Answer:
Its central message.
Explanation:
Any narrative or story will always have a theme in it. The theme represents the author's message, the moral lesson that the text wants the readers to take home.
So, a literary selection's theme is the central message that the story or text wants to convey. Themes may vary from political issues, religious issues, or even individual characteristics, humanity, and other various issues depending on the story.
Thus, the correct answer is the central message.
