil are simply techniques that authors use to emphasize themes, and should not be confused with the actual thematic content at which they hint. That said, spotting these tools and patterns can give you valuable clues as to what might be the underlying themes of a work.

Thematic Concepts vs. Thematic Statements

A work's thematic concept is the broader topic it touches upon—for instance:

• Forgiveness

while its thematic statement is the particular argument the writer makes about that topic through his or her work, such as:

• Human judgement is imperfect.
• Love cannot be bought.
• Getting revenge on someone else will not fix your problems.
• Learning to forgive is part of becoming an adult.

Should You Use Thematic Concepts or Thematic Statements?

Some people argue that when describing a theme in a work that simply writing a thematic concept is insufficient, and that instead the theme must be described in a full sentence as a thematic statement. Other people argue that a thematic statement, being a single sentence, usually creates an artificially simplistic description of a theme in a work and is therefore can actually be more misleading than helpful. There isn't really a right answer in this debate.

In our LitCharts literature study guides , we usually identify themes in headings as thematic concepts, and then explain the theme more fully in a few paragraphs. We find thematic statements limiting in fully exploring or explaining a the theme, and so we don't use them. Please note that this doesn't mean we only rely on thematic concepts—we spend paragraphs explaining a theme after we first identify a thematic concept. If you are asked to describe a theme in a text, you probably should usually try to at least develop a thematic statement about the text if you're not given the time or space to describe it more fully. For example, a statement that a book is about "the senselessness of violence" is a lot stronger and more compelling than just saying that the book is about "violence."

Identifying Thematic Statements

One way to try to to identify or describe the thematic statement within a particular work is to think through the following aspects of the text:

• Plot: What are the main plot elements in the work, including the arc of the story, setting, and characters. What are the most important moments in the story? How does it end? How is the central conflict resolved?
• Protagonist: Who is the main character, and what happens to him or her? How does he or she develop as a person over the course of the story?
• Prominent symbols and motifs: Are there any motifs or symbols that are featured prominently in the work—for example, in the title, or recurring at important moments in the story—that might mirror some of the main themes?

After you've thought through these different parts of the text, consider what their answers might tell you about the thematic statement the text might be trying to make about any given thematic concept. The checklist above shouldn't be thought of as a precise formula for theme-finding, but rather as a set of guidelines, which will help you ask the right questions and arrive at an interesting thematic interpretation.

Theme Examples

The following examples not only illustrate how themes develop over the course of a work of literature, but they also demonstrate how paying careful attention to detail as you read will enable you to come to more compelling conclusions about those themes.

Themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald explores many themes in The Great Gatsby , among them the corruption of the American Dream .

• The story's narrator is Minnesota-born Nick Caraway, a New York bonds salesman. Nick befriends Jay Gatsby, the protagonist, who is a wealthy man who throws extravagant parties at his mansion.
• The central conflict of the novel is Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, whom he met and fell in love with as a young man, but parted from during World War I.
• He makes a fortune illegally by bootlegging alcohol, to become the sort of wealthy man he believes Daisy is attracted to, then buys a house near her home, where she lives with her husband.
• While he does manage to re-enter Daisy's life, she ultimately abandons him and he dies as a result of her reckless, selfish behavior.
• Gatsby's house is on the water, and he stares longingly across the water at a green light that hangs at the edge of a dock at Daisy's house which sits across a the bay. The symbol of the light appears multiple times in the novel—during the early stages of Gatsby's longing for Daisy, during his pursuit of her, and after he dies without winning her love. It symbolizes both his longing for daisy and the distance between them (the distance of space and time) that he believes (incorrectly) that he can bridge. 
• In addition to the green light, the color green appears regularly in the novel. This motif of green broadens and shapes the symbolism of the green light and also influences the novel's themes. While green always remains associated with Gatsby's yearning for Daisy and the past, and also his ambitious striving to regain Daisy, it also through the motif of repeated green becomes associated with money, hypocrisy, and destruction. Gatsby's yearning for Daisy, which is idealistic in some ways, also becomes clearly corrupt in others, which more generally impacts what the novel is saying about dreams more generally and the American Dream in particular. 

Gatsby pursues the American Dream, driven by the idea that hard work can lead anyone from poverty to wealth, and he does so for a single reason: he's in love with Daisy. However, he pursues the dream dishonestly, making a fortune by illegal means, and ultimately fails to achieve his goal of winning Daisy's heart. Furthermore, when he actually gets close to winning Daisy's heart, she brings about his downfall. Through the story of Gatsby and Daisy, Fitzgerald expresses the point of view that the American Dream carries at its core an inherent corruption. You can read more about the theme of The American Dream in The Great Gatsby here .

Themes in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In Things Fall Apart , Chinua Achebe explores the theme of the dangers of rigidly following tradition .

• Okonkwo is obsessed with embodying the masculine ideals of traditional Igbo warrior culture.
• Okonkwo's dedication to his clan's traditions is so extreme that it even alienates members of his own family, one of whom joins the Christians.
• The central conflict: Okonkwo's community adapts to colonization in order to survive, becoming less warlike and allowing the minor injustices that the colonists inflict upon them to go unchallenged. Okonkwo, however, refuses to adapt.
• At the end of the novel, Okonkwo impulsively kills a Christian out of anger. Recognizing that his community does not support his crime, Okonkwo kills himself in despair.
• Clanswomen who give birth to twins abandon the babies in the forest to die, according to traditional beliefs that twins are evil.
• Okonkwo kills his beloved adopted son, a prisoner of war, according to the clan's traditions.
• Okonkwo sacrifices a goat in repentence, after severely beating his wife during the clan's holy week.

Through the tragic story of Okonkwo, Achebe is clearly dealing with the theme of tradition, but a close examination of the text reveals that he's also making a clear thematic statement that following traditions too rigidly leads people to the greatest sacrifice of all: that of personal agency . You can read more about this theme in Things Fall Apart   here .

Themes in Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken

Poem's have themes just as plot-driven narratives do. One theme that Robert Frost explores in this famous poem,  The Road Not Taken ,  is the illusory nature of free will .

• The poem's speaker stands at a fork in the road, in a "yellow wood."
• He (or she) looks down one path as far as possible, then takes the other, which seems less worn.
• The speaker then admits that the paths are about equally worn—there's really no way to tell the difference—and that a layer of leaves covers both of the paths, indicating that neither has been traveled recently.
• After taking the second path, the speaker finds comfort in the idea of taking the first path sometime in the future, but acknowledges that he or she is unlikely to ever return to that particular fork in the woods.
• The speaker imagines how, "with a sigh" she will tell someone in the future, "I took the road less travelled—and that has made all the difference."
• By wryly predicting his or her own need to romanticize, and retroactively justify, the chosen path, the speaker injects the poem with an unmistakeable hint of irony .
• The speaker's journey is a symbol for life, and the two paths symbolize different life paths, with the road "less-travelled" representing the path of an individualist or lone-wolf. The fork where the two roads diverge represents an important life choice. The road "not taken" represents the life path that the speaker would have pursued had he or she had made different choices.

Frost's speaker has reached a fork in the road, which—according to the symbolic language of the poem—means that he or she must make an important life decision. However, the speaker doesn't really know anything about the choice at hand: the paths appear to be the same from the speaker's vantage point, and there's no way he or she can know where the path will lead in the long term. By showing that the only truly informed choice the speaker makes is how he or she explains their decision after they have already made it , Frost suggests that although we pretend to make our own choices, our lives are actually governed by chance.

What's the Function of Theme in Literature?

Themes are a huge part of what readers ultimately take away from a work of literature when they're done reading it. They're the universal lessons and ideas that we draw from our experiences of works of art: in other words, they're part of the whole reason anyone would want to pick up a book in the first place!

It would be difficult to write any sort of narrative that did not include any kind of theme. The narrative itself would have to be almost completely incoherent in order to seem theme-less, and even then readers would discern a theme about incoherence and meaninglessness. So themes are in that sense an intrinsic part of nearly all writing. At the same time, the themes that a writer is interested in exploring will significantly impact nearly all aspects of how a writer chooses to write a text. Some writers might know the themes they want to explore from the beginning of their writing process, and proceed from there. Others might have only a glimmer of an idea, or have new ideas as they write, and so the themes they address might shift and change as they write. In either case, though, the writer's ideas about his or her themes will influence how they write. 

One additional key detail about themes and how they work is that the process of identifying and interpreting them is often very personal and subjective. The subjective experience that readers bring to interpreting a work's themes is part of what makes literature so powerful: reading a book isn't simply a one-directional experience, in which the writer imparts their thoughts on life to the reader, already distilled into clear thematic statements. Rather, the process of reading and interpreting a work to discover its themes is an exchange in which readers parse the text to tease out the themes they find most relevant to their personal experience and interests.

Other Helpful Theme Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Theme: An in-depth explanation of theme that also breaks down the difference between thematic concepts and thematic statements.
• The Dictionary Definition of Theme: A basic definition and etymology of the term.
• In this instructional video , a teacher explains her process for helping students identify themes.

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Table of contents

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A thematic essay is a type of writing assignment that focuses on a specific theme or topic. It requires you to identify a central theme, discuss it in detail, and make connections between various facts. Your main goal is to demonstrate understanding and interpretation of the given subject matter. This type of essay is commonly used in literature classes or history exams.

If you’ve got an assignment to write a theme essay, you might wonder where you should even start from. No worries, we’ve got you covered here! The first thing you must know about this specific type of paper is that it aims to analyze a certain well-known theme and make an interesting statement about it. Here, you must explain meaning and relevance or complexity of your topic. You should summarize details that support your conclusion. In this article, we will conduct a detailed review of theme essay concept. We will also provide you a step by step guide on how to write a proper one. Let's dive right into it!  

Thematic Essay Definition

Let’s start with defining what is a thematic essay and its purpose. In this type, one should select a thesis and form unique statement related to its aspects. You should write about it, explaining or elaborating to your audience the following:

• How is your statement related to your topic?
• Which important or interesting aspects does it highlight?
• What approaches and literary devices are you using for analysis ? How do you explain your general theme? This can be comparison, metaphor, personification etc.

When composing such an essay, you must formulate and defend your statement. Here, you will demonstrate abilities of analysis and literary devices usage. At least several paragraphs would be needed to display such skills properly.

Thematic Essay Outline: What's Inside

The best way to begin is creating a theme essay outline for your topic. An outline should contain all key parts, concepts and ideas of your paper. You should put it in a sketchy but logical manner. This way you'll quickly prepare a shortened version of your assignment. It will also help you in reviewing it. Adding missing points and correcting significant mistakes would be easier at this early stage. Outline should include all main essay parts:  

• Introduction
• Thesis statement
• Body section
• Conclusion.

Keeping it brief, you should not provide complete sentences to describe your statements, ideas and arguments. A few words would suffice for each important point. Purpose is to make it readable for yourself! You should review it quickly and spot any inconsistencies.

How to Write a Thematic Essay Step-By-Step

Now it is time to focus on how to write a theme analysis essay – the complete text from scratch. Is your goal to impress readers and achieve a good grade? Then it is important that you create a proper essay structure template and don't lose any of your key questions! Stay methodical and keep it logical! Make sure your audience is engaged and don’t disappoint them in the end. Below we’ll provide a general idea for each step of this process.

Step 1. Define the Topic for Your Thematic Essay

When it comes to choosing among thematic essay topics, it is important that you pick an interesting and maybe even a controversial one. At the same time, make sure you can actually provide some meaningful input about it. Your assignment should impress readers with detailed analysis and its author’s writing skills. That's why your chosen topic must provide enough material for that.  There is a diverse choice of topics. Choose the one you are really interested in whether it is  Bullying essay  or  Happiness essay . If you need some ideas for great essay topics, feel free to check out our other articles.  

Step 2. Create a Thematic Essay Outline

We've already covered the main points of theme essay outline concept. When writing it, include all the main parts of your future work. Keep it as short as possible, one paragraph per each key point will be enough. It isn’t even necessary to describe everything with complete sentences! A few words would suffice. Once done, review it first and make necessary corrections. It is advised to review an outline several times. That's how any noticeable gaps or mistakes would be spotted early.

Step 3. Start a Thematic Essay with a Hook

A good thematic essay introduction ought to captivate readers right from the start. That’s why it is always advised to add some ‘hook’ into it. You can begin with an unexpected statement, use wordplay or a plot twist. Then you can explain this in the main body part. This way your audience would be interested to hear those explanations. As a result, your paper will have better chances of success. Apart from that, introduction should contain the main statement and some information about its content.  

Step 4. Write Body Paragraphs for Your Theme Essay

Goal of thematic essay body is to answer all the questions stated in an introduction. You must elaborate the meaning of each key idea. Finally, display your usage of literary devices, as we’ve specified earlier. Common practice is to use at least one paragraph per a literary device disclosure. Besides, the main body is the right place to use all relevant sources that can support your analysis or provide you with helpful analogies. Keep the main body logical, so that every paragraph is somehow connected to the previous and the next ones.  

Step 5. Create a Thematic Essay Conclusion

A strong thematic essay conclusion should highlight all important points from tyourhe essay while avoiding adding new facts or evidence. Just restate your thesis, answer all questions and summarize your arguments. It might be also useful to leave some final note for readers with some deeper analysis of your topic. You can also highlight the need for further exploration of the chosen theme and thus to prepare readers for your future works on this topic.  

Step 6. Proofread Your Thematic Analysis Essay

After completing theme essay, it is highly recommended to review it thoroughly, even several times if possible. The goal is to find mistakes and to spot logical gaps or missing details. Even best essays typically have inconsistencies left at the early stage. Taking a fresh look at your text often reveals some issues. If possible, ask your friends or colleagues to review your text. They might notice something you could not.  

How to Format a Thematic Essay

When it comes to thematic essay format, you need to find out what are the requirements in your assignment or which format is common in the institution you will be presenting your essay for. In case no special requirements were made for you, just choose one of the most popular formats for scholarly papers:  

• APA paper format : typically used in natural sciences, education and psychology fields
• MLA: typically used for works in humanities
• Chicago: typically used in business, history, and fine arts fields.

Thematic Essay Example

Let’s illustrate the explanations above with a few theme essay examples. We’ll provide some real ones here so that your every question would be answered. Hopefully you’ll find some inspiration in these examples for your own winning paper! The examples can be found below. Please scroll down to find them.  

Thematic Essay: Final Thoughts

In this article we have explored the theme essay concept in detail. Its central purpose and main definition were examined and a step by step guide for writing a strong one was suggested. We’ve also provided a few working examples for your convenience. Hopefully, all this information will be useful for your scholarly endeavors!

Feel free to check out our  paper writing services ! We’ve got a team of skilled writers with expertise in different literary areas, ready to help you. They deliver high quality content, always on time.  

Frequently Asked Questions About Theme Essay

1. what is the thematic statement.

A thematic statement typically takes the place of a thesis in a thematic essay. It consists of 1-2 complete sentences that express a theme which you have chosen for your work. This statement must convey the main message and also show what analysis will be done. It should be brief however as most of the details are to be provided in the main body.

2. What is the goal of thematic essay?

The thematic essay goal is to express an idea or some insights about the surrounding world and to change readers' minds about certain issues. As an author, you are expected to illustrate the team, provide all necessary explanations and conduct an analysis if needed. Besides, you typically should demonstrate familiarity with some literary interpretations and methods which are used to examine your theme.

3. How long should a theme essay be?

The minimum length of a theme essay is five paragraphs. One is for introduction, one for conclusion and remaining three for the main body. Of course, it can be more than that, depending on the depth of the theme that was chosen. The main rule is to keep your essay logical and concise, avoiding adding too many details. Otherwise your audience might get tired and the effect produced by your writing would be damaged.

4. What is a thematic essay history?

Thematic essay (history class) should be written to analyze some historical facts or significance of specific literary pieces. A typical case is examining different aspects of a controversial leader from the past or a political event that has produced a number of various important consequences. Or you might argue about a specific role of a certain book during a certain period or its influence on different nations or cultural groups.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Definition of Theme

Come, gentle night ; come, loving, black-browed night; Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night

Common Examples of Literary Themes

Famous examples of disney movies and their themes, difference between theme and subject matter, examples of theme in literature, example 1:  the yellow wall-paper  (charlotte perkins gilman).

If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency – what is one to do? My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. • So I take phosphates or phosphites whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to “work” until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good.

Example 2:  Harlem  (Langston Hughes)

What happens to a dream deferred?       Does it dry up       like a raisin in the sun ?       Or fester like a sore—       And then run?       Does it stink like rotten meat?       Or crust and sugar over—       like a syrupy sweet?       Maybe it just sags       like a heavy load.        Or does it explode?

Example 3:  A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man  (James Joyce)

I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it calls itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use — silence , exile , and cunning.

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What is a Theme: Definition and Examples

In literature, understanding themes is key to grasping the deeper meaning of a story. A theme is a central, universal idea, lesson, or message explored in a literary work. Themes are essential as they provide insight into the human condition, offering a broader truth that applies both to the fictional world and the reader’s life. In this comprehensive exploration, we dive into “what is theme” and themes in literature, uncovering their importance and impact. Get a theme definition, theme examples, learn what is a theme, and gain a deeper understanding of the significance of themes in literature, and the various ways they are woven into the fabric of literary works.

What is a Theme? Defining Themes in Literature

Themes in literature are the core concepts that stories revolve around. What is a theme? Here is a definition.

Theme definition: A theme encapsulates the central idea or message that an author conveys through their work. Authors use characters, plots, and settings to convey these ideas. Think of themes as the backbone, providing structure and meaning. Every piece of literature carries themes, waiting for readers to uncover their layers.

A theme encapsulates the central idea or message that an author conveys through their work.

Themes serve as the underlying framework that adds depth and resonance to literary works. They offer readers a lens through which to interpret the story’s events, messages, and what is a theme. Themes may not always be explicitly stated, but they create a cohesive thread that ties the narrative together and provides insight into the author’s intentions. Themes resonate with readers on a personal level, inviting them to contemplate and relate to the story’s universal truths.

The Importance of Themes in Literature

Themes like love, bravery, and survival resonate across literature. These themes create connections between readers and characters. Theme example: In To Kill a Mockingbird , the theme of fairness prompts us to question societal values. Themes bridge the gap between fiction and real life, speaking to universal struggles.

The emotional core of literary works, themes resonate with readers by touching on fundamental aspects of the human experience. They offer a lens through which we can examine our own lives, values, and beliefs. Love, courage, and survival are recurring themes that evoke empathy and draw readers into the characters’ worlds. By tapping into these universal themes, authors invite readers to reflect on their own beliefs and emotions.

Recognizing themes requires a keen eye and an understanding of the subtleties within a narrative. It involves analyzing character motivations, plot developments, and the emotions evoked by the text. By identifying themes, readers gain a deeper appreciation of an author’s intentions and the layers of meaning within the story.

Theme Examples: Common Themes in Literature

Several themes frequently appear across literary works, reflecting various aspects of the human experience:

• Conflict between nature and humanity
• Good versus evil
• Power dynamics
• Individual versus society

Theme examples: Take the classic “Romeo and Juliet,” where the theme of love’s enduring power unfolds amidst the feuding houses. Conversely, in George Orwell’s 1984 , themes of totalitarianism and resistance create a dystopian landscape. These themes connect readers to characters’ experiences, making stories relatable. In To Kill a Mockingbird , the theme of justice resonates, questioning societal fairness. Themes capture the human struggle, transcending time and culture. Love and relationships, the eternal struggle between good and evil, the transformative journey of coming of age, the dichotomy of freedom and oppression, and the evolving interplay between nature and technology – these enduring themes captivate readers across eras. 

Love and Relationships:

Exploring the complexities of human connection, love, and relationships are themes that consistently appear in literature. Whether it’s the passionate romance of Shakespeare or the modern exploration of companionship, these themes reflect our innate desire for connection.

• Theme Example: Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” uses the power of love as a theme to drive its tragic plot.

Good vs. Evil:

The eternal struggle between good and evil is a theme that captivates readers across genres. It examines morality, ethical dilemmas, and the choices characters make in the face of adversity.

• Theme Example: J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series classically explores the theme of good versus evil, portraying an eternal struggle between darkness and light, and highlighting the enduring resilience of goodness against overwhelming evil.
• Theme Example: William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” provides a profound exploration of the theme of good versus evil by illustrating how the veneer of civilization can quickly give way to the more primal instincts of power and cruelty.

Coming of Age:

The journey from youth to adulthood is a transformative experience that resonates with readers of all ages. Coming-of-age themes explore growth, self-discovery, and the challenges of transitioning into maturity.

• Theme Example: J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” is a seminal work that delves into the angst and alienation of transitioning from youth to adulthood, and the turbulent path to understanding oneself.
• Theme Example: S.E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders” is a poignant exploration of the quintessential struggles and revelations of adolescence.

Freedom and Oppression:

Themes of freedom and oppression delve into the complexities of power dynamics, social injustice, and the pursuit of liberty. Literature often serves as a platform to critique societal norms and advocate for change.

• Theme Example: In John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath,” themes of inhumanity in capitalism, and the importance of family and friendship are central.
• Theme Example: George Orwell’s “1984” explores themes of totalitarianism, freedom, and individuality.

Nature vs. Technology:

As the world evolves, so do our themes. The tension between nature and technology reflects our changing relationship with the environment and the ethical dilemmas posed by advancements in science and industry.

• Theme Example: Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” delves into the conflict between the natural human experience and the influence of advanced technology.

Themes Over Time: Analyzing Cultural and Societal Influence

Themes in literature evolve alongside societal shifts and cultural changes. From the classics to contemporary works, themes adapt to reflect the concerns and aspirations of each generation, offering insights into the collective human experience. 

Authors often revisit classic themes, applying them to contemporary contexts to shed new light on age-old concepts. For instance, the theme of identity is explored in both Shakespearean plays like “Hamlet” and more modern works like Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake.” In “Hamlet,” the protagonist’s struggle with self-identity is entwined with his quest for revenge, highlighting the tension between one’s internal perception and external expectations. On the other hand, “The Namesake” delves into the intricate layers of cultural and personal identity, following the journey of an immigrant family in a foreign land. These different interpretations of the same theme offer readers an opportunity to consider how societal shifts influence the way themes are portrayed and understood. Through these evolving themes, literature maintains its relevance, offering readers a way to explore the complexities of the human experience through a changing cultural lens.

Themes hold a mirror to society’s shifting dynamics, offering readers a lens through which to examine the perspectives and values of different eras. Just as a theme like identity takes on distinct dimensions in different time periods, themes such as love, freedom, and justice also adapt to address the unique challenges faced by each generation.

Themes are inherently tied to the cultural and societal contexts in which they emerge. By examining the historical backdrop and societal norms of a literary work, readers can uncover deeper meanings and appreciate the nuances of a theme’s exploration. By exploring themes over time, readers gain a deeper appreciation for how literature serves as a reflection of society’s evolution, inviting us to consider the parallels between the stories on the page and the world outside.

How Authors Craft Themes in Literature

Crafting themes requires a deliberate and skillful approach. Authors employ various literary devices to develop and convey themes effectively. Symbolism, allegory, motifs, and character arcs all contribute to the subtle layers of meaning that enrich a narrative and invite readers to engage on multiple levels.

Authors strategically integrate symbols, motifs, and character development to convey the underlying messages of their stories. These thematic elements work together to create a cohesive and multi-dimensional narrative. By analyzing these components, readers can uncover the author’s intentions and gain deeper insights into the story’s meaning. Themes serve as a bridge between the fictional world and readers’ personal reflections, prompting them to contemplate their own experiences and beliefs.

The Role of Reader Interpretation

By connecting personal experiences to themes, readers find deeper meaning.

Themes in literature have a remarkable ability to resonate with readers on a personal level. Themes invite readers to engage actively. They resonate differently with each person. By connecting personal experiences to themes, readers find deeper meaning.

Reader interpretation plays a vital role in the discovery of themes. As readers engage with a story, they bring their own life experiences and perspectives to the interpretation of its themes. This interaction between the narrative and the reader’s individual journey creates a deeply personal and introspective connection. Themes act as mirrors, reflecting the complexities of human nature and inviting readers to explore their own thoughts, emotions, and beliefs in relation to the story.

Educators utilize themes to engage students in critical thinking and promote literary analysis. By guiding students through the process of identifying, analyzing, and discussing themes, educators empower them to unlock the layers of meaning within a text.

Connecting with Stories on a Deeper Level

The question of “what is a theme?” finds its answer within the powerful conduits of themes in literature. Themes are integral to literature as they add depth and layers of meaning to a story. They influence how a story is written and are often subjective, allowing for personal interpretation by readers. Themes in literature serve to connect readers more deeply with the narrative, encouraging reflection on broader societal and personal issues.

Understanding themes enriches the reading experience, allowing readers to gain deeper insights into both the narrative and the human condition. Through themes, literature becomes a powerful tool for reflection and understanding, transcending time and culture to connect with readers on a profound level.

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What is a Thematic Essay?

A thematic essay is based on a specific question or theme. A writer will develop a main idea or a theme around which the whole essay will revolve. The writer answers certain questions related to the opted idea and explain using certain literary devices. These devices could be:

• Personification.
• Comparison.
• Foreshadowing.

A writer will reveal the primary subject and explain all the literary devices used in the text, and express the significance of the theme. For example, this article is itself a thematic essay as the basic purpose or the idea behind this article is to help you write an essay.

How do you write a Theme Essay?

To write a theme essay, you should follow the following tips:

• Paragraphs should be five or more depending upon the theme. A minimum requirement is five paragraphs.
• Brainstorm ideas at first.
• It must include a thesis statement or the topic sentence.
• Introduction must elaborate the thesis statement.
• Main body must discuss the literary devices used.
• Add relevant supporting details to the main body that defend your theme.
• Conclusion should be precise and finishes off the essay stating the overall significance.
• Be relevant and precise.
• Add necessary examples where needed.
• Refer to the author and avoid giving your personal opinion.

Thematic Essay Outline

The outline of a thematic essay is similar to the general essay writing. It includes an introduction, main body, and the conclusion.

How do you introduce a Thematic Essay?

Introduction is the heart of every essay. It should not involve any stories but must be relevant, precise, and interesting for the reader. An introduction will decide that the reader would further go through the essay or not. A weak introduction might not get the attention of a reader but a strong introduction will definitely get the interest of the reader. These are some basic tips that will help you in developing a strong introduction:

• Select a relevant topic.
• First sentence should be a hook statement. A good hook statement will grab the reader’s attention instantly.
• Provide necessary background information after the hook statement. This will help the readers to better understand your claims in the rest of the text.
• Now add a thesis statement. The statement should summarize the main idea or theme of the essay.
• The thesis statement should be well researched and related to the theme.

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The  body paragraphs  of a thematic essay follow strict formatting.

• Every paragraph must represent a literary device.
• Every sentence should have author’s name and his connection to the claim you are making along with a literary device.
• The easiest way to strengthen your claims is to insert examples from book.
• You can add quotations or actions relevant to the theme of the essay.
• Literary devices are necessary to use as they reduce the risk of losing the focus of the essay.
• Be precise and do not give your own opinion as this is an expository essay.

For the  conclusion:

• Never add new information to the conclusion even if it is related to the topic.
• The conclusion must summarize what you have explained in the body paragraphs.
• Use you thesis statement at first with a transition like “in a nutshell”
• Summarize the three most important claims and briefly discuss how these claims influence the thesis statement.
• Lastly, add an overall concluding sentence that gives a wide analysis of the discussion.

Animal farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm is a political allegory inspired by the rise of Soviet communism. The farm animals create a political philosophy called Animalism. It is idyllic at first, but is twisted and abused until it becomes a force of oppression used by the ruling class (the pigs).

One of the most important themes in Animal Farm is that of class conflict. Old Major encourages the animals (the working class) to rebel against the humans (the upper class leaders). Their initial attempts to create a utopian society are foiled by the power-hungry Napoleon, who declares that “some animals are more equal than others” and becomes indistinguishable from a human.

Truth becomes an important theme in the novel, particularly when Napoleon relies on the eloquent pig Squealer to spread lies in the form of propaganda. Squealer’s lies manipulate the animals and consolidate Napoleon’s power.

Animal Farm perhaps works best not as a specific allegory of the Russian Revolution but rather as a fable about the basic nature of human beings, both in isolation and in groups, which militates against any utopian ideal. What Orwellhas seized upon is precisely those qualities of animals that humans share which make such an ideal impossible—qualities such as sloth, stupidity, fear, and greed. The central irony of the fable is that although the animals initially rebel against the humans because of behavior which humans usually call “beastly,” the animals themselves, as the work progresses, become more and more like humans—that is, more and more base and beastly.

This is not the complete essay but just an extract for your guidance. This essay is based upon a novel regarding the Russian Revolution. Other topics that can be chosen are:

• Belief systems.
• Global reagents.
• History related topics.

Bottom Line

From the above example you might be clear about thematic essay. We have tried to be as clear as possible and hope that this would help you in writing a theme essay. Being a student, you must remember the above stated rules and do not forget to add at least five paragraphs in your essay. Be precise and relevant as much as you can. Do not vague as the reader would lose interest. Avoid giving your personal opinion and add the author’s name and elaborate the literary devices used. For the introduction, a hook statement would give you bonus points.

What is Theme? Definition, Examples of Theme in Literature

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is Theme? Definition, Examples of Theme in Literature

Definition of theme: The theme of a literary work is a salient abstract idea that emerges from the treatment of its subject matter. Common themes are love, war, deceit, revenge, fate, destiny, etc .

What Does Theme Mean in Literature?

What is a theme in literature? A theme is a message or abstract idea that emerges from a literary work’s treatment of its subject matter.

The theme differs from the subject itself. The subject of a work can be described in concrete terms, usually through actions.

For example,

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The subject matter is Huckleberry Finn’s adventures. The theme, however, is more of an abstract idea. The primary theme of Huck Finn, for example, is the conflict between civilization and natural life.

Theme vs. Subject

Example of Theme:

• Theme = Coming of Age.
• Subject Matter = A newcomers difficulties in moving from a small town to the big city.
• Explanation: The theme coming of age will explore the growing pains adolescents are likely to experience in the world. The subject matter for our hypothetical literary work is someone who recently moved from a small town to “the big city.”
• Theme = Pride.
• Subject Matter = The struggles of varsity football players to work together.
• Thematic Statement = It is important to maintain a balance between pride and humbleness because too much self-confidence can be destructive.
• Explanation = In this example, we see the author’s opinion regarding the theme of pride and how it relates to the work’s subject matter.

The thematic statement of a work is rarely said explicitly. Instead, people interpret it through characters, actions, and events within a book.

Thematic Concept vs. Thematic Statement

A thematic statement , however, can be read to be more of an argument about that concept. In an essay, a thematic statement would be called your thesis statement.

• Theme / Thematic Concept = Freedom.
• Thematic Statement = Freedom should be extended to all citizens of the world.

As you can see, the theme of freedom is abstract and broad, and it doesn’t have a thesis statement. The thematic statement of a work, however, will make a claim about this concept. Think of the thematic statement as being an opinion held by the author about the theme itself.

In our example above, the theme is freedom , and the thematic statement is freedom should be extended to all citizens of the world .

There are also central themes and minor themes in literary works, which are just as they sound.

• Central theme = the central or main message of a literary work.
• Minor themes = other, less important messages of a literary work.

Examples of Theme in Literature

• In Paulo Choelo’s novel, The Alchemist , the author explores the subject of fate through a person’s dreams. His thematic statement regarding dreams is that one should always follow his heart and pursue his dreams at any cost.
• In William Blake’s poem, The Poison Tree , the author explores the theme of anger. The thematic statement of the poem is if anger is not dealt with, the feeling will intensify and eventually leads to destruction.

Define theme in literature: In summation, the theme is an idea or concept that a literary work explores: love, despair, honor, etc .

The author explores the theme through the subject matter of his or her work, and when telling the story, arrives at some kind of thematic statement.

Here is a final example of theme found in the short story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry.

In “The Gift of the Magi,” Henry conveys the message that love is more important than material possessions.

• Theme: Love, charity, sacrifice.
• Subject matter: Young couple struggling financially during Christmas.
• Thematic Statement: Love is more important than material possessions.

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Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms - Definition and Examples

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Definitions

(1) In literature and composition , a  theme is the main idea of a text , expressed directly or indirectly. Adjective: thematic .

(2) In composition studies , a theme is a short essay or  composition assigned as a writing exercise. See also:

• "Composing My First College Essay," by Sandy Klem
• Five-Paragraph Essay
• Models of Composition
• Theme Writing
• What's Wrong With the Five-Paragraph Essay?

See Examples and Observations below. Also, see:

From the Greek, "placed" or "laid down"

Examples and Observations (definition #1):

• "Simply put, a story's theme is its idea or point (formulated as a generalization). The theme of a fable is its moral; the theme of a parable is its teaching; the theme of a short story is its implied view of life and conduct. Unlike the fable and parable, however, most fiction is not designed primarily to teach or preach. Its theme, thus, is more obliquely presented. In fact, theme in fiction is rarely presented at all; readers abstract it from the details of characters and action that compose the story." (Robert DiYanni, Literature . McGraw-Hill, 2002)
• Orwell's Theme(s) in the Essay "A Hanging" - " ' A Hanging ' is [George] Orwell's first distinctive work. It gives an apparently objective account of a ritualistic execution--from fixed bayonets to a bag over the head of the condemned--in which the narrator officially and actively participates. . . . At this halfway point Orwell states his theme : 'till that moment I had never realized what it means to destroy a healthy, conscious man. When I saw the prisoner step aside to avoid the puddle, I saw the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short when it is in full tide.' Instead of invoking religion, he asserts a quasi-religious sense of life's sacredness--the first expression of the instinctive humanism that characterizes all his work." (Jeffrey Meyers, Orwell: Wintry Conscience of a Generation . Norton, 2000) - "A variation on this theme occurs in several of Orwell's most famous texts containing epiphanies , moments of illumination in which the humanity of people he has hitherto viewed in terms of dehumanizing generalizations suddenly breaks through, and Orwell's perception is jarred as he understands, with a shock, that these are people like himself. . . . In the early sketch entitled ' A Hanging' (1931), Orwell describes how his idea of what it means to kill a man is altered by the Hindu prisoner's gesture of stepping aside to avoid a puddle on the way to the gallows. What the text reveals, however, is that the prisoner at first looks to Orwell like a mere insignificant object. Into this scene, well defined in terms of the prisoner's already marginal existence, breaks the unexpected gesture, making Orwell (or the Orwellian narrative persona ) realize that the prisoner is alive, just as he is . . . . This chronicle is generally interpreted along the lines Orwell lays down, as the revelation of the barbarity of execution, but its primary meaning, I believe, is another. An inferiorized human being has for an instant become a genuine person in the eyes of one of the masters." (Daphne Patai, The Orwell Mystique: A Study in Male Ideology . University of Massachusetts Press, 1984)
• The Themes of the Novel Charlotte's Web - " Themes are subject to readers' interpretation, so different individuals may identify different themes in the same book; the dominant idea or theme, however, should be apparent to readers. " Charlotte's Web offers many layers of meaning to readers. Younger children are apt to understand this book as an animal fantasy. Older children are ready to apprehend the cycle of life and death, while adults recognize the irony in a situation that gives one character credit for the creativity of another. This is why we recommend using Charlotte's Web in the third or fourth grade, when children are ready to understand its major theme ." (Barbara Stoodt et al., Children's Literature:Discovery for a Lifetime . Macmillan, 1996) - "Identifying theme is typically a bit more difficult perhaps because theme is often confused with plot summary or motif . . . . ' Charlotte's Web (White, 1952) is a story about a pig whose life is saved by a spider' is not a theme statement! It is a plot statement. ' Charlotte's Web is a story about friendship' is also not a theme statement! Rather, it is a statement identifying one of the most important motifs in the story--friendship. 'A theme in Charlotte's Web is that true friendship involves responsibilities as well as privileges' is a theme statement!" (R. Craig Roney, The Story Performance Handbook . Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001) - "Besides mortality itself, throughout many idyllic scenes [in Charlotte's Web ] Andy [White] dabbed colorful spots of melancholy. He translated the song sparrow's aria as 'sweet, sweet, sweet interlude' and informed the reader that it referred to life's brevity. Crickets harped on the same theme . But overall Andy's theme was the joy of being alive, of reveling in the moment with visceral attention. What seemed like two themes were really one." (Michael Sims, The Story of Charlotte's Web . Walker, 2011)
• The Difference Between Plot and Theme "If you sometimes confuse plot with theme , keep the two elements separate by thinking of theme as what the story is about, and plot as the situation that brings it into focus. You might think of theme as the message of the story--the lesson to be learned, the question that is asked, or what it is the author is trying to tell us about life and the human condition. Plot is the action by which this truth will be demonstrated." (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, quoted by Kenneth John Atchity and Chi-Li Wong in Writing Treatments That Sell , rev. ed. Henry Holt, 2003)
• Thesis and Theme "The thesis is the main point you are trying to argue [in a composition ]: for instance, that abortion is every woman's right or that housing discrimination is wrong. The theme , on the other hand, is a motif established by orchestrated connotative language that reinforces the thesis. Theme differs from thesis in that theme relies on inference and suggested meaning rather than on direct statement." (Kristin R. Woolever, About Writing: A Rhetoric for Advanced Writers . Wadsworth, 1991)

Pronunciation: THEEM

• Definition and Examples of Theme-Writing
• Definition and Examples of Progymnasmata in Rhetoric
• Definition and Examples of Formal Essays
• Unity in Composition
• Definition and Examples of Composition-Rhetoric
• Learn How to Use Extended Definitions in Essays and Speeches
• Advanced Composition
• Specificity in Writing
• Panegyric (Rhetoric)
• Monologues in Speech and Composition
• Padding and Composition
• What Is Tone In Writing?
• dramatism (rhetoric and composition)
• What Is Clarity in Composition?
• Definition and Examples of Analysis in Composition

• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Use Themes

I. What is Theme?

One of the first questions to ask upon hearing someone has written a story is, “What’s it about?” or “What’s the point?” Short answers may range from love to betrayal or from the coming of age to the haziness of memory. The central idea, topic, or point of a story, essay, or narrative is its theme .

II. Examples of Theme

A man, fueled by an urge for power and control due to his own pride, builds a supercomputer. That supercomputer then takes over the world, causing chaos and struggle galore.

This sci-fi style story contains many common themes. A few of its themes include:

• Danger of excessive pride
• The risky relationship between humankind and developing technology

A boy and a girl fall in love. The boy is forced to join the army and fights to survive in a war-torn country as his beloved waits at home. When he returns from war, the two are united and married.

The love story also has many common themes in literature:

• The power of true love
• Fate, which sometimes tears lovers apart and then joins them together

As can be seen from these examples, themes can range widely from ideas, as large as love and war, to others as specific as the relationship between humankind and technology.

III. Types of Theme

Just as a life is not constantly immersed in love, the pursuit of knowledge, or the struggle of the individual versus society, themes are not always constantly present in a story or composition. Rather, they weave in and out, can disappear entirely, or appear surprisingly mid-read. This is because there are two types of themes: major and minor themes.

a. Major Themes

Major themes are, just as they sound, the more important and enduring themes of the narrative. Major themes are the most significant themes of the story, and often they are a part of the entire story. A book on war would have the major theme of war’s effect on humanity, whereas a romance novel would have the major theme of love.

b. Minor Themes

Minor themes are, on the other hand, less important and less enduring. They may appear for part of the narrative only to be replaced by another minor theme later in the narrative. They provide discussion points for a chapter or two, but do not color the entire story. A book on war may have minor themes such as the home front’s reaction to war or the political aspects of war. A romance novel may have minor themes such as flirtation, marriage, and fidelity.

IV. The Importance of Using Theme

The importance of using theme in narrative is unparalleled. The theme is the underlining idea an author is trying to convey to an audience. A story without major ideas for the character and reader to experience, think through, and learn from is not a story at all. A story, by its very nature, must have a theme, sometimes many major and minor themes, all throughout. Themes are the ideas book clubs, poets, playwrights, literature students, film enthusiasts, movie-makers, and creative writers mull over in-depth. They are the meaning behind the entire story, the deeper reasons that the story has been written and shared.

V. Examples of Theme in Literature

Theme is a prominent element in literature. Here are a few examples of theme in poetry and prose:

“i carry your heart with me(i carry it in)” by E. E. Cummings:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling)                                                       i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you   here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart   i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

This poem’s major theme is clear: love. Minor themes include fate, togetherness, and desire.

Atonement by Ian McEwan is an example of a novel whose theme is its title. Here are a few revealing excerpts:

How can a novelist achieve atonement when, with her absolute power of deciding outcomes, she is also God? There is no one, no entity or higher form that she can appeal to, or be reconciled with, or that can forgive There is nothing outside her. In her imagination she has set the limits and the terms. No atonement for God, or novelists, even if they are atheists. It was always an impossible task, and that was precisely the point. The attempt was all.

This section reveals the main theme of atonement along with other minor themes such as the life of the writer and forgiveness.

VI. Examples of Theme in Pop Culture

Just as literary narratives require themes, songs, movies, and television shows do as well. Here are a few examples of theme in pop culture:

The trailer shows that the main theme of Godzilla is nature, as a powerful and destructive force to be reckoned with. Other themes include the human effect on nature, fear of the unknown, and hubris.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

The main theme of this movie is positivity in the face of a bad day, as they happen to all of us. Other themes include family, perseverance, and love.

VII. Related Terms

Because themes encompass main ideas in a narrative, they have many similar elements which do similar things for a narrative. Here are a few examples:

“And the moral of the story is…” As many fables and tales go, morals are a necessary element. They are the main message or lesson to be learned from reading a cautionary story. Although themes and morals are both major ideas in a story, they are different in that themes do not necessarily serve to teach a lesson, whereas morals always do. A theme is simply an idea to be examined, whereas a moral is a clear lesson to be learned. Here is an example of theme versus moral:

Love others the way you would like to be loved.

Whereas the theme is simply an idea, the moral is a message and instruction.

Motifs work in a story to emphasize the theme, and for this reason, is sometimes confused with the theme. Motifs are recurring images, objects, or ideas that highlight the theme. Here is one example of how motif works with theme:

A man is struggling with regret throughout a story. Motifs like dark dreams, repetitive thoughts, and dark lighting emphasize the mood and pervasiveness of the regret.

Whereas the theme is a larger idea, the motifs are smaller elements of a story which repeat in order to reflect that idea.

VIII. In Closing

Themes are the ideas that run through narratives, enlivening them with deeper meaning to be found in real life and fiction alike. They create stories that are not dull but compelling and emotional.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, definition of theme.

As a literary device, theme is the central topic or idea explored in a text. Usually the theme of a work of literature can be stated in one word, such as “love” or “solitude.” A work of literature can, and often does, have more than one theme. The theme is generally not stated explicitly in the text, but instead is expressed through the characters’ actions, words, and thoughts.

Thematic Concept vs. Thematic Statement

The definition of theme can be broken into two categories: the thematic concept of a work and the thematic statement. The thematic concept refers to what a reader understands the work to be about, while the thematic statement refers to what the work says about that subject in question. The thematic concept thus is usually an abstract concept, like “love” or “solitude” as we said before, while the thematic statement usually is a sentence highlighting the argument of the piece of literature. The thematic statement often comments on the way the human condition affects or is affected by the abstract concept of the theme. For example, the theme of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace is stated directly in the title—war and peace. The thematic statement could be something about the irrationality of human decision-making in times of both war and peace, and the search for the meaning of life in the face of this irrationality.

Common Examples of Theme

• Many politicians craft a message about their campaign around a central theme. In 2008, American presidential candidate Barack Obama used the themes of “hope” and “change” to energize voters.
• Brands also sometimes relate their advertising campaigns around a theme. For example, in 1947, advertisers for De Beers came up with the slogan “A diamond is forever.” Connecting the theme of immortality with the theme of love, De Beers made it so that any man who wished to display his everlasting love for a woman had to buy a diamond. De Beers effectively created the tradition of the diamond engagement ring.

In both of these cases, the thematic concepts were so strong and convincing that they overcame oppositional arguments. In the case of De Beers, men were suddenly expected to spend two months of their salary on a diamond ring, which until that time would have been considered ludicrous.

Significance of Theme in Literature

All works of literature contain some sort of theme. Themes are generally universal in nature, and relate to the condition of being human. Thus the theme in a work of literature crosses boundaries and makes a story meaningful to people to any culture or age. While readers may not understand all the references and language in a book from a different time period or culture, the theme of the novel is what makes it comprehensible.

Examples of Theme in Literature

IAGO: Oh, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on.

( Othello by William Shakespeare)

Much of the dramatic action in Othello hinges on the jealousy that Othello feels toward his wife, Desdemona. In this excerpt, Othello’s best friend, Iago, warns him of being jealous (the metaphor of jealously as a green-eyed monster is such a famous quote that it created the idea that a person could be “green with envy”). Ironically, Iago is the one who creates this jealousy and feeds it.

In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy.

( 1984 by George Orwell)

George Orwell’s novel 1984 contains multiple references to power and manipulation. Orwell had been a firsthand witness to the propaganda put out during wartime in the 1930s and 1940s, and saw how officials in different countries manipulated stories to keep themselves in power and prove their legitimacy. This theme example presents the concept of “2+2=5” to show that the Party in power will try to make citizens believe even things that are obviously and unequivocally wrong. Orwell reiterates this theme later when the main character, Winston, ends up tracing “2+2=5” in the dust of a café table after he has been fully indoctrinated in the Party’s propaganda.

The gypsy was inclined to stay in the town. He really had been through death, but he had returned because he could not bear the solitude.

( One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez)

There are many themes in Gabriel García Márquez’s epic work One Hundred Years of Solitude , but the titular theme of solitude reoccurs many times throughout the novel. This is a theme that García Márquez states explicitly, and the characters in the novel have many different attitudes toward it. In this example of theme, a man has died and come back to life “because he could not bear the solitude.” The solitude of death is worse than the pain of life for the man. However, many characters actually seek solitude in life and find that the state of being alive is inseparable from a state of solitude. The characters try to connect over love, family, and duty, yet find themselves always and inextricably alone.

JOHN PROCTOR: Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!

( The Crucible by Arthur Miller)

Arthur Miller wrote his play The Crucible as a response to the scare tactics of the McCarthy era. As he saw his friends and peers being labeled as communists and blacklisted, Miller turned to the Salem witch-hunt as a model to artistically address the situation. One of the key themes both during the McCarthy era and in The Crucible is reputation and “having a good name.” At the end of the play, John Proctor refuses to admit to witchcraft to save his life. When asked why, he gives an impassioned speech about the importance of reputation, considering it even more important than life itself.

Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.

( Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling)

J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series contains the major theme of good versus evil. Even more important than this, though, is the theme of love. Over the course of the series, Harry Potter learns that he is alive because of his mother’s love, and the sacrifice she made for him. This love, in J. K. Rowling’s conception, is so powerful that it resists the ultimate evil. And, indeed, Lord Voldemort is evil precisely because he is both unable to feel love and unable to grasp its significance. In this quote from the final installment of the series, Dumbledore tells Harry that living without love is the greatest hardship of all.

Test Your Knowledge of Theme

1. What is the correct theme definition? A. The “big idea” that is explored in a work of literature. B. What the author explicitly states is important. C. A refrain that characters say. [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #1″] Answer: A is the correct answer.[/spoiler]

2. Look at the following excerpts from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby . What theme do they expound upon?

Why they came East I don’t know. They had spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together.

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

I lived at West Egg, the – well, the least fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them.

A. Boredom B. Wealth and class C. Resentment [spoiler title=”Answer to Question #2″] Answer: B is the correct answer.[/spoiler]

3. Which of the following excerpts from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is an example of the theme of compassion?

When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake. But don’t make a production of it. Children are children, but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ’em.

After my bout with Cecil Jacobs when I committed myself to a policy of cowardice, word got around that Scout Finch wouldn’t fight any more, her daddy wouldn’t let her. This was not entirely correct: I wouldn’t fight publicly for Atticus, but the family was private ground.

First of all,” he said, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

[spoiler title=”Answer to Question #3″] Answer: C is the correct answer.[/spoiler]