1. Theme: The author’s message

2. The Scorpion and the Frog A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?" The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too." The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink. Knowing they both will drown, the frog has just enough time to gasp "Why?" Replies the scorpion: "Its my nature...” related information:
The Scorpion and the Frog by William A. Borst (November 2004)

3. Theme can be defined as:
The “moral of the story”
The underlying meaning of the story
A universal truth
A significant statement the story is making about society, human nature, or the human condition.

4. Expression of themes
A story's theme must be described in universal terms, not in terms of the plot.
(The plot is the way the universal theme is carried out in that particular story.)
Themes can be applied to the reader's own life, the world at large, or to other literature.
The primary theme is most important theme in the story.
There may be other secondary themes as well.

5. Types of themes: An explicit theme is stated openly in the literature.
The Wizard of Oz:
“There’s no place like home”
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone: Some men waste their lives living in a fantasy.
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets: Our choices make up who we are.
Braveheart: “Every man dies. Not every man truly lives.”

6. Explicit Theme Examples
Dead Poets Society: Seize the day!
Austin Powers: Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand.
Saw: Those who don’t value life deserve to lose it.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.”

7. Types of Themes An implicit theme is not directly stated, but one that the reader can infer.
Shrek: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Mean Girls: You can only truly “fit in”
when you are yourself.
Titanic: Man’s arrogance will be his downfall.
Terminator: Reliance on machines erodes humanity; Self-destruction is part of human nature.
The Craft: Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you.

8. Statement of themes
General Themes (topics) are often explored in literature
Sacrifice, Loyalty, Freedom, Honesty, Truth, Survival
However, in the end, the resolution of the story states the themes definitively; 1 word isn’t enough.
To say a book's theme is "friendship" is unclear.
It may mean, "Friends are a person's most valuable possession."
It may also mean, "Friends cannot be trusted if their own interests are opposed to yours."