Understanding a story's theme is critical to deciphering an author's message in a particular piece of writing. In this lesson, we will examine the idea of theme and look at some examples in actual literary works.
The theme in a story is its underlying message, or 'big idea.' In other words, what critical belief about life is the author trying to convey in the writing of a novel, play, short story or poem? This belief, or idea, transcends cultural barriers. It is usually universal in nature. When a theme is universal, it touches on the human experience, regardless of race or language. It is what the story means. Often, a piece of writing will have more than one theme.
Think about some T.V. sitcoms you have seen that you have found trite and boring. Was there a significant problem in the T.V. show that needed to be solved? Probably not. In much the same way, if a piece of writing doesn't have deeper meaning than we can just see on the surface, it is just as shallow as the T.V. sitcom. In order for writing to be meaningful and lasting, it needs to have a theme.
