Lecture on Theme, Message, and Means of Conveying Implication

The plot with its characters, actions and setting forms the so-called “surface content” of a literary work. The surface content, which is represented in concrete individuals, situations and actions, may entertain and keep the readers curious. Some read only to learn what happens next. But skilled readers discover what lies beyond the surface content. In a literary work they look for the theme. Along with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is considered one of the fundamental components of fiction. The story may differ, the characters might change, but the basic themes in literature have remained more or less the same.

The theme of a literary work is the main area of interest treated in it. In contemporary literary studies, the theme is often viewed as the central topic, subject of artistic representation in a literary work, or concept the author foregrounds. Like morals or messages, themes often explore historically common or cross-culturally recognizable ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Interpretations of the same themes in literature may vary from individual to individual, as people have diverse ways of looking at the same thing.

Themes may be major or minor. A major theme is an issue the author returns to time and again. It becomes one of the most important topics in the story. Minor themes are issues that may appear from time to time.

There are works on the theme of love, or love for one’s Motherland; there are books on the theme of family relations, or on the anti-war theme.

The plots of different books on one and the same theme may be based on an identical type of conflict. But the authors embody the similar themes and conflicts into unique artistic forms, characters and events, and do it in a most effective way.

The theme performs a unifying function. It can be clearly seen in any literary work. Though its parts may differ in the described events and the style, they still develop the same theme and in this way are organized into an organic whole. Thus the effect that the artistic unity produces is brilliant, vivid and enduring.

Here is a list of themes in literature, which have been touched upon by writers and poets of different eras.

Common Themes in Literature

Honesty

This is perhaps one of the most common of themes in literature. Many great authors and writers have stressed upon the futility of leading a life full of lies. In most books, it is always the good which wins over the evil. Negative emotions such as jealousy, anger, manipulation are looked down upon and positive emotions such as love, care, honesty are rewarded.

Family Bonds

“Family comes first” – one of the themes in literature, that focuses on the importance of family, and nurturing family bonds, has been the core of many literary master pieces.

Love

Many books in literature revolve around the theme of love. Love is depicted as something that one should not even hesitate to die for. Lovers resorting to war to get their beloveds, friends sacrificing themselves for each other, are some of the examples of themes in literature.

Human Struggles

Human struggles against the society, against oneself or sometimes even against God, are something which many authors have depicted beautifully through their creative works. Man is shown as someone who is perpetually struggling against the dictates of the society, of being at loggerheads with what the society expects of him and what he actually wants to do. Finding peace and God is another human struggle we find in many literary works.

Living in the Present

Living in the present, living life fully, enjoying every bit of life – are some of the themes and elements in literature that tell us the importance of time.

Death

Many books in literature show how death in inevitable, and how it causes suffering to the ones who are left behind. Different stages of life, grief, tragedy and survival are some of the other themes in literature that are generally depicted along with death.

These are the different themes in literature, which have not lost their significance even now, and many books, poems and other literary works that are written today revolve around them. Some of the other everlasting themes in literature are birth, freedom, ethics, hope, rejection, alienation, ambition, violence, cruelty, nature, joy, caring for others, seasons, materialism and responsibility. Such themes have been part and parcel of literary works since the time of Shakespeare to Jane Austen to W.B. Yeats to E. Hemingway, and they seldom lose their appeal, as they touch the core of humans at many different levels.

Authors express their themes in 4 primary ways: 1) through the feelings of the main character; 2) through thoughts and conversations; 3) through what the main character learns in the course of the story; 4) through specific actions or events.

The skilled readers understand all the implications encoded in the story. They are sensitive to the author’s attitude towards the characters, events and problems in the story. They look for and understand what is known as “the underlying thought content” of the literary work, which conveys its message.