Theme (narrative)
In contemporary
The most common contemporary understanding of theme is an idea or point that is central to a story, which can often be summed in a single word (for example, love, death, betrayal). Typical examples of themes of this type are
A story may have several themes. Themes often explore historically common or cross-culturally recognizable ideas, such as
Techniques
Various
Leitwortstil
Leitwortstil, which means "leading word style" in German,
In New Testament studies, a leitwortstil is called a verbal thread. David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie identify several verbal threads in their seminal narrative-critical study of the Gospel of Mark.[11] For example, Mark ties together two disparate narratives with a verbal thread that forces the reader to search for connections between the narratives. The word for ripping or tearing (Greek: σχίζω, schizō) is found at the baptism of Jesus in Mark 1:10 and at the rending of the temple veil in Mark 15:38.[original research?]
Thematic patterning
Thematic patterning means the insertion of a recurring motif in a narrative.[12] For example, various scenes in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men are about loneliness.[13] Thematic patterning is evident in One Thousand and One Nights,[14] an example being the story of "The City of Brass". According to David Pinault, the overarching theme of that tale, in which a group of travelers roam the desert in search of ancient brass artifacts, is that "riches and pomp tempt one away from God".[15] The narrative is interrupted several times by stories within the story. These include a tale recorded in an inscription found in the palace of Kush ibh Shaddad; a story told by a prisoner about Solomon; and an episode involving Queen Tadmur's corpse. According to Pinault, "each of these minor narratives introduces a character who confesses that he once proudly enjoyed worldly prosperity: subsequently, we learn, the given character has been brought low by God ... These minor tales ultimately reinforce the theme of the major narrative".[15]
Examples
Some common themes in literature are "love," "war," "revenge," "betrayal,"[16] "patriotism," "grace," "isolation," "motherhood," "forgiveness," "wartime loss,"[17] "treachery," "rich versus poor," "appearance versus reality," and "help from other-worldly powers."[18]
See also
- Literary element
- Moral
- Motif (narrative)
Notes
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary, retrieved January 26, 2012
- ISBN 978-1428290419, retrieved February 10, 2013
- ISBN 015501014X, retrieved February 11, 2013
- ISBN 0521523656, retrieved February 10, 2013
- ^ Kerr, John (2022-07-06). "The 3 Essential Elements of Plot Every Writer Should Know". Writer's Hive Media. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- ^ Obstfeld (2002, pp. 1, 65, 115, 171)
- ^ ISBN 9780801013690.
- ISBN 9004095306, retrieved February 10, 2013
- ISBN 9781442205161.
- ISBN 978-0310230786.
- ^ David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie, Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel, 3rd ed. (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2012), 48.
- ISBN 9004095306
- ISBN 087891997X, retrieved February 11, 2013
- S2CID 162223060
- ^ ISBN 9004095306
- ^ Baldick (2004)
- ^ Carey & Snodgrass (1999)
- ^ Brown & Rosenberg (1998)
References
- Baldick, Chris (2004), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, Oxford: ISBN 978-0-19-860883-7
- Brown, Mary Ellen; Rosenberg, Bruce A., eds. (1998), Encyclopedia of Folklore and Literature, Santa Barbara: ISBN 1-57607-003-4
- Carey, Gary; Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (1999), A Multicultural Dictionary of Literary Terms, Jefferson: ISBN 0-7864-0552-X
- Obstfeld, Raymond (2002), Fiction First Aid: Instant Remedies for Novels, Stories and Scripts, Cincinnati, OH: Writer's Digest Books, ISBN 1-58297-117-X
Further reading
- Kerr, John (2022-07-06). "The 3 Essential Elements of Plot Every Writer Should Know". Writer's Hive Media. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
- Kittelstad, Kit. "Examples of Theme in Literature". Yourdictionary.com. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
External links
- "The Literary Theme Ontology". Retrieved 2023-04-05.