How to State the THEME of a WORK: A Short Lesson

What is a “theme”? EVERY literary work makes a statement or a point. That statement or point is UNIQUE to each reader. Your statement of THEME tells me what YOU got out of that work (the point of the piece).

The theme should be A COMPLETE SENTENCE. FIRST: The theme should be A COMPLETE SENTENCE.

Is “love and marriage” a COMPLETE SENTENCE – NO! The theme of The Mayor of Casterbridge is love and marriage. Is “love and marriage” a COMPLETE SENTENCE – NO!

The theme of The Mayor of Casterbridge is that successful marriage does not require love. (THAT’S a COMPLETE SENTENCE.)

SECONDLY: The theme should describe the general meaning of the work, not the specific events, actions, or characters.

The theme of As I Lay Dying is that Addie’s death is hard on the whole family. Addie’s death is hard on the whole family – can you apply that to another work of literature?

LASTLY: The theme should reflect the values of the entire work, not just one or two episodes or lines.

To check: look at the end of the work to make sure that the story's (or poem’s) outcome matches what you think its general meaning is.

Now, let’s practice. . .