The Role of Theme in Fiction
Have you ever read a book that had it all–an engaging plot, interesting characters, beautiful prose–but you reached the end and felt… dissatisfied? Maybe there was a general sense of incompleteness, or you were left feeling like, “so what?”
Theme is one of the most important parts of a novel, and readers will feel if it’s missing. Books without a clear theme can feel shallow and directionless, and readers will often walk away wondering what the “point” was. In fact, you must have a firm grasp on your story’s theme in order to develop compelling character and narrative arcs–so why does the writing community struggle to come to a consensus about what a theme actually is (and what a theme isn’t)? Let’s set the record straight, once and for all.
What is a Theme?
Ah, the age-old question, plaguing writers since the dawn of time: what the hell even is a theme? Theme is one of the most misunderstood concepts in creative writing. There are tons of definitions out there that are incomplete–or, worse, just plain wrong.
The truth is, theme is a concept that defies definition. The best novels have themes that are messy, contradictory, and constantly debated by scholars and readers. So, it makes sense that the definition of a theme is not simple, straightforward, or clean-cut. After all, what’s the fun in that?
If I had to give theme a one-sentence definition, it would be this: Theme is the underlying idea or question around which every component of a novel revolves, giving the story meaning and relevance to readers. But this is my blog, and I’ve never been a one-sentence type of writer, so let’s expand that definition a bit.
What Theme Is
Universal and timeless: Themes are timeless, universal ideas that can be understood by people from all walks of life. These ideas transcend gender, age, culture, and geographical location, and they deepen readers’ understanding of what it means to be human.
Contradictory and debatable: The greatest themes are not easy to pin down or define. They ask difficult questions that have a number of possible answers. Readers and academics might disagree about the answer to a story’s thematic question, possibly even coming to conclusions that the author never envisioned or intended. These are the stories that stick with readers for years on end, shaping scholarship and culture for generations.
Explored through plot and character: Skilled authors do not tell readers their themes through dialogue or internal monologue. Instead, they show their themes through character actions and consequences. The decisions that your characters make at the inciting incident, midpoint, and climax of your novel all point toward your theme, inviting readers to join you in exploring the story’s meaning.
What Theme Is Not
A one-word topic: When I ask writers to define the theme of their story, I often get some variation of, “my theme is (insert broad, one-word topic like ‘love,’ ‘revenge,’ or ‘loyalty’).” While these answers are great starting points… they aren’t the same thing as a theme. Broad topics define what the story is about, whereas theme defines why the story matters.
A simple, clear-cut conclusion: When considering the theme of your story, try to steer clear of black-and-white questions with simple “yes/no” answers. The best stories ask questions that are difficult to answer, forcing us to confront an uncomfortable truth. In fact, many stories don’t limit themselves to just one theme, instead including a variety of interconnected–and, sometimes, contradictory–thematic strands working together to create a nuanced, multi-layered narrative.
A preachy moral: Many people treat themes and morals as interchangeable, but they’re actually two distinctive concepts. A moral is a lesson that’s presented to the reader (ex: Stealing is bad), whereas a theme is a question that’s explored with the reader (ex: Is law and order more important than keeping your family alive?). Morals are common in parables and children’s tales, but adult fiction often steers clear of cut-and-dry moral “lessons,” which can feel preachy.
Why Theme Matters
Many writers don’t realize it, but nearly every component of a narrative revolves around one, key question: Can the characters learn the “thematic truth” of the story, or will they reject it for a more comfortable lie? Theme is the axis around which everything revolves, defining character arcs and weaving subplots into the overarching narrative arc. A well-developed theme can mean the difference between a simple series of events and a cohesive narrative experience.
Once you’ve nailed down your story’s theme, you’ll be able to refine and prioritize relevant plot points, relationships, and character moments. Theme helps you to define what’s important, giving you permission to cut the fluff that’s not serving your story.
Finding Your Story's Theme
Here are a few of my favorite tricks to get to the heart of a story’s “why.”
Thematic Questions
Thematic questions are often the first place I go when trying to suss out a story’s theme. I do this by taking a story’s broad, one-word topic and re-framing it into a question that the story is asking me to consider about that topic.
All novels have “thematic questions” and “narrative questions.” Narrative questions ask what happens to who (ex: “Does Darrow of Lykos overthrow the Society?”), whereas thematic questions challenge readers to think about why this matters. Let’s stick with our example from Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Series (spoiler alert if you haven’t read it yet. You’ve been warned).
One of the central topics of Red Rising is “power.” When we meet Darrow, he’s completely powerless. He’s enslaved, unable to save Eo from the Golds’ careless brutality. As we follow Darrow’s journey, we watch as he is thrust from total powerlessness into a position of supreme power. He’s “carved” into a Gold by the Sons of Ares and tasked with infiltrating and overthrowing the Society. As we watch Darrow reckon with his new position of power, to overthrow Gold Society, and–much later–to maintain a secure and equal Republic for his people, the topic of “power” might be extrapolated into the thematic question: “Is it possible to wield power justly?”
Narrative questions should be explicitly answered by the end of a story. By the end of the first Red Rising trilogy, we discover that (spoiler alert) Darrow does manage to overthrow the Society. Thematic questions, however, shouldn’t be explicitly answered. Instead, the events of your story should invite readers to come up with answers of their own.
Throughout the second Red Rising saga, we watch Darrow and Virginia struggle under the weight of maintaining an equal and just Republic–especially as the remains of the Society’s forces fight to reinstate the old order of things. We aren’t ever told whether or not power can be wielded without injustice, but Darrow’s and Virginia’s actions point toward the answer. Likewise, characters like Lyria and Ephriam tease out even more thematic threads, showing us how the “liberated” often get forgotten after the battle is won.
Using Your Characters
When considering how a story’s characters connect to its theme, this quote from K. M. Weiland comes immediately to mind:
“Theme is inextricably linked to your main character’s arc. Take the person [they are] at the beginning of the story, subtract that person from the one who [they are] at the end, and the difference between the two is your theme.”
A character’s arc is all about whether or not they can overcome a central “lie” to accept the “thematic truth” at the novel’s climax. When I’m struggling to narrow down a definitive thematic question in a client’s manuscript, the main character’s arc is usually the next place I look for clarification.
Ask yourself: What is the protagonist struggling with at the start of this story? What do they believe by the end of the story? How do the beliefs of the antagonist and side characters confirm or contradict this belief? Somewhere in there, you should be able to find your central theme.
Analyzing Your Narrative Arc
Additionally, theme can be found in the pivotal moments of a novel’s narrative arc. The inciting incident reveals the protagonist’s central “lie,” the rising action shows the protagonist clinging to their “lie” (and experiencing consequences for rejecting the “truth), the midpoint brings the characters face-to-face with the story’s “thematic truth,” and the choice your protagonist makes at the climax represents the essential message of your story.
Using Theme in Your Story
If you’re struggling to understand how to make theme work in your story, you’re in good company. Theme is one of the most challenging things to get right, and most authors are simply too close to their manuscript to see things clearly during the drafting process. If your story is in need of a fresh set of eyes, it might be worth it to consider working with a professional developmental editor.
I started KnightWriting to make good craft accessible to writers of every experience level. Whether you’re looking for a theme-focused developmental edit or a complete overhaul of your story, I’m happy to find the right service to meet your needs. Check out the KnightWriting website to learn a bit more about me, check out my services, and schedule a free consultation call with me today!
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