Why is theme important?
Consider it a quirk of how I perceive the world, Neophyte, my own idiosyncratic way of thinking, perhaps flawed in its own right, but effective for me nonetheless. I need to understand the “why” of things before delving into the “what.” It may seem like a roundabout approach, but it works for me. So, excuse this old soul as he delves into explaining why theme is important not just in writing but in storytelling.
What is theme? The short answer is “what the story is about,” distinct from “what the plot is.” They are two very different things. Need an example? Let’s consider a murder mystery: a millionaire is found dead in one of the favelas of Brazil, and a special investigator is assigned to the case, unraveling the entire affair. In this story, the main plot revolves around solving the murder, with numerous subplots intertwining. Perhaps the police captain is somehow involved, or a powerful figure has a tangential interest in the case, leading to complications. Then there are the more personal subplots; for instance, the lead investigator may have a lost sister working as a call girl in the underworld. Despite being in denial about his sister’s situation, the case he’s working on forces him to confront reality and acknowledge her circumstances. Maybe all his sister needs is genuine human understanding.
No matter how you dissect it, Neophyte, that’s all plot — plot through and through, not theme. Theme is much more abstract when it comes to writing. It’s the overarching topic a story addresses, which can be almost anything. Examples include “survival,” “loss of innocence,” “fanaticism vs. tolerance,” “hope,” or “evil.” There are very few limits to what a story’s theme can be, limited only by the author’s interests and imagination.
The “what” is going to be a topic for another day; today, we’re here to discuss the “why.” Why is theme important? Because you need scaffolding, something to guide and help you set the tone for the story. Take the story of a boxer rising to the top of his sport — an empty tale of someone who wins is mindless entertainment. But the story of someone who struggles and wins despite everything, especially himself, now that’s a story worth remembering. Yes, if that sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the basic theme of “Rocky.” Sure, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, a story is a bit more complex than that, but theme shouldn’t be complex; it should be simple. A theme is important because it will help you set everything down one path, keeping your scope narrow and focused.
Theme is important because it is the very soul of the story, the heart, the moral background all your characters bounce off of. You may want to tell a war story, but without something to give it humanity, you have empty entertainment, Neophyte. And it can be anything. The theme may be the “loss of innocence”; you could have the point of view character be a young and inexperienced soldier being mentored by an older one, learning life’s lessons. It’s basic as basic comes, but it doesn’t stop there. The veteran soldier could learn that what he believed is a lie, a lie that he held onto with childlike fervor. Then, the nurse in the medical tent could learn that no matter how many wounds she cures, more will come, sometimes the same as before. We often confuse innocence with childhood, and while both of them are related, that doesn’t exclude adults.
Theme is important because it sets the tone for the reader or audience. A dark and moody story will have dark and moody themes. Even if everything seems lighthearted and cheerful, that’s just a front; it’s often used as a form of juxtaposition by authors.
But theme is important because it is an unanswered question, a question that the readers want to know the answer to at the end. Think about it, Neophyte, take the ever-classic “Good vs. Evil” theme; does it imply tea parties and singing rounds? No, it involves conflict. Characters facing each other, sometimes even themselves, and seeing what happens. In Star Wars, Luke had to face the darkness within himself first before he could defeat the outside force. Themes set the basis for conflict, both internal and external, and it is the job of the author to make them grow from there, to understand the nature of the theme and how it applies to the characters, their motivations, self-deceptions, and interpersonal conflicts.
Though I did told a lie before, yes the readers want an answer but some of the best stories leave the question hanging and let the readers come out with their own interpretations of what you wrote. After all giving an actual answer turns the story into an overly complicated essay, leaving the door ajar is far more interesting
Why is theme important? Because it is the heart and soul of a story.
