Some people balk at the idea of putting themes into their stories, but every story is imparting some lesson. All protagonists learn something and change. If you don’t want to pick your theme and prefer it emerge on its own, that’s your choice. However, since every story teaches something, you might as well pick the theme. Either way, it’s important to understand what theme is and how it fits into a story. You can use it to enhance your book and leave a lasting impact on your readers.
How To Select A Theme
Sometimes the theme for your story will be easy to pick. It’ll be a burning message you’ve always felt the need to share. But what happens when you write the next book? Always hammering the same nail will bore your readers. If you need to pick a theme for your story, there are several questions you can ask yourself. What are you trying to prove or disprove? What bothers you about society or human nature? Which virtues do you think are undervalued in the world? What vices scare you? Ultimately, what change do you want to see in the world? These answers will lead you to new themes, and often the answers will change as years pass.
How To Weave A Theme Into A Story
Sometimes it’s hard to find a way to weave a theme into a story without sounding like you’re preaching. The best way is to use the characters to show the theme. Here are some simple tips to help you.
One way to show the theme is to have your protagonist not embody the theme but change to it by the end. Start with a thematic statement at the beginning of the book. The thematic statement is a concise sentence about what the story intends to argue. Have a supporting character say the thematic statement to the protagonist, but then make the protagonist deny it. By having the main character state the anti-thematic statement, you are showing the readers that the character needs to learn and change. Then write the story so the protagonist does just that.
The other way to teach the theme is to have your protagonist embody the theme, and your antagonist embody the anti-theme. Next, you can make a supporting character, like a love interest or mentor, represent the theme as well, but with a different methodology. For instance, say the theme is justice. The protagonist is a vigilante, believing in self-imposed justice. The antagonist is a criminal. The love interest is a police officer. The protagonist and the love interest both believe in justice, but in different ways. Perhaps by the end, the protagonist is swayed to the law’s form of justice. You can do this with as many supporting characters as you want to show different perspectives of the theme and make sure the story isn’t one-sided in its argument.
There are many ways to weave a theme into a story. The important thing is to remember not to just preach for paragraphs about it. Show the values you wish to teach through your characters.
Universal Themes
Now that we’ve covered what theme is and how to use it, let’s look at universal themes. While there are numerous themes, they all boil down to these basic eleven categories (most are from the Save the Cat! books).
- Forgiveness—of self or others (The Count of Monte Cristo)
- Love—of self, family, friends, romantic love interest, or simply human connection (Romeo and Juliet)
- Acceptance—of self, identity, circumstances, or reality (All Fall Down)
- Faith—in self, others, God, or the power of hope (Star Wars)
- Courage—overcoming fear (An Ember in the Ashes)
- Trust—in self, others, or the unknown (House of Salt and Sorrow)
- Survival—from external elements or just maintaining the will to live (Red Rising)
- Selflessness—altruism, sacrifice, overcoming greed, humility, or heroism (Harry Potter)
- Responsibility—duty, accepting destiny, or standing for a cause (Peter Pan)
- Redemption—atonement, accepting blame, salvation, or turning from ill deeds (Les Misérables)
- Morality—good versus evil, right versus wrong, justice, or corruption (To Kill A Mockingbird)
Do any of these themes strike a nerve with you? Does one apply to your current manuscript? If so, write or edit your story to highlight the theme. It doesn’t have to be blatant, but working in some debates on the topic will get your readers thinking. Engaging them intellectually will keep them even more hooked on reading your book.
Final Thoughts
I don’t understand why some people dislike the idea of a story theme. Without that significance, the story is just a recount of events that are forgettable. I enjoy riding rollercoasters, but they aren’t something I relive after its done. Meaning is what makes us think and what sticks to us long after the experience is done. That’s why so many classics became popular. They made us think. Made us reexamine our lives. You don’t have to make your book as deep as A Tale of Two Cities, but you do need to give it meaning. Themes are just as important as characters, plot, or setting. Take the time to at least examine your story after it is written to identify your theme and then enhance it enough to make it memorable. It’ll give you a better chance of readers spreading the news about your book by word of mouth.
Thanks for reading!
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