Transcript:

In the age of “it’s not that deep” and anti-intellectualism running rampant on social media, let’s talk about theme in storytelling. And we don’t have to get super philosophical or nitpicky about details to do that.

I know, I know—when you hear “theme,” you might flash back to high school English class, where it felt like your teacher was determined to find hidden meaning in everything. “The curtains are blue… which clearly represents the crushing weight of existential despair.”

Orrrrr… Maybe the author just liked the color blue?

In today’s video, we’re going to explore the purpose of themes in your story and how to give just enough for that theme to shine without turning it into a glaring neon sign. It’s important to remember that we all crave meaning, but nobody wants a lecture in disguise.

Hi, I’m C. Sloan Lewis, your virtual writing coach, and my goal is to help you not just improve your writing, but to support you as a writer. Welcome to my channel!

What Theme Is & Why It Matters

Theme is the heartbeat of your story. It’s not the plot—that’s what happens. It’s not even the moral, which is what you might take away. Theme is the deeper idea your story explores, the connective tissue between character, conflict, and resolution.

Think of it like the undercurrent of a river. You might not always see it on the surface, but it’s there, guiding the flow. Without a theme, a story can still be entertaining, but it risks feeling hollow. With a theme, even the smallest moment can carry weight, and readers leave feeling like the story meant something.

And here’s the tricky thing: theme is a two-way street. Even if you write your story with a specific theme in mind, not everyone will interpret it the same way. Some readers might completely miss the theme you intended, and others might point out a theme you never consciously wrote in.

And that’s okay—stories are a collaboration between the writer’s intent and the reader’s experience. Which is, in my personal opinion, why studying theme is so interesting.

And it’s why stories like the Barbie movie (2023) hit so hard. Sure, it’s got bright pink dream houses and campy humor, but underneath? It’s exploring identity, societal expectations, and what it means to be “enough” in your own life. Some viewers walked away talking about feminism, others about self-acceptance, and others about existential purpose. All of those readings are valid—that’s the beauty of theme.

So, how do we utilize theme in a story?

1. Start with your character’s journey.

If you’re not sure what your theme is, look at your protagonist’s arc:

• What belief do they start with?
• How does that belief get challenged?
• Who do they become by the end?

Often, your theme lives in that transformation. In The Hunger Games, Katniss begins focused solely on survival. By the end, the story has explored themes of sacrifice, resistance, and the moral cost of survival itself.

In Encanto, Mirabel starts out feeling like she has no worth because she doesn’t have a magical gift. By the end, we see themes of family, self-worth, and how value isn’t tied to ability. The theme is wrapped up in her emotional journey.

2. Let the theme emerge through choices and consequences.

This is where the English teacher in me wants to say: Don’t make your characters deliver book reports about the meaning of life. Instead, let their decisions—and the fallout from those decisions—carry the message.

In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald never tells us “the American Dream is corrupt.” He shows it through Gatsby’s desperate climb, the opulence of his parties, and the emptiness that lingers after.

More recently, in Everything Everywhere All at Once, the film doesn’t just tell you “kindness matters.” It forces the characters into wild, chaotic situations where kindness is the hardest choice—and the choice that changes everything.

3. Use contrast to deepen meaning.

Sometimes, the best way to highlight your theme is to give it tension. Pair your protagonist’s view with an opposing perspective. That way, readers feel the push and pull without being preached at.

In Frozen II (a movie I’ve watched too many times now that I have a toddler), Elsa’s journey of self-discovery is contrasted with Anna’s belief in loyalty and steadfastness. Both are right in their own way—and the interplay between their arcs gives depth to the story’s themes of identity, change, and trust.

Tips & Pitfalls

• Don’t be heavy-handed. If your readers can guess your “lesson” after chapter one, you’ve tipped your hand too early. Trust them to connect the dots.
• Avoid making every character agree. Conflict in worldview makes your theme stronger. It’s the difference between a vibrant debate and a room full of nodding heads.
• Resist the urge to label it outright. You can know your theme without having a character spell it out word-for-word. Remember, theme should be felt as much as it’s understood.

But that’s all from me today. Now I want to hear from you—what’s the theme of your favorite book, movie, or your current work-in-progress? Drop it in the comments.

If you found this helpful, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with a writer friend who might be wrestling with their own theme.

You’ve got some writing to do, so I’ll see you in the next video. Ta-Ta!