Theme is the central idea, or thesis or overall message

the story conveys.

The theme in a story is its underlying message, or ‘big idea’. In
other words,
what critical belief about life is the author trying to convey in
the writing of a novel, play, short story or poem? This belief or
idea, transcends cultural barriers. It is usually universal in
nature. When a theme is universal, it touches on the human
experience regardless of race or language. A theme may be
exemplified by the actions, utterances, or thoughts of a
character in a novel.
Themes often explore historically common or cross-
culturally recognizable ideas, such as ethical questions, and
are usually implied rather than stated explicitly. Either directly
stated or simply implied, it takes the form of a brief
meaningful insight or a comprehensive vision of life.

How Does a Writer Develop a Theme?

FOUR (4) WAYS TO ANALYZE THEME

Analyzing theme is an essential part of reading literature in the classroom. It

does not only allow the story to be understood more by the students, but the
students
can also relate the story to their own lives and other literature they have read.
Here
are four (4) ways to analyze the theme of the literature:
1. Look for recurring images – Students can easily analyze theme through the
repeated images and other motifs throughout the novel. Once students
identify the theme, the recurring images can also be explained what this
theme might be. If there are a lot of images representing sadness, like
cloudy days or gray colors, the reader can extrapolate more of what this
means to the overall story.

2. Ask questions (and make a note of them) – Questions are sure to come up
when
trying to analyze theme, and while reading novels in general, and it is best
to use these questions to further the analysis. Having students question
what they read is a great skill for students to master, and will only allow for
a more in-depth analysis. For example, if the images are dark and
depressing, the students could question why is this. What does this bring
to the story? It is important to write these questions down, to link all the
theme of the novel. Another question ask is, why this theme essential to the
story?

3. Identify the different tools the author uses to express the theme – To
understand the theme of the story even more so, analyzing the specific
literary devices is an integral part of the analysis. The devices add layers to
the theme, and once the students take notice of them and look closer, the
analysis will only be the better for it. An example of what a student could
notice in literary devices would be multiple mentions of metaphors, and as
the last way suggested, they could ask questions about this. Why are there
multiple metaphors throughout the story? What does that mean for the
overall theme.
4. Make notes while reading, then compare all once finished reading - One
of the
best ways to read a book while trying to analyze different aspects of it,
theme specifically, is to keep notes of what you’re reading so you can
understand the specifics of it. This allows the reader to see the similarities
and differences form throughout the book that he or she wrote while in the
midst of reading, that maybe he or she wouldn’t have noticed if it was not
written down. Things to make a note are character traits, literary devices,
passages the reader likes, imagery, and exciting plot points.

LITERARY TECHNIQUES

The fiction writer’s choice of “literary techniques” is an important element of

fiction. There are many techniques used that include symbolism, imagery,
figurative
languages such as simile, metaphor, personification, alliteration, parallelism, irony
and
many others. But the most commonly used techniques in fiction are flashback,
foreshadowing, symbol, irony and imagery. These techniques are used for the
purpose
of creating a more interesting, more meaningful, more authentic, and more
entertaining story.

1. Flashback - An interruption in the chronological sequence of a story by the

narration of events which occurred earlier than the time of the story. It is
the device that allows the writer to present events that happened before
the time of the current narration or the current events in the fiction.
Various methods can be used, including memories, dream sequences,
stories or narration of characters, or even authorial sovereignty.
Flashback is useful for exposition, to fill in the reader about a character
or a place, or about the background to a conflict.
Example:

Rowling begins her first Harry Potter book just as Harry turns
 eleven years old. It’s been ten years since Lord Voldemort murdered
his parents and Harry was left with his less-than-welcoming
relatives, the Dursleys. Rowling uses a series of flashbacks to hint
at Harry’s unique abilities by recounting the strange things that
happened to him before the story takes place. For example, when
Aunt Petunia makes Harry get a haircut, he wakes up the next
morning to find his hair has grown back to where it was. Rowling
uses these flashbacks to foreshadow what we soon find out—that
Harry has inherited wizarding powers from his parents.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVd6CnKLPgY

2. Foreshadowing - The presentation of events or scenes early in a story

which hints at something which occurs later in the story.
Example:
As the twilight colors blush
The eyes of the night arouse.
(Foreshadows night)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jPF9ugDKko

3. Symbol - A person, object, image or event that suggests more than its literal
meaning: something concrete that stands for or evokes some abstract
concept. Some symbols are widely recognized by all and have a shared
meaning. Such as the V-sign for Victory. Other symbols develop full
meanings in the context of a story or poem; these are referred to as
literary symbols.

Example:
“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods. Time will
change it; I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My
love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath a
source of little visible delight, but necessary.”
Wuthering Heights by In Emily Brontë

4. Irony - has three (3) types. First is verbal irony. Essentially, the intended
meaning of a statement is different from the actual meaning. It is often
a form of sarcasm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81c44-CDP7E&t=11s
The second type is situational irony. It occurs
when the expected outcome of an action is different than the actual
outcome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN01S5w9lxo
The last type is dramatic irony. Essentially, the audience
knows more about the character’s situation than the character does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xH0HfJHsaY

Irony as a literary device is a situation in which there is contrast

between expectation and reality.
Example:
 “Go ask his name: if he be married
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.”
Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Scene V by William Shakespeare

5. Imagery - The writer uses the language that appeals to the senses to create
“word pictures” in the mind of the reader. The writer can use imagery that
appeals to the sense of sight (visual), smell (olfactory), touch (tactile),
hearing (auditory) and taste (gustatory)
Example:
His brown skin hung in strips like ancient wallpaper,
and its pattern of darker brown was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses stained and lost through age.
An excerpt from the poem “The Fish”
by Elizabeth Bishop

Here are some famous examples of imagery in Shakespearean works:

 “My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep.” Romeo and Juliet
 “There’s daggers in men’s smiles.” Macbeth
 “Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever,-
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.” Much Ado About Nothing
 “If I be waspish, best beware my sting.” The Taming of the Shrew
 “Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” Hamlet

The first thing you always look for in a story is the SETTING. It is the context
of
a storytelling that describes the elements of where and when the story takes
place. It
is a literary element used in various genre and generally introduced at the
exposition
(beginning) of a literary piece. Moreover, the setting gives you the feeling and the
picture of the plot of the story.
The setting gives you a clearer view or understanding of the character’s
actions,
language and even the flow of events and presents a specific aspect that answers
to
these questions:
• Where does it take place?
• What is the social climate?
• What time, period or season is it?
 • What important events are happening in the world?
• What emotion did it evoke to you as a reader?

The PLOT is the sequence of events and their significance in the unfolding of
the story. It follows a flow from the exposition (beginning) of the story to its
denouement (resolution) and can be presented using a diagram as presented
below:

1. Exposition: At the beginning of the story, characters, setting, and the main conflict are
typically introduced.
2. Rising Action: The main character is in crisis and events leading up to facing the
conflict begin to unfold. The story becomes complicated.
3. Climax: At the peak of the story, a major event occurs in which the main character faces
a major enemy, fear, challenge, or other source of conflict. The most action, drama, change,
and excitement occurs here.
4. Falling Action: The story begins to slow down and work towards its end, tying up loose
ends.
5. Resolution/Denoument: Also known as the denouement, the resolution is like a
concluding paragraph that resolves any remaining issues and ends the story.

Example:

Kaitlin wants to buy a puppy. She goes to the pound and begins looking through the cages
for her future pet. At the end of the hallway, she sees a small, sweet brown dog with a white
spot on its nose. At that instant, she knows she wants to adopt him. After he receives shots
and a medical check, she and the dog, Berkley, go home together.

In this Example, the exposition introduces us to kaitlin and her conflict. She wants to buy a
puppy but she does not have one. The rising action occurs as she enters the npound and
begins looking. The climax is when she sees the dog of her dreams and decides to adopt
him. The falling action After he receives shots and a medical check. Resolution she and the
dog, Berkley, go home together.

CONFLICT or the struggle of opposing forces in a story. It is usually a driving

force that makes you react to what you read or watch. It is presented in different
forms
such as:
• Man against Self is a psychological battle or dilemma.
• Man against Man is a battle of force or strength between two or more
individuals.
• Man against Nature is the battle against the many forces of nature.
• Man against Society is a battle with the taboos, traditions and laws of a
community.
• Man against the Supreme Being is a battle with the more powerful force
than man himself or herself.