Understanding Theme: How Do I Write a Theme Statement?

Understanding Theme: How do I write a theme statement?

What is theme?: The theme of a fable is its moral. The theme of a parable is its teaching. The theme of a piece of fiction (a story or a poem) is its view about life and how people behave. It’s the works central insight.

In fiction, the theme is not intended to teach or preach. In fact, it is not presented directly at all. You extract it from the characters, action, and setting that make up the story. In other words, you must figure out the theme yourself.

The writer's task is to communicate on a common ground with the reader. Although the particulars of your experience may be different from the details of the story, the general underlying truths behind the story may be just the connection that both you and the writer are seeking.

Tried and Tested strategies for finding theme:

1. While reading a story or poem write down abstract nouns that apply to the story. (Try to write a minimum of 5, preferably 10)

Abstract Nouns are nouns that you cannot detect with your five senses. They often end in "ness." Eg. Loneliness, happiness, loyalty, envy, aggressiveness, violence, conformity, pride.

2. When you have finished reading look at your list of nouns. These act as signposts on your journey to the theme. After finishing the story, look closely at the list you’ve compiled and reflect again on the story. Are there words you would like to add? Are there words you would like to remove? Try to narrow your words down to a top one, two or three.

****Make sure that you choose the nouns that you believe reveal most comprehensively what the story or poem reveals about life.

3. Finally, take your abstract words and use them to create a comment or observation that addresses one or more of the following:

1. human motivation/ambition- What is behind the behaviour and decisions made in the story? What drives individuals and groups to act in certain ways? Do their motives challenge the accepted morals of the society represented in the story? If so, how and why?

2. human condition- What is it like to be human in the story? What are the social, psychological, or moral challenges faced by characters? How do these challenges differ amongst characters? How would you feel if you were immersed in the setting and circumstances of the story?

3.human dynamics- How do the most important relationships in the story evolve? Do people change as a result of these actions. Is there anything we learn about what it is to be human by studying the interactions in the story? Are there inequities or injustices in the story’s relationships. How are they resolved?

Eg. The theme of “A Clean Well Lighted Place” is that lonely people often need a place of refuge from their awareness that their lives (or perhaps, human lives) are essentially meaningless.

Eg. The theme of “Just Lather, That’s All” is that people who experience life threatining events often redefine who they are as people and what their place is in society.

Some additional rules for writing theme statements:

I. You must not use any characters names in your theme statement. The theme always applies to life outside the story. BAD: The theme of “Just Lather, That’s All” is that Captain Torres proves that you can be a good man even though you do bad things.

II. Avoid retelling the plot in your theme statement.

III. Avoid using absolutes. Absolutes are terms like "all" "every" and "always." Instead, use terms like "some" "sometimes" "may" or "often."

For example, imagine writing a theme statement like this: The theme of "E Equals MC Squared" is that evil actions will always be punished. Is it true that evil actions will always be punished?

IV. Avoid moralizing – theme is not moral (nobody should be should upon) V. Make sure that the title of the poem or short story is in your theme statement and that the title is surrounded by quotation marks.

VI. Check to make sure your theme statement is not contradicted by any detail of the story.

VII. Avoid all clichés. “You can’t judge a book by its cover” is a cliché. Avoid them at all costs. More examples of a theme statements:

The Crucible

The theme of “The Crucible” is that hysteria often takes the place of logic and causes people to behave in an irrational manner, believing things that under normal conditions they would doubt.

The theme of “The Crucible” is that in an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association becomes particularly pernicious.

"The Most Dangerous Game"

The theme of "The Most Dangerous Game" is that men, when they are courageous and lucky, even in a hostile environment, can overcome the odds against their survival.

The theme of "The Most Dangerous Game" is that our reason, courage and strength can reach their full potential when challenged by a hostile environment.

THEMATIC WORDS THAT MIGHT HELP YOU WRITE YOUR THEME STATEMENTS

Adaptability Games/contests/sports Privacy Adventure Gratitude Prophecy Ambition Greed Race relations Appearance vs. reality Reality Growing up Betrayal Religion Guilt Bureaucracy Repentance Hate Chance / fate / luck Resistance Heart vs. reason Childhood Rebellion Heaven/paradise/utopia Children Respect Home Citizenship Responsibility Hope Compassion Revenge Identity Confidence Retribution Illusion/innocence Consideration Ritual / Ceremony Independence Courage Scapegoat Initiation Cowardice Victim Initiative Cruelty / Violence Search for identity Instinct Curiosity Self-actualization Integrity Custom / tradition Self-discipline Journey (psychological or literal) Death Self-improvement Justice Friendship Service Law Defeat/failure Social status Loneliness Despair / discontent / Success Love disillusionment Supernatural Loyalty Diligence Teamwork Materialism Domination / suppression Time Maturity Dreams / fantasies Eternity Memory Duty Tricks Past Education/school Truth Mob psychology / hysteria Endurance Unhappiness Music / dance Equality War Nature Escape Wealth Patience Exile Women/Feminism Patriotism Faith / loss of faith ______Peace Falsity / pretense ______Persistence Family / parenthood / ______Perseverance commitment ______Poverty Fear ______Prejudice Free will/will power ______Pride freedom ______