Theme Notes A is an idea or philosophy. It is a viewpoint about life, the human condition that is universal. It applies to all of us or at least most of us. Society as a whole can relate. – The theme of a book is a universal idea or message that stretches through an entire story. A theme may show up in a pattern (such as reoccurring examples of beauty in simplicity) or a theme may come through as the result of a buildup (tragedy of war). It is often a lesson that we learn about life or people. The following list contains examples of subjects and motifs that appear in popular literature. If you find that one of the subjects below relates to your book, ask yourself what message the author is sending about that subject. This message is a theme. If you have trouble understanding themes or discerning the theme of a book you are reading, you may find it useful to consider the following ideas. Is the author saying something about the topics below? Beauty of simplicity Hazards of passing Overcoming fear, – Capitalism effect on the judgment weakness, vice – individual Heartbreak of betrayal Power and corruption Change of power - Heroism real and of silence – necessity perceived Power of tradition Change versus tradition Hierarchy in nature Power of wealth Chaos and order Identity crisis of words Character destruction, Illusion of power Pride and downfall – building up Individual versus society Progress real or illusion – Circle of life Injustice Quest for discovery Coming of age Isolation for power Companionship as salvation Isolationism - hazards Rebirth Convention and rebellion Knowledge versus Reunion Dangers of ignorance ignorance Role of men Darkness and light Loneliness as destructive Role of Religion virtue or – inevitable or tragedy force hypocrisy – Desire to escape Losing hope Role of women Destruction of beauty Loss of innocence Self and outer – Disillusionment and dreams Lost Self-awareness Displacement Lost love Self-preservation Empowerment Love and sacrifice Self-reliance Emptiness of attaining false Man against nature Social mobility dream Manipulation Technology in society – Everlasting love Materialism as downfall good or bad of racism Motherhood Temporary nature of Facing darkness Names power and physical beauty – Facing reality significance Temptation and destruction Fading beauty Nationalism Totalitarianism – Faith versus doubt complications Vanity as downfall Fate and free will Nature as beauty Vulnerability of the meek Fear of failure Oppression of Vulnerability of the strong Good versus bad Optimism power or folly War glory, necessity, – – as downfall pain, tragedy
Theme Notes A is an idea or philosophy. It is a viewpoint about life, the human condition that is universal. It applies to all of us – or at least most of us. Society as a whole can relate. The theme of a book is a universal idea or message that stretches through an entire story. A theme may show up in a pattern (such as reoccurring examples of beauty in simplicity) or a theme may come through as the result of a buildup (tragedy of war). It is often a lesson that we learn about life or people. The following list contains examples of subjects and motifs that appear in popular literature. If you find that one of the subjects below relates to your book, ask yourself what message the author is sending about that subject. This message is a theme. If you have trouble understanding themes or discerning the theme of a book you are reading, you may find it useful to consider the following ideas. Is the author saying something about the topics below? 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 Companionship as salvation Convention and rebellion Dangers of ignorance Darkness and light – inevitable or tragedy Desire to escape Destruction of beauty Disillusionment and dreams Displacement Empowerment Emptiness of attaining false dream Everlasting love of racism Facing darkness Facing reality Fading beauty Faith versus doubt Fate and free will Fear of failure Good versus bad as downfall Hazards of passing judgment Heartbreak of betrayal Heroism – real and perceived Hierarchy in nature Identity crisis Illusion of power Individual versus society Injustice Isolation Isolationism - hazards Knowledge versus ignorance Loneliness as destructive force Losing hope Loss of innocence Lost Lost love Love and sacrifice Man against nature Manipulation Materialism as downfall Motherhood Names – power and significance Nationalism – complications Nature as beauty Oppression of Optimism – power or folly Overcoming – fear, weakness, vice Power and corruption of silence Power of tradition Power of wealth of words Pride and downfall Progress – real or illusion Quest for discovery for power Rebirth Reunion Role of men Role of Religion – virtue or hypocrisy Role of women Self – 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