Creative Writing Series for Home Schoolers (7-12)

In this installment of the series, we're going to dive deeper into the element of theme. Theme was explained as the main or central idea of a story. Think of theme as the rope tying a hot-air balloon to its stakes, preventing it from floating away. In order for your short story to hold a reader's interest, the writer (that's you) needs some form of direction, similar to a road map, for the reader to follow. The theme can assist you in creating and following that road map.

So what exactly is a theme? Well, as stated previously, it is simply an idea. We know that theme can be used as a guide for the writer-a path to walk on and not stray from. For the reader, the theme is what the story is about. Perhaps the theme is love, cheating, or friendship. Do keep in mind though, that themes have more than one meaning. The theme is the writer's guide and the reader's conclusion as to what the story was about. Any number of readers may list different meanings for the same story. Don't be alarmed and feel as though your reader "didn't get it".

An example of one story leaving readers with differing theme reactions is Misery, by Anton Chekhov. When asked, most readers had different opinions of what the story meant. That does not mean Chekhov wrote a story with an ill-developed theme; it just points out that there is no "correct" way, or rule, which says every reader must agree about the meaning of a story.

Now we know that a theme is our guide and is used to keep us from wandering around, deviating from our intended path. What happens if our path changes as we write? What if our characters or plot suggest to us that we step off the path? Well, we step off. No one sits down and writes a complete story, beginning to end, at once with no editing. If you've written half of your story and feel as though the theme should be something different, then by all means, change it. Allow yourself to be as flexible as you wish. Just make sure you keep a central idea to the story instead of branching off into multiple ideas that could cause your reader to get lost.

So how do we choose a theme? Remember, a theme can be anything! It can be a personal experience, your views on some subject; even your deepest fears can be a theme. Anything at all that appeals to you can be used. Here are a few examples:

A person or situation that look differently than it really is.

Love being blind

Self-esteem

Fear of the unknown

Task

Read one of the following short stories (links are provided at the end of this lesson):

Misery, by Anton Chekhov

Everyday Use, by Alice Walker

The Appointment in Samarra, as retold by W. Somerset Maugham

When you've finished, consider what you believe the themes to have been. If your parents or instructor read the same one as you, discuss it afterward. Did you each feel the theme was the same? Could you find any additional themes within the story you chose to read?

As always, the most important thing is to have fun!