A theme in literature is a central, unifying idea that emerges as the characters pursue their goals. It is the main idea or underlying meaning that a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work. A theme is not the literal details of a work, such as its characters or setting, but rather the universal message that the story communicates. It is the inferred stance taken on the central topic or message of a story. A theme affects everything else in a story, including the decisions that characters make, the mood that words and images build, and the moral that readers interpret.

Themes are used to communicate important ideas and messages about issues that face the characters and the setting of a narrative. They are what the story is truly about at its core. Every work of literature has at least one theme, and recognizing how writers utilize various themes in literature can help writers craft stronger, more nuanced works of prose and poetry.

There are countless ways to approach the theme of a story or poem, and there are many common themes in literature, such as love, war, death, isolation, and more. However, a theme isnt complete unless it actually says something or takes a position about the topic.