Prose / novel · Both
Themes & Ideas
A theme is a central idea the text explores (love, power, identity, conflict, inequality). You must show how it is developed, not just name it.
Finding themes
Ask:
• What keeps coming back?
• What do characters struggle with?
• How does the ending comment on the opening situation?
• What might the writer want readers to question?
Writing about themes
• State the theme clearly
• Show it in more than one moment or character
• Explain how methods (imagery, structure, contrast) reinforce the idea
• Avoid moralising (“we should all be kind”) – stay rooted in the text
Worked example
Weak vs strong theme comment?
Solution: Weak: “The theme is friendship.” Strong: “The novel tests loyalty under pressure – early trust is later betrayed, so the reader questions whether friendship can survive self-interest.”
Practice questions
1. What is a theme?
2. Why use more than one example for a theme?