Reference no: EM133764365
Major and Minor Themes
Major and minor themes are two types of themes that appear in literary works. A major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his literary work, making it the most significant idea in the work. A minor theme, on the other hand, refers to an idea that appears in a work briefly, giving way to another minor theme.
Difference Between a Theme and a Subject
It is important not to confuse a theme of a literary work with its subject. Subject is a topic that acts as a foundation for a literary work, while a theme is an opinion expressed on the subject or the lesson(s) we learn from a text. For example, a writer may choose a subject of war for his story, and the theme may be his personal opinion that war is a curse for humanity. Usually, it is up to the readers to explore the theme of a literary work by analyzing characters, plot, and other literary devices. Remember, themes are expressed in complete sentences. A single word is not a theme.
Presentation of Themes
A writer presents themes in a literary work through several means. A writer may express a theme through the feelings of his main character about the subject he has chosen to write about. Similarly, themes are presented through thoughts and conversations of different characters. Moreover, the experiences of the main character in the course of a literary work give us an idea about its theme. Finally, the actions and events taking place in a narrative are consequential in determining its theme.
ASSIGNMENT 1: IDENTIFYING A THEME IN THE NOVEL
Choose one of the themes shown in the box below and write one paragraph in which you explain how this theme is presented in the novel and what the novel teaches the reader about this theme.