Themes vs. Types in Stories

It is time to go back to the basics of literature again people. I have lately been frustrated at the number of published and unpublished authors who have absolutely no idea what the concept of THEME means in a story. When I ask, I hear them giving me ideas of the type of story they wrote but no clue of the theme. It is important to understand that it is the theme in a story that drives everything. If you have no idea what your theme is supposed to be in your story before you write, your story will go nowhere.

Here is a basic definition of THEME that is often used in most literature classes beginning in the 6th grade.

Definition of Theme

As a literary device, theme refers to the central, deeper meaning of a written work. Writers typically will convey the theme of their work, and allow the reader to perceive and interpret it, rather than overtly or directly state the theme. As readers infer, reflect, and analyze a literary theme, they develop a greater understanding of the work itself and can apply this understanding beyond the literary work as a means of grasping a better sense of the world. Theme is often what creates a memorable and significant experience of a literary work for the reader.

As you can see, the concept of the theme is the message, or, what I like to say, "the take-away" from the story. What is it that you want your readers to walk away and learn from your novel? No, you cannot say that your story is simply there to entertain. Even the stories that appear to be simply an entertainment book should have some lesson that we walk away with. Listen to comedians. There is always going to be a driving message about human beings and how we live based on the jokes they tell.

The theme is, as I noted, what everything in the story revolves around. The characters that you use, the settings you put them in, their interactions, and so forth, all lead to that larger message. As we read the story, we should feel the theme being built in front of us and all around us. We might not know what the theme is in the beginning, but as it takes shape, we begin to grasp the message the author is trying to craft for us. 

Again, here is a basic list from the same website with ideas of universal themes.

Beauty of simplicity

Capitalism – effect on the individual

Change of power – necessity

Change versus tradition

Chaos and order

Character – destruction, building up

Circle of life

Coming of age

Communication – verbal and nonverbal

Companionship as salvation

Convention and rebellion

Dangers of ignorance

Darkness and light

Death – inevitable or tragedy

Desire to escape

Destruction of beauty

Disillusionment and dreams

Displacement

Empowerment

Emptiness of attaining false dream

Everlasting love

Evils of racism

Facing darkness

Facing reality

Fading beauty

Faith versus doubt

Family – blessing or curse

Fate and free will

Fear of failure

Female roles

Fulfillment

Good versus bad

Greed as downfall

Growing up – pain or pleasure

Hazards of passing judgment

Heartbreak of betrayal

Heroism – real and perceived

Hierarchy in nature

Identity crisis

Illusion of power

Immortality

Individual versus society

Inner versus outer strength

Injustice

Isolation

Isolationism – hazards

Knowledge versus ignorance

Loneliness as destructive force

Losing hope

Loss of innocence

Lost honor

Lost love

Love and sacrifice

Man against nature

Manipulation

Materialism as downfall

Motherhood

Names – power and significance

Nationalism – complications

Nature as beauty

Necessity of work

Oppression of women

Optimism – power or folly

Overcoming – fear, weakness, vice

Patriotism – positive side or complications

Power and corruption

Power of silence

Power of tradition

Power of wealth

Power of words

Pride and downfall

Progress – real or illusion

Quest for discovery

Quest for power

Rebirth

Reunion

Role of men

Role of Religion – virtue or hypocrisy

Role of women

Self – inner and outer

Self-awareness

Self-preservation

Self-reliance

Social mobility

Technology in society – good or bad

Temporary nature of physical beauty

Temptation and destruction

Totalitarianism

Vanity as downfall

Vulnerability of the meek

Vulnerability of the strong

War – glory, necessity, pain, tragedy

Will to survive

Wisdom of experience

Working class struggles

Youth and beauty

 

Now, here is where authors screw up. Too often, writers tell me the type of story they are writing and think that is the theme of the story. For example:

• This is a coming-of-age story.
• I am writing a Cinderella story
• I am writing a Beauty and the Beast romance. 

These are simply types of stories. These are formats. There are no messages in these stories but the way an author has crafted their story to get the message across. Even if you say, "but the beauty and beast story is to learn to appreciate someone for who they are and not what they appear to be" you are missing the point. The theme is that second part. The type is the first part. 

If this is all new to you, maybe it is time to get back to the books and work on learning about theme a bit more. It might help when selling that story to the editors and agents. It might also help to give your story some life and purpose.