definition of theme in creative writing

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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.

• Internal Rhyme
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Climax (Figure of Speech)
• Deus Ex Machina
• Rhyme Scheme
• Antimetabole
• Common Meter

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

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

Many works of literature share common themes and central ideas. As a literary device, theme allows the author to present and reveal all aspects of human nature and the human condition. This enhances the enjoyment and significance of a literary work for readers by encouraging thought, interpretation, and analysis. Discovery and analysis of theme is also one of the primary reasons that readers return to “classic” literary works that are centuries old. There is no end or expiration to the significance and impact theme can have on readers of literature.

Famous Examples of Disney Movies and Their Themes

Difference between theme and subject matter.

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the difference between the theme and subject matter of a literary work. They are both closely related to each other; however, the subject matter is the topic that is overtly addressed and presented by the writer whereas the theme is the meaning or underlying message that is imparted through the writing.

Examples of Theme in Literature

As a literary device, the purpose of theme is the main idea or underlying meaning that is explored by a writer in a work of literature. Writers can utilize a combination of elements in order to convey a story’s theme, including setting , plot , characters, dialogue , and more. For certain works of literature, such as fables , the theme is typically a “ moral ” or lesson for the reader. However, more complex works of literature tend to have a central theme that is open to interpretation and reflects a basic aspect of society or trait of humanity. Many longer works of literature, such as novels, convey several themes in order to explore the universality of human nature.

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.

In her short story , Charlotte Perkins Gilman holds forth a revolutionary theme for the time period. The protagonist of the story is kept in a room with sickly yellow wall-paper as a means of “curing” her emotional and mental difficulties. Her husband, brother, and others are committed to keeping her idle. She is even separated from her baby. Rather than allow the narrator any agency over her daily life, they disregard her words and requests for the fact that she is a woman and considered incompetent.

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?

Hughes’s well-known poem explores the universality of hope and dreams among humans and the devastating legacy of oppression in deferring such hope and dreams. Hughes structures the poem in the form of questions and responses addressing what happens to a dream deferred. This calls on the reader to consider their own dreams as well those of others, which underscores the theme that dreams, and the hope associated with them, is universal–regardless of race, faith, etc.

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.

Explore more:

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• What is Literature of the Absurd?
• Mary Oliver: The Enduring Wisdom of Her Nature-Inspired Poetry
• The Color Purple: A Journey of Empowerment and Resilience
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Meanwhile, at Dreamers…

2024 micro nonfiction story writing contest results.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Dreamers Micro Nonfiction Story Writing Contest, for nonfiction stories between 100-300 words.

2024 Place and Home Contest Results

Congratulations to the winners of the Dreamers 2024 Place and Home Contest, based on the theme of migration, place & home.

When someone asks you “What is this book about?” , there are a few ways you can answer. There’s “ plot ,” which refers to the literal events in the book, and there’s “character,” which refers to the people in the book and the struggles they overcome. Finally, there are themes in literature that correspond with the work’s topic and message. But what is theme in literature?

The theme of a story or poem refers to the deeper meaning of that story or poem. All works of literature contend with certain complex ideas, and theme is how a story or poem approaches these ideas.

There are countless ways to approach the theme of a story or poem, so let’s take a look at some theme examples and a list of themes in literature. We’ll discuss the differences between theme and other devices, like theme vs moral and theme vs topic. Finally, we’ll examine why theme is so essential to any work of literature, including to your own writing.

But first, what is theme? Let’s explore what theme is—and what theme isn’t.

Common Themes in Literature: Contents

• Theme Definition

20 Common Themes in Literature

• Theme Examples

Themes in Literature: A Hierarchy of Ideas

Why themes in literature matter.

• Should I Decide the Themes of a Story in Advance?

Theme Definition: What is Theme?

Theme describes the central idea(s) that a piece of writing explores. Rather than stating this theme directly, the author will look at theme using the set of literary tools at their disposal. The theme of a story or poem will be explored through elements like characters , plot, settings , conflict, and even word choice and literary devices .

Theme definition: the central idea(s) that a piece of writing explores.

That said, theme is more than just an idea. It is also the work’s specific vantage point on that idea. In other words, a theme is an idea plus an opinion: it is the author’s specific views regarding the central ideas of the work. 

All works of literature have these central ideas and opinions, even if those ideas and opinions aren’t immediate to the reader.

Justice, for example, is a literary theme that shows up in a lot of classical works. To Kill a Mockingbird contends with racial justice, especially at a time when the U.S. justice system was exceedingly stacked against African Americans. How can a nation call itself just when justice is used as a weapon?

By contrast, the play Hamlet is about the son of a recently-executed king. Hamlet seeks justice for his father and vows to kill Claudius—his father’s killer—but routinely encounters the paradox of revenge. Can justice really be found through more bloodshed?

What is theme? An idea + an opinion.

Clearly, these two works contend with justice in unrelated ways. All themes in literature are broad and open-ended, allowing writers to explore their own ideas about these complex topics.

Let’s look at some common themes in literature. The ideas presented within this list of themes in literature show up in novels, memoirs, poems, and stories throughout history.

Theme Examples in Literature

Let’s take a closer look at how writers approach and execute theme. Themes in literature are conveyed throughout the work, so while you might not have read the books in the following theme examples, we’ve provided plot synopses and other relevant details where necessary. We analyze the following:

• Power and Corruption in the novel Animal Farm
• Loneliness in the short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”
• Love in the poem “How Do I Love Thee”

Theme Examples: Power and Corruption in the Novel Animal Farm

At its simplest, the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell is an allegory that represents the rise and moral decline of Communism in Russia. Specifically, the novel uncovers how power corrupts the leaders of populist uprisings, turning philosophical ideals into authoritarian regimes.

Most of the characters in Animal Farm represent key figures during and after the Russian Revolution. On an ailing farm that’s run by the negligent farmer Mr. Jones (Tsar Nicholas II), the livestock are ready to seize control of the land. The livestock’s discontent is ripened by Old Major (Karl Marx/Lenin), who advocates for the overthrow of the ruling elite and the seizure of private land for public benefit.

After Old Major dies, the pigs Napoleon (Joseph Stalin) and Snowball (Leon Trotsky) stage a revolt. Mr. Jones is chased off the land, which parallels the Russian Revolution in 1917. The pigs then instill “Animalism”—a system of government that advocates for the rights of the common animal. At the core of this philosophy is the idea that “all animals are equal”—an ideal that, briefly, every animal upholds.

Initially, the Animalist Revolution brings peace and prosperity to the farm. Every animal is well-fed, learns how to read, and works for the betterment of the community. However, when Snowball starts implementing a plan to build a windmill, Napoleon drives Snowball off of the farm, effectively assuming leadership over the whole farm. (In real life, Stalin forced Trotsky into exile, and Trotsky spent the rest of his life critiquing the Stalin regime until he was assassinated in 1940.)

Napoleon’s leadership quickly devolves into demagoguery, demonstrating the corrupting influence of power and the ways that ideology can breed authoritarianism. Napoleon uses Snowball as a scapegoat for whenever the farm has a setback, while using Squealer (Vyacheslav Molotov) as his private informant and public orator.

Eventually, Napoleon changes the tenets of Animalism, starts walking on two legs, and acquires other traits and characteristics of humans. At the end of the novel, and after several more conflicts , purges, and rule changes, the livestock can no longer tell the difference between the pigs and humans.

Themes in Literature: Power and Corruption in Animal Farm

So, how does Animal Farm explore the theme of “Power and Corruption”? Let’s analyze a few key elements of the novel.

Plot: The novel’s major plot points each relate to power struggles among the livestock. First, the livestock wrest control of the farm from Mr. Jones; then, Napoleon ostracizes Snowball and turns him into a scapegoat. By seizing leadership of the farm for himself, Napoleon grants himself massive power over the land, abusing this power for his own benefit. His leadership brings about purges, rule changes, and the return of inequality among the livestock, while Napoleon himself starts to look more and more like a human—in other words, he resembles the demagoguery of Mr. Jones and the abuse that preceded the Animalist revolution.

Thus, each plot point revolves around power and how power is wielded by corrupt leadership. At its center, the novel warns the reader of unchecked power, and how corrupt leaders will create echo chambers and private militaries in order to preserve that power.

Characters: The novel’s characters reinforce this message of power by resembling real life events. Most of these characters represent real life figures from the Russian Revolution, including the ideologies behind that revolution. By creating an allegory around Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, and the other leading figures of Communist Russia’s rise and fall, the novel reminds us that unchecked power foments disaster in the real world.

Literary Devices: There are a few key literary devices that support the theme of Power and Corruption. First, the novel itself is a “satirical allegory.” “ Satire ” means that the novel is ridiculing the behaviors of certain people—namely Stalin, who instilled far-more-dangerous laws and abuses that created further inequality in Russia/the U.S.S.R. While Lenin and Trotsky had admirable goals for the Russian nation, Stalin is, quite literally, a pig.

Meanwhile, “allegory” means that the story bears symbolic resemblance to real life, often to teach a moral. The characters and events in this story resemble the Russian Revolution and its aftermath, with the purpose of warning the reader about unchecked power.

Finally, an important literary device in Animal Farm is symbolism . When Napoleon (Stalin) begins to resemble a human, the novel suggests that he has become as evil and negligent as Mr. Jones (Tsar Nicholas II). Since the Russian Revolution was a rejection of the Russian monarchy, equating Stalin to the monarchy reinforces the corrupting influence of power, and the need to elect moral individuals to posts of national leadership.

Theme Examples: Loneliness in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

Ernest Hemingway’s short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is concerned with the theme of loneliness. You can read this short story here . Content warning for mentions of suicide.

There are very few plot points in Hemingway’s story, so most of the story’s theme is expressed through dialogue and description. In the story, an old man stays up late drinking at a cafe. The old man has no wife—only a niece that stays with him—and he attempted suicide the previous week. Two waiters observe him: a younger waiter wants the old man to leave so they can close the cafe, while an older waiter sympathizes with the old man. None of these characters have names.

The younger waiter kicks out the old man and closes the cafe. The older waiter walks to a different cafe and ruminates on the importance of “a clean, well-lighted place” like the cafe he works at.

Themes in Literature: Loneliness in “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

Hemingway doesn’t tell us what to think about the old man’s loneliness, but he does provide two opposing viewpoints through the dialogue of the waiters.

The younger waiter has the hallmarks of a happy life: youth, confidence, and a wife to come home to. While he acknowledges that the old man is unhappy, he also admits “I don’t want to look at him,” complaining that the old man has “no regard for those who must work.” The younger waiter “did not wish to be unjust,” he simply wanted to return home.

The older waiter doesn’t have the privilege of turning away: like the old man, he has a house but not a home to return to, and he knows that someone may need the comfort of “a clean and pleasant cafe.”

The older waiter, like Hemingway, empathizes with the plight of the old man. When your place of rest isn’t a home, the world can feel like a prison, so having access to a space that counteracts this feeling is crucial. What kind of a place is that? The older waiter surmises that “the light of course” matters, but the place must be “clean and pleasant” too. Additionally, the place should not have music or be a bar: it must let you preserve the quiet dignity of yourself.

Lastly, the older waiter’s musings about God clue the reader into his shared loneliness with the old man. In a stream of consciousness, the older waiter recites traditional Christian prayers with “nada” in place of “God,” “Father,” “Heaven,” and other symbols of divinity. A bartender describes the waiter as “otro locos mas” (translation: another crazy), and the waiter concludes that his plight must be insomnia.

This belies the irony of loneliness: only the lonely recognize it. The older waiter lacks confidence, youth, and belief in a greater good. He recognizes these traits in the old man, as they both share a need for a clean, well-lighted place long after most people fall asleep. Yet, the younger waiter and the bartender don’t recognize these traits as loneliness, just the ramblings and shortcomings of crazy people.

Does loneliness beget craziness? Perhaps. But to call the waiter and old man crazy would dismiss their feelings and experiences, further deepening their loneliness.

Loneliness is only mentioned once in the story, when the young waiter says “He’s [the old man] lonely. I’m not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me.” Nonetheless, loneliness consumes this short story and its older characters, revealing a plight that, ironically, only the lonely understand.

Theme Examples: Love in the Poem “How Do I Love Thee”

Let’s turn towards brighter themes in literature: namely, love in poetry . Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “ How Do I Love Thee ” is all about the theme of love.

Themes in Literature: Love in “How Do I Love Thee”

Browning’s poem is a sonnet , which is a 14-line poem that often centers around love and relationships. Sonnets have different requirements depending on their form, but between lines 6-8, they all have a volta —a surprising line that twists and expands the poem’s meaning.

Let’s analyze three things related to the poem’s theme: its word choice, its use of simile and metaphor , and its volta.

Word Choice: Take a look at the words used to describe love. What do those words mean? What are their connotations? Here’s a brief list: “soul,” “ideal grace,” “quiet need,” “sun and candle-light,” “strive for right,” “passion,” “childhood’s faith,” “the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life,” “God,” “love thee better after death.”

These words and phrases all bear positive connotations, and many of them evoke images of warmth, safety, and the hearth. Even phrases that are morose, such as “lost saints” and “death,” are used as contrasts to further highlight the speaker’s wholehearted rejoicing of love. This word choice suggests an endless, benevolent, holistic, all-consuming love.

Simile and Metaphor: Similes and metaphors are comparison statements, and the poem routinely compares love to different objects and ideas. Here’s a list of those comparisons:

The speaker loves thee:

• To the depths of her soul.
• By sun and candle light—by day and night.
• As men strive to do the right thing (freely).
• As men turn from praise (purely).
• With the passion of both grief and faith.
• With the breath, smiles, and tears of her entire life.
• Now in life, and perhaps even more after death.

The speaker’s love seems to have infinite reach, flooding every aspect of her life. It consumes her soul, her everyday activities, her every emotion, her sense of justice and humility, and perhaps her afterlife, too. For the speaker, this love is not just an emotion, an activity, or an ideology: it’s her existence.

Volta: The volta of a sonnet occurs in the poem’s center. In this case, the volta is the lines “I love thee freely, as men strive for right. / I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.”

What surprising, unexpected comparisons! To the speaker, love is freedom and the search for a greater good; it is also as pure as humility. By comparing love to other concepts, the speaker reinforces the fact that love isn’t just an ideology, it’s an ideal that she strives for in every word, thought, and action.

“Theme” is part of a broader hierarchy of ideas. While the theme of a story encompasses its central ideas, the writer also expresses these ideas through different devices.

You may have heard of some of these devices: motif, moral, topic, etc. What is motif vs theme? What is theme vs moral? These ideas interact with each other in different ways, which we’ve mapped out below.

Theme vs Topic

The “topic” of a piece of literature answers the question: What is this piece about? In other words, “topic” is what actually happens in the story or poem.

You’ll find a lot of overlap between topic and theme examples. Love, for instance, is both the topic and the theme of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “How Do I Love Thee.”

The difference between theme vs topic is: topic describes the surface level content matter of the piece, whereas theme encompasses the work’s apparent argument about the topic.

Topic describes the surface level content matter of the piece, whereas theme encompasses the work’s apparent argument about the topic.

So, the topic of Browning’s poem is love, while the theme is the speaker’s belief that her love is endless, pure, and all-consuming.

Additionally, the topic of a piece of literature is definitive, whereas the theme of a story or poem is interpretive. Every reader can agree on the topic, but many readers will have different interpretations of the theme. If the theme weren’t open-ended, it would simply be a topic.

Theme vs Motif

A motif is an idea that occurs throughout a literary work. Think of the motif as a facet of the theme: it explains, expands, and contributes to themes in literature. Motif develops a central idea without being the central idea itself .

Motif develops a central idea without being the central idea itself.

In Animal Farm , for example, we encounter motif when Napoleon the pig starts walking like a human. This represents the corrupting force of power, because Napoleon has become as much of a despot as Mr. Jones, the previous owner of the farm. Napoleon’s anthropomorphization is not the only example of power and corruption, but it is a compelling motif about the dangers of unchecked power.

Theme vs Moral

The moral of a story refers to the story’s message or takeaway. What can we learn from thinking about a specific piece of literature?

The moral is interpreted from the theme of a story or poem. Like theme, there is no single correct interpretation of a story’s moral: the reader is left to decide how to interpret the story’s meaning and message.

For example, in Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” the theme is loneliness, but the moral isn’t quite so clear—that’s for the reader to decide. My interpretation is that we should be much more sympathetic towards the lonely, since loneliness is a quiet affliction that many lonely people cannot express.

Great literature does not tell us what to think, it gives us stories to think about.

However, my interpretation could be miles away from yours, and that’s wonderful! Great literature does not tell us what to think, it gives us stories to think about, and the more we discuss our thoughts and interpretations, the more we learn from each other.

The theme of a story affects everything else: the decisions that characters make, the mood that words and images build, the moral that readers interpret, etc. Recognizing how writers utilize various themes in literature will help you craft stronger, more nuanced works of prose and poetry .

“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.” —Herman Melville

Whether a writer consciously or unconsciously decides the themes of their work, theme in literature acts as an organizing principle for the work as a whole. For writers, theme is especially useful to think about in the process of revision: if some element of your poem or story doesn’t point towards a central idea, it’s a sign that the work is not yet finished. 

Moreover, literary themes give the work  stakes . They make the work stand for something. Remember that our theme definition is an idea plus an opinion. Without that opinion element, a work of literature simply won’t stand for anything, because it is presenting ideas in the abstract without giving you something to react to. The theme of a story or poem is never just “love” or “justice,” it’s the author’s particular spin and insight on those themes. This is what makes a work of literature compelling or evocative. Without theme, literature has no center of gravity, and all the words and characters and plot points are just floating in the ether. 

Should I Decide the Theme of a Story or Poem in Advance?

You can, though of course it depends on the actual story you want to tell. Some writers certainly start with a theme. You might decide you want to write a story about themes like love, family, justice, gender roles, the environment, or the pursuit of revenge.

From there, you can build everything else: plot points, characters, conflicts, etc. Examining themes in literature can help you generate some strong story ideas !

Nonetheless, theme is not the only way to approach a creative writing project. Some writers start with plot, others with character, others with conflicts, and still others with just a vague notion of what the story might be about. You might not even realize the themes in your work until after you finish writing it.

You certainly want your work to have a message, but deciding what that message is in advance might actually hinder your writing process. Many writers use their poems and stories as opportunities to explore tough questions, or to arrive at a deeper insight on a topic. In other words, you can start your work with ideas, and even opinions on those ideas, but don’t try to shoehorn a story or poem into your literary themes. Let the work explore those themes. If you can surprise yourself or learn something new from the writing process, your readers will certainly be moved as well. 

So, experiment with ideas and try different ways of writing. You don’t have think about the theme of a story right away—but definitely give it some thought when you start revising your work!

Develop Great Themes at Writers.com

As writers, it’s hard to know how our work will be viewed and interpreted. Writing in a community can help. Whether you join our Facebook group or enroll in one of our upcoming courses , we have the tools and resources to sharpen your writing.

Sean Glatch

18 comments.

Sean Glatch,Thank you very much for your discussion on themes. It was enlightening and brought clarity to an abstract and sometimes difficult concept to explain and illustrate. The sample stories and poem were appreciated too as they are familiar to me. High School Language Arts Teacher

Hi Stephanie, I’m so glad this was helpful! Happy teaching 🙂

Wow!!! This is the best resource on the subject of themes that I have ever encountered and read on the internet. I just bookmarked it and plan to use it as a resource for my teaching. Thank you very much for publishing this valuable resource.

Hi Marisol,

Thank you for the kind words! I’m glad to hear this article will be a useful resource. Happy teaching!

Warmest, Sean

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What is Theme? A Look at 20 Common Themes in Literature | writers.com

Hello! This is a very informative resource. Thank you for sharing.

farrow and ball pigeon

This presentation is excellent and of great educational value. I will employ it already in my thesis research studies.

John Never before communicated with you!

Brilliant! Thank you.

[…] THE MOST COMMON THEMES IN LITERATURE […]

marvellous. thumbs up

Thank you. Very useful information.

found everything in themes. thanks. so much

In college I avoided writing classes and even quit a class that would focus on ‘Huck Finn’ for the entire semester. My idea of hell. However, I’ve been reading and learning from the writers.com articles, and I want to especially thank Sean Glatch who writes in a way that is useful to aspiring writers like myself.

You are very welcome, Anne! I’m glad that these resources have been useful on your writing journey.

Thank you very much for this clear and very easy to understand teaching resources.

Hello there. I have a particular question.

Can you describe the exact difference of theme, issue and subject?

I get confused about these.

I love how helpful this is i will tell my class about it!

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• Scriptwriting

What is Theme in Literature and Film? Definition and Examples

• Point of View
• Protagonist
• Deus ex Machina
• Foreshadowing
• Iambic Pentameter
• Juxtaposition
• Personification
• Red Herring
• Alliteration
• Connotation
• Onomatopoeia
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W hat is theme? In simplest terms, a theme is the subject of a story. But that definition actually does more harm than good in fully understanding how themes work. In this article, we’re going to look at some common misconceptions about themes, then we’ll break down how to use them in screenwriting, with examples from Lost , A Clockwork Orange , and more.

But before we jump into some examples, let’s quickly go over a theme definition strictly in regards to film.

Theme in Film

How to define theme in literature & film.

Themes can be communicated in cinema in two ways: auditorily and visually. They can be blended into both categories, or expounded upon in either sense. In literature, themes are restricted to the page.  As such, it’s impossible to create thematic overtones with visuals in books.

But before we dive too deep into the intricacies of how themes are uniquely used in film, let’s start with a theme definition.

THEME DEFINITION

What is theme.

A theme is an idea which is present throughout an artistic work. It may never explicitly be mentioned, but a theme typically informs most of what occurs in a story.

Think love for example: love may be the topic , but learning to love yourself may be the theme .

Themes are used to communicate important ideas and messages about issues that face the characters and the setting of a narrative.

Characteristics of Themes

• There are Major and Minor Themes
• Major Themes are Central to the Story
• Minor Themes Support the Major Theme

Articulating themes can be a little tricky. That’s largely due to how broadly we generalize the term “theme” in everyday conversation. Love, war, death, isolation, etc., these are not themes -- they’re topics. Many, myself included, fall into the trap of conceptualizing these ideas into themes without considering what the point of their use could be. A theme cannot be a theme unless it says something about the topic. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of how to differentiate topics and themes in popular works of art:

Example:  Beauty and the Beast

• Topic: Vanity
• Theme: True beauty is on the inside not out

Example in poetry:  The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

• Topic: Romantic frustration
• Theme: The modern world can lead to isolation and disillusionment

Now let’s do a quick example of a film’s major and minor themes.

Example:  The Godfather  

• Major Theme: Humanity vs. nature
• Minor Theme: Blind ambition can lead to a man’s downfall

Related Posts

• What is a Trope? →
• How to Use Motifs in Film? →
• What is a MacGuffin in Screenwriting? →

Types of themes

Common themes in art.

Because themes can be large and open-ended ideas that aren’t specific to one type of person or story, there are many common types of themes that you’ll see again and again. Two stories may be completely different in all narrative and aesthetic aspects, but they can still have overlapping themes.

Let’s look at a few common theme subtypes.

Few themes are more universal than family, and so it should come as no surprise that it comes up again and again. Often, themes of family are complicated with morality, finding your own identity, and societal pressure.

As such, familial themes can take very different approaches. Some stories may look at the dark side of blind loyalty to your own blood, while other stories focus on the heart-warming power of familial bonds.

Coming of age

The bildungsroman is one of the most common story structures . Whether we like it or not, we all grow up, and so we can all relate in some way to a coming of age story.

Coming of age themes can include the loss of innocence, nature vs. nurture, the evolution of friendships, and how one learns about the world. All of these themes can arise when watching a character grow up.

Good vs. Evil

This is arguably the most basic type of theme there is, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in insight or complexity. First off, how do we define “good”? How do we define “evil”? Who decides on these definitions? And are these definitions correct?

Even a cursory glance at any of these questions can invite you into a rabbit hole of moral and ethical gray areas. That’s intriguing for any work of art.

Another universal theme type. There are countless angles a theme can take on love. A few examples include the blurry line between love and obsession, the toll of pursuing love above all else, the true meaning of love, and the power of platonic love.

As you may be able to tell, love themes don’t have to be limited to romances. Love can be interrogated in horrors, mysteries, comedies, and much more.

Fate vs. free will

The battle between fate and free will has existed since as long as people have been telling stories. Humans obsess over the binary, wondering how much control we really have over our lot in life.

These themes can often involve religious ideas as well. For example, Christians have long discussed fate vs. free will in the context of God’s role in our lives.

These are only a few types of themes, but to make a comprehensive list would be to make a list that never ends.

• What is a fable? →
• What are literary devices? →
• What are common movie themes? →

Theme Examples

Themes in literature, movies, and more.

Now that we know what a theme is, and the different kinds of themes there are, let’s look at a few examples of themes in various kinds of art.

“Lost” — Science vs. faith

Yes, even network television has themes, and Lost deals with themes of the most profound variation. One of the most enduring themes of all-time is the battle between reason vs. faith. Perhaps the most obvious example of this thematic conflict put to use in television is John Locke vs. Jack Sheppard in Lost.

Jack represents scientific reason. Locke represents actionable faith.

This moral difference causes conflict between the two characters. Not just any type of conflict though, thematic conflict -- something that digs far deeper than physical confrontations and connects to the central topic of the series. 

“Clockwork Orange” — Societal conformity

The central theme of A Clockwork Orange is the inescapability of conformity. We see this theme communicated throughout the film in wardrobing, props, and character arc . But what are the other types of themes? 

One of the more unique minor topics of the film is sexuality. Let’s take a look at a scene from the script for A Clockwork Orange to see how Stanley Kubrick built a sexual theme.

Minor Theme Examples  •  A Clockwork Orange

What can we infer from this scene? Well for starters, we can certainly say that there’s something purposeful about Kubrick’s choice of props. A sword fight involving a Beethoven bust and a phallic statue is certainly something you don’t see everyday -- hopefully ever. So what’s the point of writing in these uber-specific props? The props are meant to establish the theme of carnal, masculine domination.

“The Crying of Lot 49” — Paranoia

One of Thomas Pynchon’s most famous novels focuses on the nature of paranoia, how it manifests, and how it affects American society. Pynchon works his theme into how he writes his prose, inserting surreal tangents that add shadowy elements to everyday interactions.

Like with the best themes, there are no easy answers provided by Pynchon’s investigation. But while we may only leave with more questions, we also leave with a more nuanced understanding of paranoia and how it affects us all.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” — Societal change

Speaking of the unanswerability of certain themes: When Bob Dylan asks when social change will finally come, he responds, “The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.”

With his song, Dylan looks at the universal injustices occurring in societies around the world, and throughout human history. While there is hope in the lyrics, there is also ambivalence and frustration. How can problems that have existed for centuries be finally resolved?

How to use irony

Irony is an incredibly powerful tool to sharpen your themes. But irony is a widely misunderstood, and misused, term. So what does it actually mean, and how can you use it? We look at types of irony and their role in storytelling.

Up Next: 3 Types of Irony →

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Theme in Literature: Definition and Examples

by Kaelyn Barron

Anything that is worth reading was written with a purpose, a message that the writer wanted to share with the world.

We can see this in everything from short poems to children’s books. (Don’t tell me you’re not moved by Dr. Seuss!)

Some writing might be a bit more shallow. It can be enjoyable to read from time to time, but it doesn’t carry a universal message that will last in our minds.

This universal message is known as a theme, and it tells us something about our shared human experience.

Definition of Theme

The theme of a literary work is its central message or idea, usually expressed indirectly through its characters, plot, and symbolism .

In fact, a large part of what makes reading pleasurable is uncovering this central message.

Unlike a story’s subject, which is simply the foundational topic, a theme contains an opinion about a larger idea and can be applied universally (not just to that specific story).

For example, a novel’s subject might be war, but its theme could be the author’s opinion that war is destructive and foolish. Many books can have war as their subject while having very different themes.

Theme vs. Motif

A motif is a recurring idea, object, or image in a literary work. Motifs carry symbolic significance and contribute to the overall theme of the work. They are often conveyed through repeated imagery or language.

Once you can identify motifs in a work of literature, you’re one step closer to understanding its theme. Think of motifs as little hints that readers can follow to figure out the greater meaning of a work, and to determine what the story means to them.

Examples of Theme in Literature

Nathaniel hawthorne’s the scarlet letter.

Sin and guilt are two of the major topics explored in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter . Much like Adam and Eve’s story in the Bible, Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin (their affair) leads to exile and suffering, although it is Hester who receives almost all of the public’s backlash.

Hester is ostracized by Puritan society, but her experience actually leads her through personal growth and toward a greater understanding of others, while Puritan society experiences zero growth or change.

Dimmesdale, on the other hand, is burdened by his guilt, but only takes responsibility for his part in the affair as he is dying. Thus, it would appear that Hawthorne is suggesting that guilt and remorse mean nothing unless they are paired with action.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

All of the characters in The Great Gatsby are attracted by the “American Dream,” the idea that anything—wealth, social mobility, happiness—is achievable as long as you work hard for it.

Gatsby spent his life trying to make money and obtain more possessions with the hope that this would make him good enough and worthy enough of Daisy’s love.

But despite despite all of his extraordinary wealth and flashy parties, Gatsby ultimately loses his dream before he can ever hold it. Thus, readers are left to wonder if the “American Dream” is even attainable at all. Is it something worth striving for, or will chasing it only bring us to ruin?

Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

In Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms , Henry and Catherine find temporary solace from their problems in each other (Catherine is mourning the death of her fiancé, while Henry wants to avoid any talk of the war).

However, their feelings quickly develop into real love and they begin to plan a life together, far from the war-torn Italian countryside in the safety and tranquility of the Swiss mountains.

Yet no matter how strong, their love and happiness can never be more than temporary. This relationship between love and pain is one of the key themes found in the novel, as well as many of Hemingway’s other novels that deal with the subject of war or post-war life.

William Golding’s Lord of the Flies

In  Lord of the Flies , William Golding shows us that when left alone to fight for survival, brutal human instincts will kick in, even in children.

Jack, for example, quickly becomes obsessed with power and declares himself the island’s totalitarian leader. Even those who try to maintain their sense of civilized humanity, like Piggy and Ralph, get lost in the hysteria of Simon’s murder.

More than just a story of boys stranded on an island,  Lord of the Flies  carries a deeper message through its theme, one that expresses the author’s views on human nature as being inherently bad.

How to Identify Theme

In order to find a story’s theme, it’s important to examine other elements in the story, such as its characters, setting, plot, and main conflict.

Summarize the story as simply as you can. In 1–2 sentences, what is this story about?

Then, try answering the following questions. Your answers should help you to extract the larger, universal theme from the story:

• What problem does the main character face?
• What does the main character learn?
• What have you learned from the story/What does this all mean to you?

Theme Statements

When writing a literary analysis essay, you might be asked to discuss a work’s theme. In this case, a thematic statement might serve as the thesis of your paper.

A thematic statement expresses the story’s universal theme in a complete sentence. It takes the simple keywords or phrases, such as “war and destruction” or “the elusive nature of the American Dream,” and expands them, while still remaining universal.

The story should not be referenced directly in the thematic statement (nor should any of the characters or other specific elements).

Here’s an example of a thematic statement that builds on the theme we discussed from  The Great Gatsby  above:

The American Dream is an elusive myth; striving for it only leads to disappointment and destruction.

You should be able to support your thematic statement with evidence and examples from the text.

The statement doesn’t have to reflect  your  personal opinions; it only needs to be evident that this is what the text and author are trying to say.

Theme: The Big Picture

Understanding theme is an essential part of reading. Sure, you could just read the words on the page and take them for what they are; but if you don’t try to look a little deeper, you might miss the author’s point, which is  what inspired them to write in the first place.

What are some of your favorite literary themes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• Motif in Literature: Definition and Examples
• Symbolism: Common Examples in Life and Literature
• Story Structure: Building Your Narrative
• What is Creative Writing? Types, Techniques, and Tips

As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

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Literary Devices

Literary devices, terms, and elements, definition of theme, thematic concept vs. thematic statement, common examples of theme, significance of theme in literature, 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)

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)

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.

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.

Test Your Knowledge of Theme

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]

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]

• 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.

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Understanding Theme: Definitions, Tips & Examples

What is theme, how to identify theme, tips on exploring theme, theme examples in literature, application of theme in writing.

Imagine you're reading a book, watching a movie, or even listening to a song. You notice there's a common thread, a recurring idea that seems to tie everything together. That's what we call a theme. This blog will help you understand the definition of theme, how to spot it, and how to apply it in different contexts.

Let's start by exploring the definition of theme. A theme is the main idea or underlying message that an author wants to communicate. It's what gives a story depth, making it more than just a sequence of events. Themes can be big ideas like love, power, or justice, or they can be more specific, like the struggle for survival in a dystopian world.

Definition: Theme in Literature

When it comes to literature, the definition of theme goes a bit deeper. It's not just about the main idea—it's also about how that idea is explored and developed throughout the story. This could be through the characters' actions, the plot developments, or even the setting. Here's a little more detail:

• Characters: Characters can embody a theme, with their actions and decisions reflecting the main idea. For example, in the Harry Potter series, the theme of friendship is often highlighted through the actions and interactions of Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
• Plot: The events that unfold in the story can also reflect the theme. In The Hunger Games, the theme of survival is evident in the dangerous, life-or-death competition that forms the plot's backbone.
• Setting: Sometimes, the setting itself can underscore the theme. Consider the harsh, unforgiving landscapes in Cormac McCarthy's The Road, which mirror the theme of survival in a post-apocalyptic world.

Definition: Theme in Other Art Forms

Now that we've got the literary definition of theme sorted, let's see how it applies to other art forms. Just like in literature, a theme in a movie, song, or painting is the central idea or message.

• Movies: In movies, the theme can be conveyed through dialogue, visual elements, and plot. In Pixar's Inside Out, for example, the theme of managing emotions is brought to life through the anthropomorphized feelings of a young girl.
• Songs: A song's theme can be expressed through lyrics, melody, and rhythm. The Beatles' "All You Need is Love" is a clear example of a song with a theme of love.
• Paintings: In paintings, themes can be depicted through color, composition, and subject matter. Van Gogh's Starry Night, for example, conveys themes of hope and beauty amidst darkness.

So there you have it: the definition of theme in a nutshell. Whether you're reading a book, watching a movie, or admiring a painting, you're likely to encounter a theme. Recognizing it can enrich your understanding and appreciation of the work. But how exactly do you identify a theme? Well, that's a topic for another section.

Now that we've got the definition of theme under our belt, let's look at how you can identify it in a piece of work. Recognizing the theme isn't about finding a secret code or cracking a complex puzzle—it's about paying attention to the details and seeing how they fit together.

Look at the Big Picture

Here's a tip: don't get too caught up in the individual events or elements. Instead, try to look at the big picture. What is the overall message the author or creator wants to convey? For instance, if you notice that a story revolves around characters overcoming obstacles, the theme might be perseverance or resilience.

Pay Attention to Recurring Ideas

Themes often reveal themselves through repetition. If an idea or concept keeps popping up, it's likely a theme. In the Harry Potter series, for example, themes of friendship, bravery, and self-sacrifice emerge again and again—through the characters' actions, the challenges they face, and the choices they make.

Consider the Characters' Journey

The characters' journey can also shed light on the theme. Ask yourself: what do the characters learn? How do they change? If a character starts off as a selfish individual but learns to care for others, the theme could be the transformational power of love or empathy.

Reflect on the Title

Believe it or not, the title of a work can sometimes give you a hint about the theme. Take "To Kill a Mockingbird" for instance. It's not just about literal birds—it's a metaphor for the loss of innocence, which is a major theme in the book.

Remember, identifying the theme isn't an exact science—it's more about interpretation. There's often more than one theme in a work, and different people might pick up on different themes. What's important is that you're thinking critically and delving deeper into the work. And who knows? You might just discover a theme that resonates with you on a personal level.

By now, you should have a solid understanding of what a theme is and how to identify it. Let's now dive into some practical tips for exploring theme, shall we? Exploring theme is like being a detective—you're looking for clues, piecing together evidence, and making connections.

Stay Open-Minded

First things first: keep an open mind. Themes aren't always obvious, and they can be complex and multi-faceted. Don't try to force a theme onto a work; let it reveal itself to you. And remember, it's okay to change your mind about a theme as you delve deeper into a work.

Look for Symbolism and Metaphors

Symbolism and metaphors are often used to represent themes. For instance, a storm might symbolize a character's internal turmoil, or a journey might represent personal growth. Keep an eye out for these symbolic elements—they can give you insights into the theme.

Analyze the Setting

The setting of a work can say a lot about its theme. Does the story take place in a peaceful countryside or a bustling city? These choices aren't random; they're chosen to enhance the theme. A peaceful countryside setting, for instance, might tie into a theme of simplicity or tranquility.

Think About the Conflict

Conflict is a key part of any story, and it often ties into the theme. What kind of conflicts do the characters face? Are they internal (within themselves) or external (with others)? These conflicts can provide clues to the theme.

Exploring theme is not just about understanding a work better—it's also about understanding yourself. When a theme resonates with you, it can make you see things from a new perspective, challenge your beliefs, or even inspire you to make a change. So next time you read a book or watch a movie, don't just follow the plot—dive into the theme as well.

Now that we've covered the definition of theme and offered some tips on how to explore it, let's look at some examples from literature. Keep in mind that themes can be varied and nuanced, and a single work can have multiple themes. Here are a few examples to illustrate:

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a prime example of a work with multiple themes. The novel explores themes of racism and injustice, shown through the trial of Tom Robinson, an innocent black man wrongly accused of a crime. The theme of childhood innocence is also prominent, as seen through the eyes of Scout, the young narrator.

Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" is another classic brimming with themes. The relentless pursuit of the white whale by Captain Ahab explores themes of obsession and revenge. The vast, unpredictable ocean symbolizes the mystery and insignificance of human life in the face of nature.

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" uses the romantic relationships of its characters to explore themes of love, class, and, as the title suggests, pride and prejudice. It's a story that highlights the dangers of making assumptions and the power of overcoming personal biases.

These examples demonstrate how themes can provide a deeper layer of meaning to a work. They can challenge us, make us think, and engage with us on an emotional level. So, the next time you pick up a book, pay a little extra attention to the theme. You might be surprised at what you discover!

Now that we've seen some examples of themes in literature, let's talk about how you can apply this concept to your own writing. Themes aren't just for novels—they can enhance any piece of writing, making it more engaging and meaningful. Here are a few strategies to help you integrate themes into your work:

Choosing Your Theme as a Starting Point

One way to approach theme in your writing is to choose it right at the start. For instance, you might decide you want to write about friendship, love, or courage. That doesn't mean your piece has to be solely about that theme, but it can serve as a guiding principle to shape your characters, plot, and message.

Developing Theme Through Characters

Your characters can be instrumental in expressing your chosen theme. Their actions, dialogue, and experiences can reflect the central theme. For instance, if your theme is betrayal, a character could be betrayed, be the betrayer, or struggle with loyalty.

Using Symbolism to Highlight Theme

Symbolism can be a powerful tool to highlight your theme. Objects, settings, or even characters can symbolize your theme, adding an additional layer of meaning. For example, if you're exploring the theme of freedom, a bird taking flight could serve as a potent symbol.

Keep in mind that the theme is not something to be shoehorned into your writing. Instead, it should emerge naturally as your story unfolds. It's the heart of your piece, the thread that ties everything together. So, the next time you sit down to write, think about your theme. It might just be the spark that brings your writing to life.

If you're looking to further develop your understanding of theme and apply it to your own projects, consider checking out the workshop ' Documentary Treatment: The Last Act ' by Reshelshah. This workshop will not only help you grasp the importance of theme but also guide you in crafting a compelling documentary treatment with a strong thematic focus.

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What is a Theme in Literature? || Definition & Examples

"what is a theme in literature": a literary guide for english students and teachers.

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What is a Theme in Literature? Transcript (English and Spanish subtitles available in video. Click HERE for the Spanish transcript)

By J.T. Bushnell , Novelist and Oregon State University Senior Lecturer in Literature

15 March 2021

Be yourself. We’ve all heard it before, but is it good advice?

Well, sure, except that it’s maybe a little too simplistic to cover every situation. Yes, be yourself—unless you don’t know who that is, or unless you think it’s someone different from who you actually are, or unless you’ve got too many selves to be all of them at once, or unless you’re mean or selfish or closed-minded or conceited or dishonest, in which case—yeah, go ahead and work on that.

Usually, the more we look at an issue, the more we can see the complexity lurking behind the easy answers, and the less useful we find simplistic advice, like be yourself . That’s why the best stories and novels usually try to avoid it. Instead, they show the big, complicated questions beneath the advice, like how do you know who you are , and where does identity come from? They develop themes, in other words. Not morals.

A theme is a central, unifying idea. It’s the bigger issue that emerges as the characters pursue their goals. It has less to do with whether they’ll win the race, or get the date, or find the treasure, and more to do with the deeper questions and conflicts about identity, philosophy, or morality that arise during their attempts.

A moral, on the other hand, is a message, a recommendation for how to live. They can be useful for children, who need guidance and simplicity to make sense of the world, but usually the more we experience the world for ourselves, the more these simplistic answers feel unsatisfying, even insulting. What good is advice like “be yourself,” when the “self” inside us is still emerging, and ambiguous, and half-finished, and full of contradictions?

There's a famous writer and writing teacher named John Gardner, and this is what he had to say about it: "By 'theme' we do not mean 'message--a word no good writer likes applied to his work." There's another famous writer named Anton Chekhov, and here's how he said it: "You are confusing two concepts, the solution of the problem and the correct formulation of the problem. Only the second is required of the artist." In other words, it’s not a writer’s job to answer the world’s difficult questions, only to show those questions clearly with their stories.

chekhov_on_theme.jpg

In the story “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro, for example, a girl growing up on a farm gets nudged from the traditionally masculine activities she enjoys, such as doing outdoor chores with her father, to the traditionally feminine activities she doesn’t, such as helping her mother in the kitchen. She rebels, trying to stay in her father’s world, but then, near the end , when he’s trying to chase down a mare he wants to slaughter, he orders the girl to close a gate, and she swings it open instead. In doing so, she’s still rebelling. She’s refusing to trap the girl horse as she herself refuses to be trapped by her gender. But she’s also choosing sides—and choosing the female side instead of her father’s—which the father then uses as proof that she’s, quote, "just a girl."

what_is_a_theme.jpg

So what’s the story’s theme? Well, one perfectly valid answer would be “gender roles.” That’s the deeper issue that emerges from the action. It’s what the story is about. But if you want to take it further, you could also state the theme as a more complex and specific question about that topic. How do gender roles define who we are? How legitimate is that definition? Are gender roles cultural or innate? What are the consequences of enforcing them and participating in them? These are the more specific, complex versions of the story’s theme.

But the story never recommends what to do about any of this. It doesn’t make a case for defying gender roles or accepting gender roles. It doesn’t show you how to live with them or escape them. It doesn’t offer any moral.

Why not? Well, probably because there are no easy answers to these questions, not in life and not in the story, which is why I think it’s appropriate to phrase themes as questions. The best stories honor the difficulty of these questions by demonstrating them clearly, with all their maddening mystery and complexity intact, rather than slapping on some half-valid answer. That’s what makes a story “true” even when it’s fiction, and it’s why it’s so important for us to understand a story’s theme rather than searching in vain for a moral.

Want to cite this?

MLA Citation: Bushnell, J.T.. "What is a Theme in Literature?" Oregon State Guide to English Literary Terms, 15 Mar. 2021, Oregon State University, https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/wlf/what-theme . Accessed [insert date].

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What is a Theme?

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.

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.

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.

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 .

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.

You won’t be sorry because Practical Creative Writing Exercises is packed full of inspiring exercises to get your ideas flowing in minutes.

Never Be Stuck Again!

  get ebook from amazon.com ,  get ebook from amazon.co.uk, get paperback from amazon.com, get paperback from amazon.co.uk, share this:, 5 responses to what is a theme.

Hmm it looks like your site ate myy first comment (it wwas super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up whwt I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to tthe whole thing.

Do you have any helpful hintrs for rookie blog writers? I’d redally appreciate it.

Hi Kindrea, Thanks for your comments and I am so glad you like the site. I would advise you to make appointments in your diary and write as much as you can. Best wishes, Grace

It is eye-opening to me as to what a theme is. Thank you.

thnx a lot after reading your Article i have made changes in my site and keep doing hard work

I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to tthe whole thing.

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The Young Writer’s Ultimate Guide to Writing Theme

You want your stories to matter, but you have the nagging sensation that they don’t. You know that you have a great message to share, but in the back of your head, you’re pretty sure that you come across as preachy instead of meaningful. 

You may have heard before that the theme of your novel is important, that the theme is what causes stories to be memorable. But you may not even know what theme is or how it helps. 

Or maybe you do know about writing theme. You may have attended conferences or read books. You’ve tried to learn all you can but still feel like the intricacies of the theme are totally beyond your grasp, and you end up feeling discouraged.

All the learning in the world doesn’t help unless you know how to implement it. 

If any of this sounds like you, you have come to the right place! In this post, I will define theme (and its counterpart: the thematic question) for you and give you five relevant and straightforward tips you can write into your current novel project. Writing a theme in your fiction is deep and complex, but it is not impossible. 

You, young writer, can write a profound and memorable theme. 

Keep reading to find out how. 

First, What is a Theme, And Why Does It Matter?

My favorite definition of theme that boils it down to its most concise form is K.M. Weiland’s definition from her fantastic book Writing Your Story’s Theme :

“Theme is a unifying idea or subject, explored via recurring patterns and expanded through comparisons and contrasts.” 

According to this definition, a theme is a universal idea or principle that unifies the entirety of your book. A theme should not be too specific, relating only to your character’s situation. 

For example, if your character learns that their magic powers are dangerous to others, it may be tempting to consider this the theme for your book. But it is essential to realize that while this may be interesting for the reader so far as the character goes, they will eventually forget it because it can’t be applied to their lives. 

Secondly, theme unifies your book. A lot of writers discuss the importance of plot vs. character, but the truth is that the Big Three–plot, characters, and theme–working together are what makes a story run and work and become incredibly memorable. 

Look at it this way: the plot is the outward action, the characters are the people the action happens to, and the theme is why these are happening. Every single one of your scenes should not only tie together in cohesive plot strings and help develop a character arc, but they should also have a thematic purpose by comparing and contrasting to the theme. 

This definition should give you a general understanding of the theme, but what on earth does it look like to implement this in your writing?  How do you even go about finding a theme?

I’m so glad you asked because there’s something that you need to do before you even begin writing your theme, and that is discovering it!

Develop a Thematic Question

If the theme is the answer to some problem in life, then there is an implicit question that the theme is answering. It’s easy to try to jump right into the thematic principle of your story, but dwelling on the question is what will really make the book memorable for your reader.

Think of it like this: if you answer your question right away in your story, the reader has no reason to read your book and little reason to remember it! You may also come across as preachy or over-simplistic because the answer came so quickly, when the topic you were discussing may have been painful and even tricky. 

For example, say you are dealing with depression as your theme. If you jump right in the first chapter by saying that Jesus is the answer to depression, readers will be turned off because the answer came so quickly. But if you dwell on the difficulties of the question, then the readers will feel you have done justice to the weighty topic that depression is.

So you need to develop a thematic question for your story. For discovering your thematic question, according to the  YWW program director, Josiah DeGraaf, it may be helpful to ask yourself what questions you personally are grappling with, what questions are struggles in current events, and what question your story may already be lending itself to be asking.

 But it’s not enough to simply find a thematic question. You then take that question and make it a hard question. Don’t let it be one with a simple yes or no answer. 

Make the reader need to know what the answer is, and then keep them wondering until the very end of your book. 

The Promise of Jesse Woods is an excellent example of this. The book’s thematic question is, “Do we need to be the savior?” But Chris Fabry, the author, does not come straight out and tell us this. 

Instead, he gives us a protagonist, Matt, who has moved to a new town and made some new friends who desperately need him. Matt wants to help, and in fact, he does help… until he comes face to face with a situation that he can’t seem to fix.

Now, years later, Matt is returning to that hometown because one of his friends is again in trouble, and he is the only one who can help, right? 

Notice how the story’s plot plays right into the theme by setting the stage for the thematic events to unfold. As the story goes along, we realize that Matt, as a character, is already predisposed to grapple with this question. Chris Fabry gives us dozens of situations where Matt feels like he has to save people, animals, or even the baseball team’s records.

This weaves the plot, characters, and theme together masterfully until the end when the theme is revealed. The reader is left wondering why they had not seen it all along!

But of course, The Promise of Jesse Woods isn’t the only story that demonstrates sound thematic principles that you can implement. Read on to find five tips from some of my favorite stories about implementing your theme profoundly and subtly into your works. 

Tip #1: Your Protagonist Is Key 

I touched on this a little bit above with Matt from The Promise of Jesse Woods , but there is another excellent example in Serene Valentino’s retelling of Cruella DeVil’s story in her book Evil Thing .

In this story, the reader follows Cruella DeVil’s story, written in an autobiographical style with occasional diabolical laughter thrown in. We, as readers, get to see how Cruella grew up and what factors led to her becoming the “evil thing” that Roger’s song immortalized her as.

This book makes an interesting example because it is a negative character arc , meaning that Cruella comes about to embrace the opposite of the theme in the end. As C.S. Lewis knew and applied in his book Screwtape Letters , sometimes the best way to learn something is to study the opposite! Valentino does a superb job of that in this book.

Remember that we as authors explore themes through comparisons and contrasts. That means that your book must have the Truth (meaning the Theme) and the Lie (that the main character believes at the beginning of the book and/or, as in this case, comes to believe at the end). Thus, your main character is your opportunity to fully express the theme through the contrast between the Truth and the Lie. 

For example, Valentino’s thematic question is: “What does love really mean?” But she brings this home to us as the readers by giving Cruella mistaken ideas about love. Cruella believes the lie that love means being given gifts. 

We see this play out in the plot because from Cruella’s childhood on, her mother gives her gifts but nothing of her time, but her father and servants pour out love in abundance by spending time with her and caring about her as a person. 

The reader clearly sees Valentino’s message: love is about time spent sacrificing for the other person rather than gifts. But Cruella does not see it, and the reader is horrified as Cruella continues to spiral down deeper and deeper into the lie until she finally commits her atrocious act:

Buying and stealing dalmatian puppies to be skinned for a fur coat. 

Think about your own story now. What Lie does your protagonist believe about the world? If there isn’t one, start there. 

Consider your protagonist’s goals. What is he willing to forfeit to get what he wants? Why is she willing to do so?

At the root of it, there should be a Lie the protagonist believes. In this example, we see that Cruella is willing to give up her best friend, her fortune, and even her sanity to acquire her mother’s love… because she believes that love is given only because and through gifts. Figuring out the Lie your protagonist believes and then contrasting it throughout the story with the Truth is one of the most effective ways to write a compelling theme into your story!

Tip #2- Your Side Characters Matter

There seem to me to be two extremes of writers when it comes to side characters. We have the writers who love their side characters and spend time on them to the exclusion of their protagonist, and then we have writers who throw in side characters as needed and don’t spend much time thinking about them. 

The truth is that though the protagonist should be your main focus, you do need to spend a reasonable amount of time on your side characters, and here is why:

You can’t explore all areas of the thematic question simply with your protagonist. There is no way your protagonist can believe multiple lies that the same truth will solve. If you try, the reader may come away feeling like the character was unrealistic. 

So here’s the way around it – a technique that can bring your theme home to your readers in ways that few others can. It is amply demonstrated in Andrew Peterson’s The Wingfeather Saga : use your side characters to explore the different aspects of your theme. 

In The Wingfeather Saga (spoiler alert!), the thematic question is “What is identity?” The main character, Janner Igiby, has lived his whole life in a small town as an unimportant person, except, of course, to his loving family. He lives in a place where it is valuable to stay out of sight and avoid the evil Fangs who dominate the people of Skree. 

But it turns out that Janner isn’t who he thought he was. Blood from the mysterious nation of Anniera pumps in his veins, and not only that but the blood of Anniera’s kings. Throughout the saga, Janner grapples with all that this new identity means and the responsibilities that it carries.

But the other characters dive into other areas of this question. 

We have a character with a dark secret whose identity is not what it seems. 

We have a character who grapples with his identity because of guilt over past mistakes. 

And we even have a character who does not want his identity and tries to run from it. 

Are you intrigued yet? Andrew Peterson masterfully gives us a comprehensive look at the concept of identity by using his side characters to provide us with different perspectives. 

Think of it as a diamond on display. The protagonist should be the primary side that is visible as you walk in through the book’s covers, giving us a beautiful look at the thematic question shining in the diamond. But as the reader moves through the book, they should be able to get different glimpses of the theme through the other facets of the diamond: your side characters. 

Take a look at your own side characters. Why have you chosen to include them? Are there any that need to be changed to better fit your theme?

Tip #3- Use Metaphors To Bring Depth

Writers have often heard the writer’s rule: show, don’t tell. Some of you may even have been taught the use of metaphors to demonstrate this. But are you aware that the metaphors you choose may help bring about the character’s theme?

For example, say that your theme is on fear. When your main character sees the ocean, they may think of bobbing out on the sea like a helpless cork before the mighty waves. Or, if the theme is on cowardice, the metaphor could be that the character sees the waves shrinking back from the shore as if they had given up trying to reach it. 

Do you see the difference? Two completely different metaphors demonstrate how the character (and thus the reader) view the sea and give another glimpse at the theme. 

You can take this a step further by repeating metaphors throughout your story. Going back to Andrew Peterson’s The Wingfeather Saga (spoiler alert), this is accomplished through the characters of the “bad guys”: the Fangs.

As we work our way through the series, we see that the Fangs are actually a metaphor for people who have lost sight of their true identity and embraced something darker. While playing important plot roles, the Fangs are also an extended metaphor throughout the story that ties everything together and continues to explore the question of identity.

Take a look at your own story. What metaphors are you currently using? How could those change and/or be extended in light of your current theme?

Tip #4: Use Your Plot as a Metaphor

Ok, we’re getting a little metaphor heavy here, but bear with me. This next one is going to blow your mind. 

We’ve already discussed how plot, character, and theme all weave together in inextricable ways to form a stunning book. But throughout this post, we’ve talked a lot about using characters as ways to demonstrate your theme. It’s time to move in the other direction and discuss how the plot can make writing theme memorable. 

The best way to do this is by showing you an example: the recent movie Christopher Robin (spoiler alert!). The theme of Christopher Robin is the value of “doing” nothing. The plot centers around a grown Christopher Robin, now a supervisor at a luggage company, whose boss is forcing him to make some budget cuts… including perhaps some of his coworkers. 

Christopher Robin works extremely hard throughout the movie to find the answer to this problem. Still, the plot resolves when he realizes that the solution to the furniture company’s problem is: nothing. If the company gives their workers paid vacations, they will all take vacations and need to buy Winslow Luggage to take with them! 

In this way, the creators of Christopher Robin masterfully use the plot as a further metaphor for the theme that they are presenting. In reality, the external conflict (all the action happening to Christopher) mirrors the internal conflict (Christopher’s struggle to stop working and do nothing), which gives the reader a very clear picture of the theme. 

Take a look at your own plot. What are your plot events saying about your theme, or are they related to a completely different theme? How can you shake things up and bring about plot events that will play into your theme?

Tip #5- Use Subtext

You have made it this far: congratulations! But be forewarned, this next step is the vaguest and most difficult to grasp about theme. 

Using subtext. 

What is subtext, you ask? The subtext is an undescribed area of the story that fits between two points that you, as the writer, have already established. 

Let me give you an example. 

In Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, one of the characters, Miss Bingley, is always making derogatory comments toward the main character: Elizabeth. At this point in the story, the reader and Elizabeth have now heard a touching tale about Georgianna Darcy and her almost-elopement with a scoundrel (which was highly scandalous at the time). 

Knowing none of this, Miss Bingley proceeds to remark: “I have heard the militia are departing Brighton, Miss Bennet [Elizabeth]. They must be a terrible loss to your family.” This seemingly simple remark causes Georgianna to pause her playing on the piano and look terribly uncomfortable. 

Why, you ask? The scoundrel, as mentioned above, has been established earlier as being a member of that militia. 

Do you see how Austen does it? She uses details that her reader already knows and uses them to set up subtext to the scene. Miss Bingley is entirely unaware of what her words have done, but the reader knows as well as Elizabeth the thing that she has accomplished and cringes at the awkwardness of the moment. 

So you too can create scenes that say something more profound than what they seem on the surface. By repeating significant pieces of dialogue from earlier, building on information that has recently been given, but above all, NOT telling your reader what you mean by these things, you can create a scene full of implicit meanings. 

All along, it must be implied, shown, not told. 

Pull up your own story. Is there anything going on under the surface? Spend some time thinking about the feelings and emotions beneath the scenes and how they relate to your theme. 

See if you can use the details you are slowly revealing along with your plot to make your scenes more meaningful for the reader. 

Writing Theme the “Right Way”- Your Next Steps

Wow, you’ve made it! You already know what theme (and thematic question) are, some steps to developing them, and five tips for implementing them in your current novel! 

But you may also be feeling overwhelmed by all the information you have just been given. I certainly was when I began studying theme. It opened doors to new levels of depth that I didn’t even know existed in books and movies… and made my writing stories that were even remotely good seem almost impossible. 

Let me give you some encouragement, young writer. It’s ok that you’re still learning and growing. You don’t have to have a great theme with all the elements I’ve mentioned in this post on your first full-length book project or even on your third project. 

The important thing is that you educate yourself about the technical side of writing and actually write. The fact that your draft seems impossibly flawed is a good sign: it means that you are becoming more aware of what good writing requires. 

But give yourself permission to slow down. You don’t have to do it all at once. It’s ok to implement these tips one by one. 

In the meantime, I would challenge you to continue learning about theme. Read the book I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Follow writer’s blogs and consider joining groups for more advanced training (like our own Young Writer’s Workshop, which offers training on theme, plot, characters, and much more!)

But learning doesn’t help anything if you don’t implement it. If you get so discouraged by learning that you don’t keep on writing. So, most of all, I want to encourage you to keep on going, and to try to implement the five tips that I’ve included in this post into your current story!

Having trouble keeping the five tips straight? You can click here to get a free PDF version for you to print, hang up, or just keep on your computer to remind you of these five simple ways to implement your theme. 

While you are working through these, give yourself permission to implement things slowly. You don’t have to do it all at once, but do try to do it! 

You will be a better writer for it. 

Article by Ellie Estrema

When Ellie was very young, she discovered the joys of reading stories for herself. Ever since then, she has loved books, and the impact that books, stories, and blog posts have made on her has left her with a dream to use her own words to share God’s glory with the world. In Ellie’s spare time, you will find her drinking tea, writing devotionals for her Instagram, and working on her latest book project.

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Definition of Theme Theme is defined as a main concept or an underlying that means of a literary work, which may be stated immediately or indirectly. Major and Minor Themes Major and minor subject matters are two varieties of subject matters that seem in literary works. A principal subject matter is an idea that a writer repeats in his literary paintings, making it the most sizeable idea within the paintings. A minor subject matter, on the alternative hand, refers to an concept that looks in a piece briefly, giving way to some other minor subject. Examples of subject matter in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” are matrimony, love, friendship, and affection. The complete narrative revolves around the foremost subject of matrimony. Its minor themes are love, friendship, affectation etc. Difference Between a Theme and a Subject It is essential now not to confuse a subject of a literary work with its subject. Subject is a topic that acts as a basis for a literary work, whilst a subject matter is an opinion expressed on the concern. For example, a creator may pick a subject of conflict for his tale, and the subject matter may be his private opinion that struggle is a curse for humanity. Usually, it is up to the readers to explore the subject matter of a literary paintings through analyzing characters, plot, and different literary devices. Presentation of Themes A creator gives issues in a literary paintings via numerous means. A writer may also express a theme through the feelings of his main individual approximately the concern he has chosen to write approximately. Similarly, themes are presented through thoughts and conversations of various characters. Moreover, the studies of the principle character inside the path of a literary paintings provide us an concept about its topic. Finally, the moves and events taking vicinity in a narrative are consequential in determining its theme. Short Examples of Theme When the astronaut landed at the moon, he felt loneliness. Thinking there was nobody else, he have become a bit forlorned, even though the view of Earth turned into stunningly beautiful. (Theme of lonesomeness) The space tourists had been visiting to the moon, while their spaceship unexpectedly ran out of fuel. They had been all nervous to examine that they wouldn’t be able to go back to Earth, and could most effective land on the moon. (Theme of fear) The bus turned into travelling at a splendid speed when it changed into stopped via a gang of robbers. The passengers had been ordered to get out, leaving their valuable belongings within the bus. (Theme of fear) Their wedding ceremony changed into taking location in a grand hotel. All the eminent humans of the city have been invited, the purpose that the party become remarkable. (Theme of happiness) As soon because the clock struck 12 at noon, the jubilations started. It travelled from East to West on the first day of the year. (Theme of felicitation) The religious leader become leading a massive congregation of followers, praying with utmost humility. (Theme of religiosity) All the family members had been wearing black, with somber faces. They had been participating inside the funeral ceremony of their deceased relative. (Theme of gloom) The cricket suit was achieving a highpoint, the enthusiasts of both groups screaming their support. It changed into an wonderful game. (Theme of cheerfulness) The teacher said that she was hoping all of her students would skip with properly grades. (Theme of optimism) The father of the slowwitted student stated he had no fake hopes about his son’s future. (Theme of pessimism) The immigrant looked round to speak to somebody, but could discover no one who spoke his language. He felt claustrophobic and desolate. (Theme of hopelessness) Only the laborers were working on Labor Day. (Theme of irony) The conference became in full swing, with scholars handing over informed lectures on various subjects. The audience loved it immensely. (Theme of learning) The politician was delivering a speech on the need for peace between neighboring states. He said through peace they could attain what no longer possible through struggle. (Theme of peace) The fashionable commanded his troops to open fire at the enemy, and to kill every and each soldier of the combatants. (Theme of struggle) Examples of Theme in Literature Example #1: Love and Friendship Theme Love and friendship are frequently going on issues in literature. They generate emotional twists and turns in a story, and might lead to a number of endings: happy, sad, or bittersweet. The following are well-known literary works with love and friendship topics: Romeo and Juliet with the aid of William Shakespeare Wuthering Heights via Emily Bronte Anna Karenina with the aid of Leo Tolstoy Sense and Sensibility by way of Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice by means of Jane Austen Example #2: War Theme The subject matter of warfare has been explored in literature since historic times. Literary woks making use of this subject can also either glorify or criticize the concept of battle. Most recent literary works portray war as a curse for humanity, due to the suffering it inflicts. Some well-known examples consist of: Iliad and Odyssey with the aid of Homer War and Peace with the aid of Leo Tolstoy Gone with the Wind with the aid of Margaret Mitchell A Farewell to Arms through Ernest Hemingway Arms and the Man via Bernard Shaw A Band of Brothers: Stories from Vietnam via Walter McDonald Example #3: Crime and Mystery Themes Crime and mystery are utilized in detective novels. Such narratives also consist of sub-topics, such as “crimes can not be hidden,” “evil is always punished,” and others. Some well-known crime and mystery theme examples encompass: The Murders in the Rue Morgue by means of Edgar Allan Poe Sherlock Holmes through Arthur Conan Doyle Bleak House by using Charles Dickens Murder at the Orient Express by way of Agatha Christie Da Vinci Code by means of Dan Brown Example #4: Revenge Theme Revenge is every other recurrent subject observed in many famous literary works. A man or woman comes across sure occasions that make him aware of his want for revenge. The final results of his movement is often bitter, but sometimes they will turn out to be being satisfied. Examples are: Hamlet and Macbeth by using William Shakespeare The Count of Monte Cristo via Alexander Dumas The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest with the aid of Stieg Larsson A Time to Kill by means of John Grisham Example #5: Annabel Lee (By Edgar Allan Poe) “I turned into a child and he or she became a child, In this kingdom by using the sea, But we cherished with a love that became more than love— I and my Annabel Lee— With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven Coveted her and me.” This quick extract, taken from Poe’s poem, depicts the subject matter of love. Example #6: The Charge of the Light Brigade (By Alfred Tennyson) “Half a league, half of a league, Half a league onward, All within the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. ‘Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!’ he stated: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.” This extract from a poem by means of Tennyson has interwoven themes. War is the principle theme of the poem, which naturally results in dying — at the same time as the theme of demise is interwoven with the subject of battle. Function of Theme Theme is an element of a story that binds collectively various vital elements of a story. It is often a fact that reveals universality, and stands actual for humans of all cultures. Theme gives readers higher knowledge of the principle character’s conflicts, stories, discoveries, and feelings as they are derived from them. Through themes, a writer tries to give his readers an insight into how the world works, or how he or she perspectives human life.

• Alliteration
• Anachronism
• Antimetabole
• Aposiopesis
• Characterization
• Colloquialism
• Connotation
• Deus Ex Machina
• Didacticism
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Flash Forward
• Foreshadowing
• Internal Rhyme
• Juxtaposition
• Non Sequitur
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Poetic Justice
• Point of View
• Portmanteau
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Superlative
• Synesthesia
• Tragicomedy
• Tragic Flaw
• Verisimilitude

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As we dive into a story, we’re hooked by characters, plots, and settings. However, beneath the surface lies a deeper element: the theme. A theme in literature is the story’s heart, weaving emotions and tones that connect us to its core.

As a writer, the theme of a story guides one to the direction one should follow while crafting the plot. But what does the theme mean in a story? In this article, we will decode the meaning of the theme in literature, its importance, and how it is used in a storyline.

Bring your themes to life with our expert editing services! Learn more

What is the theme of a story?

The theme of a story is the central element of its narrative. It is the underlying message that the author wants to convey to the reader. Serving as the backbone of a story, the theme of a story ties together all of its elements. A theme also works as a catalyst to bring together different narratives in one plot.

To understand the theme definition in a story better, let’s see some theme of a story examples:

• Survival: The novel Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe has a theme of survival as the lead character is shown surviving a shipwreck despite very adverse conditions on an isolated island. It is an excellent example of a theme in a story .
• Good vs. Evil: The popular series Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling showcases the good vs. evil theme through its story. The protagonist, Harry Potter can be seen fighting against the evil antagonist, Voldemort for the greater good of his people.
• Love and Sacrifice: Portrayed beautifully in A Thousand Splendid Suns , the themes of love and sacrifice are very evident in the novel written by Khaled Hosseini. From love towards their family to sacrificing their life for each other, the two protagonists, Mariam and Laila have a journey filled with hurdles. 

Want to know what is the theme definition in literature? Learn about themes in detail with exciting examples from literature! 

What is a theme in literature?

When we talk about what is a theme in literature, we’re referring to concepts and ideas that show up in many different types of writing. These ideas are like universal messages that can be seen in literature, independent of its genres and styles. 

Examples of themes in literature include: 

• Death: Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I Could not Stop for Death” explores the themes of mortality and the afterlife, delving into the poet’s reflections on the concept of death and what may come afterward.
• Loss and Grief: In The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne’s contemplations about losing friends and the uncertainty regarding the well-being of her loved ones express the deep repercussions of war.
• Honesty: The fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf teaches the consequences of dishonesty as a boy’s false alarms lead to a lack of trust.

Now that we’ve seen the examples of themes in literature, let us understand the most common themes used in various forms of literature.

Seven common themes in literature

Love, whether expressed romantically, within families, or through platonic connections, continues to be a universally relevant theme in literature. The theme of love in literature is expansive, providing authors with the opportunity to showcase a broad spectrum of human emotions. 

Examples of literature with love as a theme include: 

The love between the sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

Romantic love between Henry and the nurse Catherine in Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms.  

Forbidden love theme in a story between Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.  

Revenge is a strong and captivating theme in literature. This theme revolves around wanting to get back at someone for something they did wrong. It often looks closely at the emotional and mental challenges of seeking revenge.

Examples of literature with revenge as a theme include:

Victor and his creation embark on a journey of revenge in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  

Edmont Dantes seeks revenge and redemption when he is put in jail for a crime he did not commit in Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo.

Revenge is an important theme in the lives of most characters in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. Daenerys Targaryen seeks revenge for the House Targaryen.

3. Coming of Age

Popular in young adult literature, coming-of-age stories and poems have been liked by all age groups. This theme shows a character growing into adulthood. The different experiences that develop the characters , make them mature, lose their innocence, and grow into wiser people portray the theme of coming of age. 

Examples of literature with coming of age as a theme include: 

Holden Caufield from J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye is shown going through a journey of maturity and adulthood. 

Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shows the journey of Huckleberry  Finn, and how he experiences the complexities of life.

To Kill a Mockingbird , by Harper Lee follows Scout Finch and her brother Jem as they learn the lessons of justice and human society, while growing up.

The courage theme in literature explores the human capacity to tackle adversities and stand strong despite threats. It resonates with readers by inspiring them to have bravery in their own life.

Examples of literature with courage as a theme include: 

Andy Weir’s The Martian shows how Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone on another planet. The plot exhibits the patience and courage that are needed to get him out of this situation.

J.R.R. Tolkien shows four hobbits, who are just like normal humans, face various adversities throughout The Lord of the Rings series. They triumph through it with courage and perseverance.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a popular example of courage theme in a story. This tale shines light on Offred’s struggles and oppression which she faces with bravery and intelligence.

5. Good vs. Evil

A contrast between moral forces represents the theme of good vs. evil in stories and poems, etc. It delves into the inherent struggle between right and wrong, virtue and vice. This theme explores the foundations of conflict and morality.

Examples of literature with good vs. evil as a theme include: 

Othello, a character from William Shakespeare’s famous play Othello is portrayed as a good man towards the beginning of the play. But he is vulnerable to manipulation by his deceitful “friend” Iago. Othello’s wife, Desdemona is a character who represents the positive aspects in the contrast between good and evil.

Good vs. evil is the central theme of C.S Lewis’s The Chronicles Of Narnia. The White Witch represents the evil, who wants to take over Narnia and rule over everyone. On the other side, the good is represented by a lion named Aslan who tries to protect Narnia from the evil witch.

In The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, the exploration of good and evil is central to the narrative. The novel delves into the complex dynamics among the three brothers and their relationships with their wealthy and influential father.

6. Redemption

In stories where redemption takes center stage, characters recognize their mistakes and work to correct the harm they’ve caused, resulting in an inspiring narrative. Narratives of redemption frequently include a transformed character making significant sacrifices. 

Examples of literature with redemption as a theme include: 

In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Amir is guilty of not saving his friend Hassan from an unfortunate event. Several years later, Amir, now a prosperous novelist residing in the United States, revisits a war-ravaged Afghanistan to rescue Hassan’s family and find redemption for his actions.

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a good example of what is a theme in a story. It explores the genuine essence of redemption and grace by delving into the life and death of Jean Valjean. Valjean’s transformation from an ex-convict to a fully redeemed individual illustrates every person’s universal potential for redemption.

The theme of redemption was presented in the play A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It shows Scrooge, a man who is transformed from a greedy, selfish miser into a generous and good-natured character by the end.

Death is a popular theme across various elements of stories and literary works. Death as a theme delves into a broad spectrum of emotions, philosophies, and viewpoints. In certain instances, death is perceived as liberation from difficulties, and on other occasions, death is perceived as profound grief.

Examples of literature with death as a theme include: 

John Donne’s poem, Death Be Not Proud immediately addresses the theme of death from its opening line. The speaker, through the words “Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;” appears to mock death, portraying it as less fearsome than commonly perceived.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a relevant theme of the story example depicting death. For Hazel and Augustus, death is approaching soon as they are diagnosed with terminal diseases. They continue trying to live their lives to the fullest even though they know what the future holds for them.

Jojo Moyes Me Before You is a good example of a theme in a story reflecting death. This theme is a central and poignant element of the narrative.The story revolves around the relationship between Louisa Clark and Will Traynor. Will, facing a life of severe physical limitations, contemplates ending his life through euthanasia.

How to find the theme of a story

Understanding the theme of a story makes reading more interesting and helps you think more deeply. It lets you connect with the story in a meaningful way and encourages you to think about the bigger picture.

To understand what is a theme of a story, you can follow the steps below:

• Break down the story elements and map out the plot structure.
• Pinpoint the central topic or subject of the story: What is the primary focus?
• Scrutinize the main character: Explore the character’s emotions, reactions, actions, and interactions with others.
• Summarize the entire story: Reflect on the events, character development, and resolution of conflicts.
• Determine the lesson learned by the main character and consider its significance to both the story and broader life experiences.

Now that we’ve taken a closer look at how to find the theme of a story, let’s see how, as writers, we can develop a theme for writing stories. 

How to develop a theme of a story

• Identify core Ieas:

Delve into the fundamental ideas or messages you wish your story to communicate. What impressions or emotions do you want readers to carry with them after experiencing your narrative?

For example, if you are crafting a tale of resilience, identify key messages about overcoming adversity and the strength that emerges from challenges.

• Explore personal interests:

Reflect on your passions and convictions. Which themes resonate with you? Authenticity can be infused into your story by exploring topics that genuinely captivate your interest.

• Analyze your characters:

Scrutinize the motivations, conflicts, and character arcs within your story. Themes often naturally emerge from the journeys and transformations experienced by your characters.

• Consider genre and tone:

Ponder the genre and tone of your narrative. Think about the type of story you’re telling and how it feels. Different kinds of stories have certain themes, and the overall mood—whether it’s serious, funny, or sad—can shape the themes you explore.

For example, the genre of romance is closely related to the themes of love, hope, loss, and overcoming obstacles. 

• Examine the setting and period:

Explore how the setting and time contribute to your chosen themes. Consider how the cultural and historical context shapes the messages you intend to convey.

For example, If your story is set in a post-apocalyptic world, delve into how the environment and time influence themes like survival, resilience, and the consequences of human actions. 

• Create a theme statement:

Articulate the overarching theme of your story in a concise sentence. This statement should encapsulate the primary idea or message you wish readers to take away.

An example of a theme statement can be, “In a world plagued by adversity, this story explores the indomitable human spirit, illustrating that resilience and compassion prevail even in the darkest of times.”

• Consider multiple perspectives:

Investigate your theme from diverse viewpoints within your narrative. How might different characters or voices interpret and experience the central theme?

For example, you can explore the theme of justice through the eyes of both the accused and the accuser. By delving into the perspectives of various characters, the narrative sheds light on the complexity of morality.

• Use symbolism:

Employ symbolism and motifs to reinforce your chosen theme. Objects, colors, or recurring symbols can add layers and depth to the thematic elements of your narrative.

For example, the wilting rose symbolizes the fragility of love in the face of adversity. The withering petals mirror the challenges the characters face, reinforcing the theme of resilience.

• Reflect on real-world relevance:

Consider the real-world relevance of your theme. Explore how it connects to issues, emotions, or experiences that readers can relate to on a personal level.

• Seek feedback:

Share your theme statement or ideas with others and actively seek feedback. Engaging in discussions with beta readers, writing groups, or trusted friends can offer valuable insights and perspectives.

• Revise and refine:

Continuously revisit and refine your theme as you write and revise your story. Ensure that the thematic elements consistently resonate with and enhance the overall narrative.

Now that you’ve understood what is the theme of a story, you can weave themes in your plot to create memorable stories. They’re the magic that lingers, making stories unforgettable. 

So, the next time you embark on a literary journey, take a moment to unravel the theme woven through the pages, and you may find yourself immersed in a story that resonates long after the final word has been read. If you want to refine your themed story, you can always get the help of expert editing and proofreading services .

Keep reading to know more about crafting better stories! 

• 5 Elements of a Short Story & 6 Stages of a Plot
• Foil Character: Definition, History, & Examples
• What is Flash Fiction? Definition, Examples & Types
• What Is a Blurb? Meaning, Examples & 10 Expert Tips

Frequently Asked Questions

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What Is a Theme in Literature?

Definition & Examples of Themes in Literature

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In works of fiction, a theme is the central idea or ideas explored in the story. A literary theme might be the subject matter or present itself as a message within the larger story.

Learn more about what themes are in literature and get some well-known examples.

A theme can be expressed concretely in a very general way or as a broad subject, such as courtship, love, and marriage in Jane Austen's works. Throughout her novels, love triumphs (and those in love), even though they had to endure hardships and challenges along the way.

Works of literature can have more than one theme. "Hamlet," for instance, deals with the themes of death, revenge, and action, to name a few. "King Lear" shines a light on justice, reconciliation, madness, and betrayal as themes. 

A theme also can be expressed in a more abstract way as an idea or moral—the message of the story. For example, the theme of a parable or fable is the moral it teaches:

• The theme, or moral, of Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare" is that slow and steady wins the race or consistency and perseverance is of more value than flash and speed.
• George Orwell's dystopian novel "Animal Farm" has several themes, including how absolute power can corrupt and that knowledge is power. 
• The themes of the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley are that it is wrong for human beings to attempt to usurp the powers that should be God's alone and that pride goes before a fall.

Identifying themes in literature can enhance your reading experience by allowing you to better understand characters , conflicts, and story.

How Themes in Literature Work

Writers take different approaches to themes in their work. While you might start with an issue or theme in mind, you might find that other themes also develop, emerge, or expand as you write.

It may not be until the editing stage that you even begin to recognize your themes. Once you see them, though, you can more easily decide what to cut from your story or novel and what to highlight.

You can edit your work with your theme in mind. For example, are there sections of the work that seem to detract from the theme? Are there sections that you can strengthen to clarify the point?

Consider this scenario: You are writing a story through which you hope to communicate themes of love and loss. You might even have formulated a message you wish to get across through your characters—something like "true love is eternal and can even survive death."

Now that you have your theme, you know several things about your story:

• It involves at least two characters who are capable of experiencing and communicating deep love for each other.
• It involves loss.
• It somehow portrays love as being eternal, whether symbolically or literally, as might be possible in fantasy.

Alternatively, you might write a story about two characters in love and not really identify eternal love as a central theme until after you've analyzed the first draft. If you do a good job crafting characters and plot, you often will discover themes through the process of analysis.

Examples of Themes in Literature

The possible themes that literature can focus on are numerous. Here are some examples of some common ones:

• Coming of age
• Disillusionment

"This vs. that" is also a way that many themes show up in literature. For example:

• War vs. peace
• Good vs. evil
• Individual vs. society
• Life vs. death
• Reality vs. illusion
• Tradition vs. change
• Humans vs. nature
• Humans vs. technology

Key Takeaways

• A theme in literature is the central idea explored in the story.
• Works of literature can have more than one theme.
• Identifying a story's theme can help a writer develop a story and a reader understand it better.
• There are many common themes that repeat throughout notable works of literature, such as love, revenge, and coming of age.
• Ways to Use Figurative Language in Writing
• Symbolism in Fiction Writing
• Metaphor Examples for Writers
• What Voice Means in Writing
• Types of Figurative Language That Enhance Your Writing
• What Is a Protagonist?
• What Is Style?
• Learn About First-Person Point of View in Fiction
• Third-Person Omniscient Point of View and Anna Karenina
• Story Point of View
• Tips to Help Write a Great Short Story
• How to Use Everyday Metaphors and Similes
• Writing Characters in Fiction
• What Is a Plot?
• What Is Magic Realism?
• What Is an Epistolary Novel?

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)