Theme (literature)
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In literature (as well as many works of nonfiction), a theme is the main idea of the story, or the message the author is conveying. This message is usually about life, society or human nature. Not all stories have explicit themes (they are optional in escape fiction). However, some readers would say that, because all stories choose certain areas of life to focus on and deal with, all stories inherently project some kind of outlook on life that can be taken as a theme, regardless of whether or not this is the intent of the author. Analysis of changes in dynamic characters can provide insight into a particular theme.
A theme is not the same as the subject of a work, which could be expressed in a couple of words like "pursuit of happiness" or "heartache". Rather, it is the idea the writer wants to convey about the subject. For example the theme of Green Eggs and Ham is "Not everyone wants to eat green eggs and ham, no matter the location." The term theme may be used in the same way to refer to works of theater and film. Template:Lit-stub