Remember we defined a plot as a series of events that make up the central idea of a book? Great! Now, that central idea is the theme of your work.
In Chimamanda Adichie’s , Half of a yellow sun, war and love are portrayed as the main themes. The plot pivots around these central ideas.
That answers the question, can a work have more than a single theme?. Absolutely yes, it can! Although there is always one major theme that stands out above the rest. To easier understand the concept of themes in story writing, imagine this analogy;
Your book is a stage, your characters are on the stage acting out a series of events (the plot) and your theme is the backdrop of the stage. Fantastic right?
We’ve mentioned that usually, in a work, there is the major theme and what I’d love to call subsidiary or subtle themes.
Major theme
As the name implies, it’s the main theme. So the entire plot is tied around it.
Let’s delve into, the theme of revenge;
As a child, Giovanna had watched her parents being murdered before her own eyes. Little as she was then, she had hidden behind an old wooden cupboard. Curled up in fear, green eyes wide in panic, she had watched the horrific scene play out in front of her —powerless to do anything to stop it.
The booming sounds of gun shots upon gun shots ripping through the humid mid-August air that night had drowned out her own choked sobs as she clutched her ragdoll tightly against her chest. Even as she was found and rescued by the police hours later, she swore she was going to get revenge, regardless the cost.
And that’s a wrap! That was fun to write. I hope this quick illustration helps us understand how major themes come to play. As expected, the entire work would be geared towards Giovanna’s revenge —if she does indeed gets the revenge or if she learns to heal and overcome.
There are lots and lots of major themes that can be explored—revenge, homicide, alien invasion, zombie apocalypse, forgiveness, self-love, feminism, coming-of-age, love (the most popular of them all)… and the list goes on and on.
Subtle themes
Ah, subtle themes… my favorite of them all. Regardless of the main theme, we find other subtle themes coming to play. They usually complement the major theme as the latter cannot stand on it’s own.
Subtle themes can be endearing to your readers… they leave long lasting impressions on their minds.
Your subtle theme could be, a character who plays the piano, an autistic character, an especially sarcastic character, a goofy character, a character’s culture or heritage, a character with a love for nature etc.
Besides that, subtle themes could also be friendship, relationship, city, motherhood, single-parenthood, unity, trauma, courage and the likes. Not just that, we could as well find love as a subtle theme.
Bear in mind that the themes we see in a work reflects its genre. It’s odd to find themes of modern tech in a historical fiction or a fantasy story without some spruce of magic here and there.
Finally, as writers, it’s wise to tread triggering or sensitive themes like domestic violence, abuse, suicide, mental challenges, racism, gender bias and the likes with caution. A suitable and clear content warning is advisable if themes like these are delved into.
ACTION POINT
Try fishing out the major themes of your favorite books. You could also pick up a choice theme and practice writing a short story. I’d love to hear from you!
Be sure to hit the comment section with your questions, comments or feedback!
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Beautiful Swirls; Writing Tips
Non-FictionIf you're clicking on this work, you're most likely a wordsmith seeking to improve your craft. In other words, you're a writer or an aspiring author who wants to learn a few things here and there (there's no end to learning). You've come to the righ...
