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.

Defining a Theme

The theme of 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 a 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.

How Does a Writer Develop Theme?

So how does a writer develop a theme for a story, poem or narrative? It really comes down to what the writer believes about life. If a writer has a belief system or feels strongly about certain things - and most people do - then, those strong life views will be reflected in his or her writing. For a work to last, it needs depth, and depth in writing reflects depth in the writer.

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Examples

We could go on and on with great examples of theme, but we won't - I promise. Let's just look at three examples and analyze what gives depth and meaning to these pieces of literature.

Take Golding's The Lord of the Flies, for example. We know that Golding taught in a boys' school and later fought in WWII. He writes, 'I began to see what people were capable of doing. Anyone who moved through those years without understanding that man produces evil as a bee produces honey, must have been blind or wrong in the head.' In The Lord of the Flies, Golding took his belief about evil being resident in the human heart, even in children, and set about to prove this by placing young boys on a deserted island. If they were good at heart and only corrupted by their environment, then the boys would be well-behaved. But, if they were bent toward evil, the result would be chaos. Chaos wins. Thus, a deeper meaning in The Lord of the Flies would be that man is capable of evil and that evil dwells in the human heart. Whether or not the reader agrees with Golding's analysis, this novel will most likely always be considered an enduring classic because of its depth of meaning.