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Classic Literature Directory


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Theme

"Theme" is not simply the subject of the literary work. Instead, the theme is a major and often recurring idea; the larger meaning of a work, including any thoughts or insights about life or people in general. Often the theme will make a statement about society, teaching a lesson, providing a moral. In stories written for children, the theme is often spelled out clearly at the end with " . . . and so the moral of the story is . . . " A good example is Aesop's tales. The theme in some literary works may be somewhat ambivalent, especially in more modern works.

Basic Universal Themes
Adventure & Physical Risk | Birth & Childhood | Death | Gain & Loss of Money | Love & Loss | Passage from Childhood to Adulthood | Work

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