What Is Theme In a Story?

Have you ever read a book that moved you so much that you want to do something to make the world a better place.  Maybe it moved you to help the poor, go off and travel the world as a missionary, or fight for equality for all.  Then you know what theme is. A message, or moral of the story that makes one want to take action, or portrays a message that makes you want to be a better person.  Look at this little poster.  It explains theme very well.

So before you write, you must think about what the theme of your story will be.  Are you trying to teach something to people, or persuade them to take some sort of action for a particular cause?   Think about the last book you have read.  What message were they trying to get across to you?  What did you feel after reading it?  I remember reading the book  Gone With The Wind.  After I read that book I felt a deep passion for those who served in the civil war between the North and the South.  I realized both sides had love ones that fought in those wars.  Both had struggles., both had to bury their dead.  It made me realize that war hurts everyone, and that we often only see from one point of view.  it taught me a life lesson about understanding universal  feeling all people have no matter where they live.  That people are people and all hurt.  So before you start to write, think about what you are trying to say.  What life lesson you want to get across to you readers   Theme is very important.  If you develop it well, your readers will close your book and remember how you made them feel, and come back for more!

Coming next.  Choosing your characters!