Plot and Theme

Theme

The theme of a story is the idea that the text is trying to explore. Theme is different from plot or conflict, because the theme is the purpose of the plot or conflict. Many stories have more than one theme, and the theme is not always directly said in the text. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, possible themes could be courage, family, prejudice, and maturity. In Romeo and Juliet, possible themes include love, sacrifice, hate or fate. In The Call of the Wild, possible themes might include friendship, man vs. nature, sacrifice, working towards a goal, etc.

Finding the theme can be easy or difficult. The key is to look at the entire text, not just a particular plot element. Ask: "Why did the author write this story?" Remember, there may be more than one answer.