{"id":52457,"date":"2019-07-11T20:23:49","date_gmt":"2019-07-11T20:23:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=52457"},"modified":"2026-03-26T12:56:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T17:56:39","slug":"thematic-development-in-writing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/thematic-development-in-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Thematic Development in Writing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_kBs7NpEzMI8\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_kBs7NpEzMI8\" data-source-videoID=\"kBs7NpEzMI8\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Thematic Development in Writing Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Thematic Development in Writing\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_kBs7NpEzMI8:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_kBs7NpEzMI8 {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/568-thematic-development-in-writing-1.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_kBs7NpEzMI8\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_kBs7NpEzMI8\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Thematic Development in Writing\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_kBs7NpEzMI8\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_kBs7NpEzMI8\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_kBs7NpEzMI8\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction gA2_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"gA2\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"gA2_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"gA2\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Understanding_Themes\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Understanding Themes<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Shaping_Themes_Through_Opposition\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Shaping Themes Through Opposition<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>The major theme in a literary work is the most significant idea the author is trying to convey. A theme can be anything from \u201cLove and Friendship\u201d to \u201cGood versus Evil.\u201d It\u2019s the underlying idea that connects the plot and characters with a deeper meaning. Today we\u2019re going to talk about how you can choose and develop a theme in your writing.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Understanding_Themes\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Understanding Themes<\/h2>\n<p>\nIf you\u2019re not sure what your theme is, think about what your work is about on the grand scale. Forget all about the details of the plot, the character, the problem, and the setting. Instead, try to deduce what the core concept is that you\u2019re exploring. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re writing a story about a hero rescuing a princess from the castle. Is your theme \u201cgood triumphs over evil,\u201d or is it \u201cthe princess saves herself in this one?\u201d Whatever you decide will change the way that you write. <\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s look at some areas that are ripe for <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/theme\/\">theme<\/a> development.<\/p>\n<p>A powerful way to advance your theme is in your character\u2019s actions and choices. If you are choosing whether to have your protagonist do A or B, look first at which action better illustrates your theme. While you certainly don\u2019t want to beat a dead horse with symbolism, a noteworthy decision could be a subtle reminder to the reader of the deeper meaning of the book. One of the main themes in Orson Scott Card\u2019s book, <em>Ender\u2019s Game<\/em>, is the theme of compassion (or lack thereof).<\/p>\n<p>Early in the book, Ender fights a bully and injures him more than necessary. He explains himself thus: \u201cKnocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too. So they\u2019d leave me alone.\u201d Card uses this individual instance to shine a light on the question of what compassion looks like when someone\u2019s forced to defend himself or herself, foreshadowing a major theme revealed throughout the book. <\/p>\n<p>A book\u2019s setting can also help determine its theme. Think about the M. Night Shyamalan movie, <em>The Village<\/em>. One of the themes in the movie is isolation, both of the society as a whole, and of the individuals within. The setting is a self-sustained town in a clearing in the woods. All around the town are watch posts and no one is allowed to enter or exit. The setting is a strong contributor to the theme of isolation throughout the whole story.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Shaping_Themes_Through_Opposition\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Shaping Themes Through Opposition<\/h2>\n<p>\nYou can also look at the major conflict in your story as a way to further deepen your theme. Let\u2019s take another well-known movie plot for our example. In the superhero movie <em>Avengers<\/em>, the plot involves a group of different superheros overcoming their differences to attack a common enemy. A major theme in the movie is unity, and the conflict in the story helps drive this home again and again.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most colorful ways to develop your theme is through the character of your antagonist. The antagonist is the <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/characters\/\">character<\/a> that actively opposes your main character. We can stay with the superhero motif for a great example of antagonist theme development. In the <em>X-Men<\/em> franchise, the main antagonist is Magneto.<\/p>\n<p>One of the primary themes in <em>X-Men<\/em> is the theme of discrimination. The mutants face this discrimination and have to find unity and purpose despite the way the world, and sometimes other mutants, view them. Magneto\u2019s character and backstory help develop this theme. He is Jewish, and initially discovers his mutant powers while being separated from his family in a concentration camp. Magneto\u2019s character was discriminated against in the worst possible way before he was even revealed as a mutant, an excellent example of the antagonist&#8217;s character driving the theme along. <\/p>\n<p>To recap, if your plot is the backbone of your story, the theme is the muscle. Developing your theme makes your story not just solid, but strong as well. <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s all for now\u2014thanks for watching, and as always, happy studying.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/writing\/\">Return to Writing Videos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Writing Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":95470,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-52457","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","7":"page_category-writing-videos","8":"page_type-video","9":"subject_matter-english"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52457"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52457\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":280361,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/52457\/revisions\/280361"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}